If you're turned away at the run down exterior of the old 50's strip mall, turn around and give this place a try. The locals come here for good reason! The noodles are great and all the accompanying dishes are great. They make their own boba teas too. The thing is you got to get past the exterior, the place is busy. I was a little hesitant as I put my hand on the door but I knew the instant we entered it was a hidden gem. Do you want tasty things to eat. This is the place!
Y C
The flavor and richness of the food was impeccable. We had the braised beef noodle soup, guillin rice noodle, and the milk tea. All of it was delicious. The place is open seating once you order and the staff pay attention to keeping tables clean after each use. The self serve area is where the party is at. You get to add different things like nuts, pickled things, and other items to you liking. Parking might be tight but street parking is available.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leo M.
Service was way too busy. I went on the weekend so I don't know about the weekdays. I enjoyed my noodles. You can get the freshly made to go as well! Long wait to be seated on weekends though. Friendly service.
James D.
Wife was craving Guangxi Noodles. The restaurant is popular among Sacramento WeChat groups and Little Red Book (China's version of Instagram). Restaurant serve the base (noodles and meat), and the customer can scoop their own vegetable toppings. "Meat" is used loosely as it is mainly skin and fat, but that is expected for $14 in 2024. The skin is crispy and serve as a contrast to the soft noodles. Flavors are decent as you can customize to your liking with pickled vegetables and hot sauce. I thought it was delicious, but my wife felt it wasn't "authentic" enough. However, my wife and I unanimously agree the beef pancake rolls were the best. Beef pancake was filled with meat, pancake had a nice savory flavor and wasn't too oily. If we were to come back, it would be mainly for this dish only. The milk tea boba was decent. It isn't as good as a dedicated boba shops, but boba was soft and milk tea tasted fresh. Customers order upfront, pick up their food when pager vibrates, and bus their own tables afterwards. However, tips aren't expected. A rarity in modern times. I would recommend this if you are craving Guangxi noodles or want a unique tasting experience if you are unfamilar with the cuisine. I feel it hits a nice sweet spot for mainstream appeal and authenticity. However, my wife insists I dock a star due to flavor profiles not being authentic.
holmiumh
Food is fresh and delicious, self-serve condiment bar is unique and lovely. You don't want to miss this one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ho H.
Food is great, service is friendly. Definitely will go back. The self-serve condiment bar is unique and lovely.
Cindy M.
I've come here twice and both times it did not disappoint! Something to note here, is that you would pay first for your meal, receive a device that notifies you when your order is ready, and then take a seat wherever you'd like. Since this is the case, I recommend coming earlier if you have a larger party. This does seem to be a popular place with larger groups. There are no wait staff to clean up your dishes or to check in with you. If you need anything, you either go back to the cashier or go to the pickup counter. They do ask (based on signs) that you put away your dishes in the designated areas and keep your dining area clean. During my first visit here, we ordered Guilin Rice Noodles and Beef Roll Pancake. Both dishes were delicious. They came out relatively quickly and the food was very fresh. For the noodle dishes, I recommend adding plenty of toppings. There is a topping station near the pickup counter. Usually I had my partner load up our noodles and he seems to add everything, and it seems to be the best way to enjoy your noodles! The Guilin Rice Noodles have great texture, flavor, and freshness to them. I highly recommend the Guilin Rice Noodles. I also remember the Beef Roll Pancake being great and comparable to other local restaurants. During my second visit, we ordered Beef Brisket Dry Tossed Rice Noodles, Cold Marinated Seaweed, Pumpkin Pancake and Fresh Soymilk. The Beef Brisket Dry Tossed Rice Noodle was somewhat similar to the Guilin Rice Noodles. There are chewy pieces of beef brisket, which I enjoyed but some people may not. They were seasoned well though. It does come with a side of plain broth as a palate cleanser. I do recommend adding plenty of toppings to this dish. The noodle bowl may seem small, but when you add the toppings, it is very filling and you may be able to share it! The rice noodles that they use has a great chew and texture. If you are a bun bo hue (Vietnamese spicy beef noodles) enthusiast, these rice noodles are very similar. Cold Marinated Seaweed - Pretty generous serving, slightly spicy, and garlicky. I enjoyed this side dish! Pumpkin Pancake - this is supposed to be more of a sweet kind of dish. It wasn't very sweet though. It might taste better with some sugar or condensed milk. It was fried and very hot when it came out. It seems like they use kabocha as the pumpkin part, and there are sesame seeds. It has a chewy texture like nian gao. Not sure if I would get this again. Fresh Soymilk - We decided to order it since I saw another person order it and the staff prepared the drink by scooping it out of a large pot, which made me believe this was definitely fresh, and it was! If you love fresh soymilk from the tofu store/Asian grocery store, this is for you. It was warm when it came out and I think it was not too sweet. They did put it in a boba cup which was interesting lol. The cashier who was helping us seemed very pleased we were ordering it and gave us a thumbs up. It was adorable. Something to note is that the staff does not speak much English, so I would take the time to make sure your order is correct. We didn't have any issues, but I imagine that they have had issues, such that the cashier used a long stick to point to things on the menu when we ordered in English to confirm that each item was what we actually wanted. They do take card by the way. Parking can be challenging in this plaza. Overall, I highly recommend Old Gui Lin and it is definitely authentic!
