How disappointing. I was hoping to have a new find for Chinese food but instead had a miserable family meal for my hubby's birthday. Pros: - Was able to make a reservation for 10 on the same day - Had a side section of the restaurant to ourself with plenty of space - The black fungus appetizer was good but beware if you're not a garlic fan. It has a bunch of smashed, raw garlic on it - The noodles were delicious. My kids ate up the beef broth noodles instantly (I found the beef flavor a bit too strong) while the rest of us loved the combo noodles (again very garlicky but I liked it) Cons: - The cold dish appetizers were a little to "authentic" for us. We had a good laugh over ordering a dish simply called "Mr and Mrs Lin". The waiter couldn't really explain well what was in it and the name left us to our imagination. Beware it is a cold sliced beef and tendon dish so if cold meat isn't your thing (especially when it's named like this) this isn't for you - The skewers were horrible. First, they took a long time to come out. We sat for a while after finishing our entrees just waiting. The order itself was also a mess. Thanks goodness I read the reviews that the skewers were on a separate menu because our waiter failed to tell us this. We ordered a variety of skewers (one being extra spicy) but our waiter handed us the skewers without being able to tell us what's what and none of them looked like the pictures. We had to figure out through process of elimination which skewer was whose. It was like Fear Factor since some of us were adverse to the chicken hearts and pork belly but it was honestly hard to distinguish what wasn't beef (I actually think they messed up our order because none of them turned out to be the beef). To top it off, the non spicy skewers were COATED in dry thyme that added no flavor and was just a nuisance to eat. It was too coarse to swallow down but impossible to eat a bite without it. - Where the dried thyme was plentiful, the service was non-existent. All the wait staff was so preoccupied with the Warrior game it was impossible to get anyone's attention. We had to help ourselves to extra napkins and utensils since we were seated by where they were stored. Water refills didn't come until the end and only because we finally got their attention for the check. If we did get their attention they were of no help when we asked questions or served our dishes. They honestly paid more attention to the TVs the us. To add insult to injured they automatically charged us a service charge...for what service?! - They no longer serve mojitos even though they are still on the menu. I could have used a drink after this meal
Zhonghao Z.
I went to eat at this place because it is close to my place. But now I go there because their food taste very delicious. Maybe they changed their cook? Anyway, it's one of the best authentic Chinese restaurant in the area.
Mark A.
Decided to try a new Chinese restaurant because of all the good food reviews, but was rather disappointed. We ordered a few skewers as appetizers which were all on the dry side because they were all over cooked. Ordered chicken stir fry noodle which is basically chicken chow mein, Lin's spicy pork which was recommended by the waiter... was spicy and good but nothing special, and the green onion shrimp, which again was just ok. When we arrived the restaurant was completely empty and now we know why. While we were eating only two other couples came in. It's a small family restaurant with nice waiters but so so food.
Who A.
1st time tonight and they have Very good and tastey menu. Good value to quality and of foods. We loved it a d will go back again for more!
Brennan L.
Really solid soup noodles here for great prices. It's everything you want from a lunch spot (okay, maybe even more than what you want, judging from the portion size). I've gotten the pork and pickled mustard stem noodles, as well as the spicy beef noodle soup, and both were generous servings full of flavor. Noodle texture was on the firmer side, which I prefer. Also had bites of the dan dan noodles and the spicy cold sesame noodles, and would recommend those too! The spicy beef tendon appetizer was also great, although you're probably not going to want to go on a date afterward with how much garlic is in the dish. Here's hoping Lin's sticks around. This location seems cursed, but if anyone deserves to enjoy prolonged success here, it's Lin's.
Michael C.