Margie L.
I came here for a drink (C9...Coconut milk slushie) as my dessert for the evening. I always like to try new places and give new businesses an opportunity. The place looked moderately busy, clean, and familiar ( they're new). We ordered my drink, paid for it, and was handed a buzzer contraption to let us know when the order was ready. It's kind of weird since I was the only one ordering a drink. We were handed the beverage, but without a straw. We asked for one and was handed an unwrapped straw by the top (where one's mouth would go), with UNCLEAN hands. I waited till I we got home to wash the straw before I had a sip. Well, I did, and it was sickening sweet. Every flavor from the coconut milk to the pink bubbles (I think they're strawberry) tasted so artificial. There was NOTHING REDEEMING about this drink, and it went down the drain. What a waste. They need a lesson in hygiene and proper food service. After that, they need to stick with hot tea as the beverage of choice.
Michael W.
When Old Gui Lin opened in Freeport Blvd a few months ago, I rushed in to try them out. They were overloaded at the time due to too many people wanting to try a new restaurant. They're much more enjoyable now!They don't offer table service. It is more like a fast-food restaurant. Pay and order your food and drinks at the cashier counter. You receive a pager. You can find where to sit and wait for your food to be ready. They have a self-service topping add-on station. You can add Sauerkraut, Peanuts, Green Onion, etc., on top of your noodle with no additional charge. By the way, they have normal-size spoons at the station now instead of mini-size spoons when they first opened.Almost all the noodles and rice in their main dish menu are very delicious. The appetizers are very yummy. I have the A3. Beef Brisket Rice Noodle, B5. Red Cooked Chicken Feet, and C5. Fresh Soy Milk today. All three items were delicious.The dining room is not the most comfortable. It is designed for a quick meal fast turnaround. That's why I just ordered to go here sometime!Parking: Both parking lot and street parking are hard to get on the weekends.Wheelchair accessibility: The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: A1 Guilin Noodles, Beef Rolls
Sandy K.
Food was not bad. Service is good. Wish they have a bit more flavor in the soup that came with the noodle.
Such a great little spot! The food was fresh and delicious, the rice noodles were bouncy and the portion size was quite hefty. We enjoyed our noodle bowls (order A1) and the ability to customize our toppings per our own taste buds. I would definitely come back for a quick, but hearty meal! The self service style is definitely something you see a lot in Asian food courts, and is efficient. A lot of people were ordering the fresh soymilk, I will be back to try that soon! Also the owners (I'm assuming) were so nice and friendly, we enjoyed the vibes here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A1 Guilin Noodles
Philia P.
My humans love this place. Excellent food, wide selections, fast and last but not least free toppings haha.
Mimi V.
When I saw this place opened, I immediately wanted to try this place. I've visited Gui Lin it self in China and when i tried this restaurant's noodles, it brought me back a lot of memories. I like their combo noodle, all the ingredients were fresh and the noodles were cooked to perfection where it's not too hard or soft and is the right temperature. All of the unlimited sides such as pickled veggies, nuts, and peppers you get to add onto the noodles makes this place fun to go to. This is the only restaurant I know of in Sacramento that has this type of noodle. I would come back.
Anonymous Anonymous
It’s so delicious that you’ll be leaning against the wall! There are not many such affordable stores, and the store service is also good, and there is a self-service small food station. Large portion, delicious and not
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kiu Chieng
hello, i order a boba milk tea it split everywhere. I went today and didn't realize boba cafe no longer there. They also change owner and menu.