I can't speak for the skewers or dinner, but the lunch is one of the best deals in San Ramon. For the penultimate lunch in San Ramon, a few coworkers wanted to get out for lunch - between the rain and the impending move. Funny enough, because of yelp both me and one other coworker had been thinking about Lin's and so it made the obvious choice. We arrived Wednesday around lunch and there were only a few taken tables - figure the rain kept most people inside. While looking over the menu and Yelp we quickly got tall glasses of hot tea. Honestly, for lunch you should just stick with the main page. Sure, I was curious what Mr. and Mrs. Lin is (turns out it is pork belly and intestines), but after speaking with the server he pointed out a few things: -The Daily Lunch Specials are picked from among the most popular dishes -The regular lunch specials are also very popular -After those, the noodle dishes are the way to go. So with that, we ordered the following: -Ethan's Deep Fried Dumplings: I LOVE dumplings and was curious. These are basically gyoza. I know, gyoza are Japanese, and this is a Chinese spot, but because they are deep fried, they are gyoza. Really good, we all loved them, and could see coming on Tuesday's just to get a cheap order. -Beef Noodle Soup: This is what I got, and because it was the Daily Special. Really good! A number of chunks of beef (and some fattier hunks as well) with a ton of noodles, a few pieces of bok choy, and the red oil based soup. Not as oily as other places. Just make sure to not wear white. -Noodle Soup with Pork and Pickled Cabbage: Shouldn't have been surprised the Russian coworker ordered this. A lighter soup, but with a fresher taste. A lot of pork and noodles. Honestly would probably get that if I came back. -Kung Pao Chicken: My other coworker got this and we were all impressed at how much they give you. This is a big plate FULL of chicken. The flavor was excellent, with the right amount of heat at the end. And as these were chunks of chicken thighs, you could tell this wasn't cheap meat. All in all, we had a great experience for lunch here and came out at $13 a person, which is even cheaper than most of the food trucks nearby. Probably will never get a chance to try them for dinner, but if in San Ramon, can highly recommend.
Erik F.
Tonight was our first time at Lin's. My wife likes Americanized Chinese food, so she had Broccoli Beef. Please humor her. I do. That said, it was really tasty. But the gold medal goes to the Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. Holy crap. I love these peppers, and I usually eat most of them, but the explosion of flavor infused into the chicken itself was worthy of sweeping most of the peppers aside (for to go). Chicken, garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, salt, Sichuan peppercorn, white pepper, and of course the chili peppers. So incredibly delicious. Just wow. I'll be back. Get to the choppa.
Shannon L.
I'm comparing this to TLT/TIT in Newark and it's pretty good. The seasoning is strong with more heat, and I like that you can adjust the level of intensity. All the skewers were cooked well; the meats were tender. The regular beef noodle soup (non-spicy) was okay. Broth was sort of flavorful but not complex, the meat was a little tough. Service was friendly.
Tim Y.
Found Lin's Noodle and Skewers on Yelp while trying to decide on some dinner. They took over the old Yiping location across from the McDonalds/Safeway plaza. The sauteed string beans were really good! A lot of pickles vegetables and black beans. It was perfect alone or over a bowl of rice. I also wanted to try their spicy beef noodle soup. This dish is usually my gauge at Taiwanese restaurants. Because I ordered it togo, they separated out the noodles from the soup/beef. As you can see from my photos, there was a very generous amount of beef and tendons. The soup was decent and probably could have been better or fuller in flavor...but all in all, a great dish. The skewers piqued my interest so I ordered a couple. Fish balls, pork belly, fried tofu, fish tofu, and beef. I didn't specify how spicy but it came with this red flavoring/spice. It was fine for me but too spicy for the kids. It can be difficult to find if you're not familiar with the plaza's layout. Just look for Crown Billiards, and Lin's will be located a few shops to the left. Parking can be tight/tricky and dark so be careful, especially at night/during the rain.
Jenice M.
This place is solid! 5 months pregnant and constantly craving delicious soups, so this place caught my eye.Went in for a quick lunch with my husband. We were immediately greeted and seated upon entering. They brought a nice cup of hot tea and water for us right away. We placed our orders for the spicy beef noodle soup and maybe 7 minutes later, there were our soups. Hot and ready go grub! A few bites in I wasn't sure, but as the noodles soaked up the broth and I took a few more bites I really started to enjoy this soup. I haven't been big on meat lately (another weird pregnancy thing), so I gave my husband some extra meat, which he didn't mind. The broth, noodles and bok choy were perfect for lunch. I'll be back and hope to try some of their other lunch offerings. In terms of authenticity, there were folks speaking the language to the waitress next to us and they looked like they were enjoying their food so that's always a big plus for me!! Nice little spot in San Ramon!
I had always loved the previous establishments that used to be here, especially Yiping, which served some delicious spicy noodles. I didn't think that it could get better than that, but I was pleasantly surprised when I came here on a Wednesday afternoon with my family. I grew up eating Szechuan food and I can honestly say that the food being served here was extremely authentic and insanely delicious. In addition, the owner was extremely kind and friendly when serving us. The ambiance was great, and the service and food were quick, which created an overall positive experience. We ordered 5 different dishes: Mr. and Mrs. Lin: The dish itself is Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce, or 夫妻肺片. I've eaten MANY of this dish throughout my lifetime, each time trying to find the best one. The one that they serve here definitely ranks among the best that I've had. The chili sauce is fragrant and slightly numbing, the garlic adds an extra depth of flavor, and the beef was sliced just right to soak in all the delicious sauce. Dan Dan Noodle (æ‹…æ‹…é¢): Oh yeah, this was amazing. The noodles had the perfect amount of bite to them, and the minced pork and pickled vegetables that were served in the noodles were SO flavorful and delicious. The dish itself wasn't extremely saucy, and not spicy either because there wasn't any chili oil added. The flavor was salty and savory, and tasted amazing when eaten with the other spicy dishes that we ordered. Chongqing Spicy Chicken (é‡åº†è¾£å鸡): Basically a classic Szechuan spicy chicken. I dare say that this is the BEST rendition of this dish that I've ever had aside from actually having it in China. The chicken was cooked PERFECTLY - crispy on the outside and smothered in chilis and Szechuan peppercorns. The dish wasn't crazy spicy, but certainly numbing enough to make me drink water. I couldn't stop eating this dish, it was that delicious. GET THIS DISH! Sichuan Boiled Beef (水煮牛肉): This dish was also amazing, and thankfully not as spicy as some other renditions of the same dish. The flavor was more numbing and fragrant, and the sauce was a bit thicker than the normal sauce. The dish is served on a big bowl, with vegetables at the bottom, beef on top, with Szechuan peppercorns and garlic piled on top and drenched with chili sauce. The beef was extremely tender, and the vegetables were cooked really nicely as well. Definitely one of the best Sichuan boiled beef dishes I've had! Dry Fried Green Beans (干煸四å£è±†): Basic dish that is hard to execute correctly. However, this place did this dish justice for sure. The combination of the ginger, the ground pork, and the fermented mustard greens created a flavor explosion in my mouth. The green beans were blistered and charred perfectly as well. This place seriously surprised me with how good it was. It will be my go-to spot in The area for authentic spicy Chinese food. Try this food out and you will leave satisfied!
Jacky S.
This place is really good! It's a pretty new place and kind of random to find it in San Ramon. I met up with a friend who is from Beijing and she says everything is pretty good and likes the place! It is conveniently next to the billiards place. So this place has a lot of different type of food. They have Chinese skewers ,Szechuan food, skewers where you dip in soup. All the food is pretty good. I came here tonight and had the skewers. I got the lamb, beef, and pork belly. They are all very good because of a special spice they add to it. The mango drink with coconut milk pairs well with all the spicy ness of food. The place is pretty decently priced and pretty casual and family vibes. I definitely would come back! Tip: Order the bun. It is grilled white bun (man tao) with spices. It may sound kind of weird but it was really good.
Harvey K.
Contra Costa County has always been lagging on Chinese food. But with an influx of Chinese moving into the Tri-Valley area, that trend is slowly changing. More and more Chinese eateries have set up shops in the area. Lin's Noodle & Skewers Bar (Lin's) is one of them. Lin's took over the space that now-defunct Yiping once occupied some months ago. When I first saw them pop up on Yelp, I was excited about having a Chinese noodle shop in the area, but skeptical at the same time about the level of authenticity of their offerings. On 10/19/18, I came here for lunch with a group of my close friends. We arrived at 12:15 pm and were seated immediately. The place was surprisingly quiet, given that it was lunchtime. The interior was dark and boring, but nonetheless clean. Pop music could be heard playing softly in the background. There was a large TV near where we sat. One of the servers dropped off menus and took our drink order. Apparently, they no longer serve skewers since I didn't see any on the menu. After a few minutes of