If you're turned away at the run down exterior of the old 50's strip mall, turn around and give this place a try. The locals come here for good reason! The noodles are great and all the accompanying dishes are great. They make their own boba teas too. The thing is you got to get past the exterior, the place is busy. I was a little hesitant as I put my hand on the door but I knew the instant we entered it was a hidden gem. Do you want tasty things to eat. This is the place!
The flavor and richness of the food was impeccable. We had the braised beef noodle soup, guillin rice noodle, and the milk tea. All of it was delicious. The place is open seating once you order and the staff pay attention to keeping tables clean after each use. The self serve area is where the party is at. You get to add different things like nuts, pickled things, and other items to you liking. Parking might be tight but street parking is available.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Service was way too busy. I went on the weekend so I don't know about the weekdays. I enjoyed my noodles. You can get the freshly made to go as well! Long wait to be seated on weekends though. Friendly service.
Wife was craving Guangxi Noodles. The restaurant is popular among Sacramento WeChat groups and Little Red Book (China's version of Instagram). Restaurant serve the base (noodles and meat), and the customer can scoop their own vegetable toppings. "Meat" is used loosely as it is mainly skin and fat, but that is expected for $14 in 2024. The skin is crispy and serve as a contrast to the soft noodles. Flavors are decent as you can customize to your liking with pickled vegetables and hot sauce. I thought it was delicious, but my wife felt it wasn't "authentic" enough. However, my wife and I unanimously agree the beef pancake rolls were the best. Beef pancake was filled with meat, pancake had a nice savory flavor and wasn't too oily. If we were to come back, it would be mainly for this dish only. The milk tea boba was decent. It isn't as good as a dedicated boba shops, but boba was soft and milk tea tasted fresh. Customers order upfront, pick up their food when pager vibrates, and bus their own tables afterwards. However, tips aren't expected. A rarity in modern times. I would recommend this if you are craving Guangxi noodles or want a unique tasting experience if you are unfamilar with the cuisine. I feel it hits a nice sweet spot for mainstream appeal and authenticity. However, my wife insists I dock a star due to flavor profiles not being authentic.
Food is fresh and delicious, self-serve condiment bar is unique and lovely. You don't want to miss this one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food is great, service is friendly. Definitely will go back. The self-serve condiment bar is unique and lovely.
I've come here twice and both times it did not disappoint! Something to note here, is that you would pay first for your meal, receive a device that notifies you when your order is ready, and then take a seat wherever you'd like. Since this is the case, I recommend coming earlier if you have a larger party. This does seem to be a popular place with larger groups. There are no wait staff to clean up your dishes or to check in with you. If you need anything, you either go back to the cashier or go to the pickup counter. They do ask (based on signs) that you put away your dishes in the designated areas and keep your dining area clean. During my first visit here, we ordered Guilin Rice Noodles and Beef Roll Pancake. Both dishes were delicious. They came out relatively quickly and the food was very fresh. For the noodle dishes, I recommend adding plenty of toppings. There is a topping station near the pickup counter. Usually I had my partner load up our noodles and he seems to add everything, and it seems to be the best way to enjoy your noodles! The Guilin Rice Noodles have great texture, flavor, and freshness to them. I highly recommend the Guilin Rice Noodles. I also remember the Beef Roll Pancake being great and comparable to other local restaurants. During my second visit, we ordered Beef Brisket Dry Tossed Rice Noodles, Cold Marinated Seaweed, Pumpkin Pancake and Fresh Soymilk. The Beef Brisket Dry Tossed Rice Noodle was somewhat similar to the Guilin Rice Noodles. There are chewy pieces of beef brisket, which I enjoyed but some people may not. They were seasoned well though. It does come with a side of plain broth as a palate cleanser. I do recommend adding plenty of toppings to this dish. The noodle bowl may seem small, but when you add the toppings, it is very filling and you may be able to share it! The rice noodles that they use has a great chew and texture. If you are a bun bo hue (Vietnamese spicy beef noodles) enthusiast, these rice noodles are very similar. Cold Marinated Seaweed - Pretty generous serving, slightly spicy, and garlicky. I enjoyed this side dish! Pumpkin Pancake - this is supposed to be more of a sweet kind of dish. It wasn't very sweet though. It might taste better with some sugar or condensed milk. It was fried and very hot when it came out. It seems like they use kabocha as the pumpkin part, and there are sesame seeds. It has a chewy texture like nian gao. Not sure if I would get this again. Fresh Soymilk - We decided to order it since I saw another person order it and the staff prepared the drink by scooping it out of a large pot, which made me believe this was definitely fresh, and it was! If you love fresh soymilk from the tofu store/Asian grocery store, this is for you. It was warm when it came out and I think it was not too sweet. They did put it in a boba cup which was interesting lol. The cashier who was helping us seemed very pleased we were ordering it and gave us a thumbs up. It was adorable. Something to note is that the staff does not speak much English, so I would take the time to make sure your order is correct. We didn't have any issues, but I imagine that they have had issues, such that the cashier used a long stick to point to things on the menu when we ordered in English to confirm that each item was what we actually wanted. They do take card by the way. Parking can be challenging in this plaza. Overall, I highly recommend Old Gui Lin and it is definitely authentic!