deliberation, we decided to order the following to share: - Pork Belly with Garlic Sauce ($7.99) - Tasty Black Fungus ($6.99) - Chongqing Spicy Chicken ($14.99) - Dandan Noodles ($9.99) - Pork Rib Noodle Soup ($9.99) - Spicy Beef Stew Noodle Soup ($10.99) The pork belly dish was beautifully presented. Thin slices of pork belly sat atop on a bed of long, thin cucumber ribbons. A generous amount of minced garlic sauce and chopped scallions topped the dish. The pork belly had a really nice flavor, possibly because it was poached in stock. The minced garlic sauce was spicy and garlicky but surprisingly not as violent as I thought it would be. Fantastic starter! The black fungus was refreshing but a bit bland. It was simply dressed with a dressing made with sugar, vinegar, soy, and sesame oil. The dish needed a bit more taste since black fungus has a neutral flavor. Texture wise, they were very crunchy. The Chongqing Spicy Chicken was decent. Chicken was deep fried first and then stir fried in a bunch of dried red peppers and other aromatics. The chicken was a bit on the dry side but tasty. Spiciness was surprisingly on the milder side. We had to customize the Dandan Noodles since a couple of my friends are not great with spicy food. While I cannot attest to the authenticity of the dish, I can say it tasted okay. The two noodle soups were very good. The base broth was robust and flavorful, with a hint of Chinese herbal taste. The noodles were cooked perfectly. They had a nice chewiness and not mushy. The beef stew was melt-in-your-mouth tender and had a fantastic beefy flavor. The pork ribs were equally tasty. They were slow cooked for hours to the point in which the bones could be eaten as well. The staff was very friendly and attentive. They kept our water glasses full and took care of our requests with great efficiency and enthusiasm. Overall, I thought the food and service here were solid. I will certainly come back again. If you want a good bowl of Chinese noodle soup or northern Chinese fare in the Tri-Valley area, look no further because Lin's is here. BONUS MATERIAL: - Major credit cards accepted. - Close on Mondays. - Private parking lot on site.
James Q.
This is a relatively new place in town and it's a welcome addition. The food is very good but we thought the service was a bit awkward. We had Cold Cucumber Garlic Salad, Spicy Beef Stew Noodle Soup, Fried Spicy Cabbage, Dan Dan Noodles, Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce and Chong Quing Spicy Chicken. That was plenty for just the two of us but we wanted to explore the menu. We're not that well experienced with Chinese Northern Cuisine. The Beef Noodle Soup and the Pork in Garlic Sauce were outstandingly good! The Dan Dan Noodle and the Cabbage were very good! The Chicken was our least favorite. The flavor was good but we thought the chicken was a little on the dry (over fried) side. We went at 6 PM on a Saturday night and the place was only about 1/3 full but we waited and waited for someone to take our order. I finally had to flag one of the staff down. The food came out in spurts and in no logical order. And they did not give us small bowls or soup spoons when they delivered the Beef Noodle Soup. And, they forgot my Diet Coke and even when I reminded them, it took them a while to bring it. I am a bit mystified by this because they appeared to have plenty of servers so it wasn't because they were shorthanded. Oh well! But the food is really good and the portions are large with very reasonable prices. Jim
Daniel C.
Updated/Revised Review: Review is for dinner. The skewers and noodles menu is now replaced with a "Deluxe" menu featuring classic Sichuan dishes that pair perfectly with rice. Spiciness levels go from one chili pepper to three chili peppers, but its all subjective of course! We ordered three dishes and two orders of rice. All had great wok breath, strong flavors, and were well executed. Generous portions and fast service on a Sunday night, so 5 stars! Lin's Flavored Pork was the most spicy dish by far. It consisted of shredded, well seasoned and tender boneless pork strips stir-fried with thinly-sliced jalapeí±o and green peppers. Yep, the left the seeds in so be prepared for some serious kick! The dry-fried green beans were stir-fried with red chili, and was a bit less spicy and more pleasantly numbing with the use of sichuan peppercorns. I like the plump, juicy beans prepared in this manner. The last dish was one of my favorites, Kung Pao Chicken. Surprisingly, Lin's version tends to be on the sweeter side. It was a relief since the other two dishes were plenty spicy. Very tender and seasoned chicken with the crunchy celery, peanuts, and bell peppers. It had a nice sauce that gave everything a smooth texture. Will definitely come back for dine-in and takeout for dinner!
How disappointing. I was hoping to have a new find for Chinese food but instead had a miserable family meal for my hubby's birthday. Pros: - Was able to make a reservation for 10 on the same day - Had a side section of the restaurant to ourself with plenty of space - The black fungus appetizer was good but beware if you're not a garlic fan. It has a bunch of smashed, raw garlic on it - The noodles were delicious. My kids ate up the beef broth noodles instantly (I found the beef flavor a bit too strong) while the rest of us loved the combo noodles (again very garlicky but I liked it) Cons: - The cold dish appetizers were a little to "authentic" for us. We had a good laugh over ordering a dish simply called "Mr and Mrs Lin". The waiter couldn't really explain well what was in it and the name left us to our imagination. Beware it is a cold sliced beef and tendon dish so if cold meat isn't your thing (especially when it's named like this) this isn't for you - The skewers were horrible. First, they took a long time to come out. We sat for a while after finishing our entrees just waiting. The order itself was also a mess. Thanks goodness I read the reviews that the skewers were on a separate menu because our waiter failed to tell us this. We ordered a variety of skewers (one being extra spicy) but our waiter handed us the skewers without being able to tell us what's what and none of them looked like the pictures. We had to figure out through process of elimination which skewer was whose. It was like Fear Factor since some of us were adverse to the chicken hearts and pork belly but it was honestly hard to distinguish what wasn't beef (I actually think they messed up our order because none of them turned out to be the beef). To top it off, the non spicy skewers were COATED in dry thyme that added no flavor and was just a nuisance to eat. It was too coarse to swallow down but impossible to eat a bite without it. - Where the dried thyme was plentiful, the service was non-existent. All the wait staff was so preoccupied with the Warrior game it was impossible to get anyone's attention. We had to help ourselves to extra napkins and utensils since we were seated by where they were stored. Water refills didn't come until the end and only because we finally got their attention for the check. If we did get their attention they were of no help when we asked questions or served our dishes. They honestly paid more attention to the TVs the us. To add insult to injured they automatically charged us a service charge...for what service?! - They no longer serve mojitos even though they are still on the menu. I could have used a drink after this meal
I went to eat at this place because it is close to my place. But now I go there because their food taste very delicious. Maybe they changed their cook? Anyway, it's one of the best authentic Chinese restaurant in the area.
Decided to try a new Chinese restaurant because of all the good food reviews, but was rather disappointed. We ordered a few skewers as appetizers which were all on the dry side because they were all over cooked. Ordered chicken stir fry noodle which is basically chicken chow mein, Lin's spicy pork which was recommended by the waiter... was spicy and good but nothing special, and the green onion shrimp, which again was just ok. When we arrived the restaurant was completely empty and now we know why. While we were eating only two other couples came in. It's a small family restaurant with nice waiters but so so food.
1st time tonight and they have Very good and tastey menu. Good value to quality and of foods. We loved it a d will go back again for more!
Really solid soup noodles here for great prices. It's everything you want from a lunch spot (okay, maybe even more than what you want, judging from the portion size). I've gotten the pork and pickled mustard stem noodles, as well as the spicy beef noodle soup, and both were generous servings full of flavor. Noodle texture was on the firmer side, which I prefer. Also had bites of the dan dan noodles and the spicy cold sesame noodles, and would recommend those too! The spicy beef tendon appetizer was also great, although you're probably not going to want to go on a date afterward with how much garlic is in the dish. Here's hoping Lin's sticks around. This location seems cursed, but if anyone deserves to enjoy prolonged success here, it's Lin's.
I can't speak for the skewers or dinner, but the lunch is one of the best deals in San Ramon. For the penultimate lunch in San Ramon, a few coworkers wanted to get out for lunch - between the rain and the impending move. Funny enough, because of yelp both me and one other coworker had been thinking about Lin's and so it made the obvious choice. We arrived Wednesday around lunch and there were only a few taken tables - figure the rain kept most people inside. While looking over the menu and Yelp we quickly got tall glasses of hot tea. Honestly, for lunch you should just stick with the main page. Sure, I was curious what Mr. and Mrs. Lin is (turns out it is pork belly and intestines), but after speaking with the server he pointed out a few things: -The Daily Lunch Specials are picked from among the most popular dishes -The regular lunch specials are also very popular -After those, the noodle dishes are the way to go. So with that, we ordered the following: -Ethan's Deep Fried Dumplings: I LOVE dumplings and was curious. These are basically gyoza. I know, gyoza are Japanese, and this is a Chinese spot, but because they are deep fried, they are gyoza. Really good, we all loved them, and could see coming on Tuesday's just to get a cheap order. -Beef Noodle Soup: This is what I got, and because it was the Daily Special. Really good! A number of chunks of beef (and some fattier hunks as well) with a ton of noodles, a few pieces of bok choy, and the red oil based soup. Not as oily as other places. Just make sure to not wear white. -Noodle Soup with Pork and Pickled Cabbage: Shouldn't have been surprised the Russian coworker ordered this. A lighter soup, but with a fresher taste. A lot of pork and noodles. Honestly would probably get that if I came back. -Kung Pao Chicken: My other coworker got this and we were all impressed at how much they give you. This is a big plate FULL of chicken. The flavor was excellent, with the right amount of heat at the end. And as these were chunks of chicken thighs, you could tell this wasn't cheap meat. All in all, we had a great experience for lunch here and came out at $13 a person, which is even cheaper than most of the food trucks nearby. Probably will never get a chance to try them for dinner, but if in San Ramon, can highly recommend.