I came here for a drink (C9...Coconut milk slushie) as my dessert for the evening. I always like to try new places and give new businesses an opportunity. The place looked moderately busy, clean, and familiar ( they're new). We ordered my drink, paid for it, and was handed a buzzer contraption to let us know when the order was ready. It's kind of weird since I was the only one ordering a drink. We were handed the beverage, but without a straw. We asked for one and was handed an unwrapped straw by the top (where one's mouth would go), with UNCLEAN hands. I waited till I we got home to wash the straw before I had a sip. Well, I did, and it was sickening sweet. Every flavor from the coconut milk to the pink bubbles (I think they're strawberry) tasted so artificial. There was NOTHING REDEEMING about this drink, and it went down the drain. What a waste. They need a lesson in hygiene and proper food service. After that, they need to stick with hot tea as the beverage of choice.
When Old Gui Lin opened in Freeport Blvd a few months ago, I rushed in to try them out. They were overloaded at the time due to too many people wanting to try a new restaurant. They're much more enjoyable now!They don't offer table service. It is more like a fast-food restaurant. Pay and order your food and drinks at the cashier counter. You receive a pager. You can find where to sit and wait for your food to be ready. They have a self-service topping add-on station. You can add Sauerkraut, Peanuts, Green Onion, etc., on top of your noodle with no additional charge. By the way, they have normal-size spoons at the station now instead of mini-size spoons when they first opened.Almost all the noodles and rice in their main dish menu are very delicious. The appetizers are very yummy. I have the A3. Beef Brisket Rice Noodle, B5. Red Cooked Chicken Feet, and C5. Fresh Soy Milk today. All three items were delicious.The dining room is not the most comfortable. It is designed for a quick meal fast turnaround. That's why I just ordered to go here sometime!Parking: Both parking lot and street parking are hard to get on the weekends.Wheelchair accessibility: The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: A1 Guilin Noodles, Beef Rolls
Food was not bad. Service is good. Wish they have a bit more flavor in the soup that came with the noodle.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Brisket Rice Noodle Soup, A1 Guilin Noodles
Restaurantji Recommends
Such a great little spot! The food was fresh and delicious, the rice noodles were bouncy and the portion size was quite hefty. We enjoyed our noodle bowls (order A1) and the ability to customize our toppings per our own taste buds. I would definitely come back for a quick, but hearty meal! The self service style is definitely something you see a lot in Asian food courts, and is efficient. A lot of people were ordering the fresh soymilk, I will be back to try that soon! Also the owners (I'm assuming) were so nice and friendly, we enjoyed the vibes here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A1 Guilin Noodles
My humans love this place. Excellent food, wide selections, fast and last but not least free toppings haha.
When I saw this place opened, I immediately wanted to try this place. I've visited Gui Lin it self in China and when i tried this restaurant's noodles, it brought me back a lot of memories. I like their combo noodle, all the ingredients were fresh and the noodles were cooked to perfection where it's not too hard or soft and is the right temperature. All of the unlimited sides such as pickled veggies, nuts, and peppers you get to add onto the noodles makes this place fun to go to. This is the only restaurant I know of in Sacramento that has this type of noodle. I would come back.
It’s so delicious that you’ll be leaning against the wall! There are not many such affordable stores, and the store service is also good, and there is a self-service small food station. Large portion, delicious and not
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
hello, i order a boba milk tea it split everywhere. I went today and didn't realize boba cafe no longer there. They also change owner and menu.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3