Tonight was our first time at Lin's. My wife likes Americanized Chinese food, so she had Broccoli Beef. Please humor her. I do. That said, it was really tasty. But the gold medal goes to the Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. Holy crap. I love these peppers, and I usually eat most of them, but the explosion of flavor infused into the chicken itself was worthy of sweeping most of the peppers aside (for to go). Chicken, garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, salt, Sichuan peppercorn, white pepper, and of course the chili peppers. So incredibly delicious. Just wow. I'll be back. Get to the choppa.
I'm comparing this to TLT/TIT in Newark and it's pretty good. The seasoning is strong with more heat, and I like that you can adjust the level of intensity. All the skewers were cooked well; the meats were tender. The regular beef noodle soup (non-spicy) was okay. Broth was sort of flavorful but not complex, the meat was a little tough. Service was friendly.
Found Lin's Noodle and Skewers on Yelp while trying to decide on some dinner. They took over the old Yiping location across from the McDonalds/Safeway plaza. The sauteed string beans were really good! A lot of pickles vegetables and black beans. It was perfect alone or over a bowl of rice. I also wanted to try their spicy beef noodle soup. This dish is usually my gauge at Taiwanese restaurants. Because I ordered it togo, they separated out the noodles from the soup/beef. As you can see from my photos, there was a very generous amount of beef and tendons. The soup was decent and probably could have been better or fuller in flavor...but all in all, a great dish. The skewers piqued my interest so I ordered a couple. Fish balls, pork belly, fried tofu, fish tofu, and beef. I didn't specify how spicy but it came with this red flavoring/spice. It was fine for me but too spicy for the kids. It can be difficult to find if you're not familiar with the plaza's layout. Just look for Crown Billiards, and Lin's will be located a few shops to the left. Parking can be tight/tricky and dark so be careful, especially at night/during the rain.
This place is solid! 5 months pregnant and constantly craving delicious soups, so this place caught my eye.Went in for a quick lunch with my husband. We were immediately greeted and seated upon entering. They brought a nice cup of hot tea and water for us right away. We placed our orders for the spicy beef noodle soup and maybe 7 minutes later, there were our soups. Hot and ready go grub! A few bites in I wasn't sure, but as the noodles soaked up the broth and I took a few more bites I really started to enjoy this soup. I haven't been big on meat lately (another weird pregnancy thing), so I gave my husband some extra meat, which he didn't mind. The broth, noodles and bok choy were perfect for lunch. I'll be back and hope to try some of their other lunch offerings. In terms of authenticity, there were folks speaking the language to the waitress next to us and they looked like they were enjoying their food so that's always a big plus for me!! Nice little spot in San Ramon!
Restaurantji Recommends
I had always loved the previous establishments that used to be here, especially Yiping, which served some delicious spicy noodles. I didn't think that it could get better than that, but I was pleasantly surprised when I came here on a Wednesday afternoon with my family. I grew up eating Szechuan food and I can honestly say that the food being served here was extremely authentic and insanely delicious. In addition, the owner was extremely kind and friendly when serving us. The ambiance was great, and the service and food were quick, which created an overall positive experience. We ordered 5 different dishes: Mr. and Mrs. Lin: The dish itself is Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce, or 夫妻肺片. I've eaten MANY of this dish throughout my lifetime, each time trying to find the best one. The one that they serve here definitely ranks among the best that I've had. The chili sauce is fragrant and slightly numbing, the garlic adds an extra depth of flavor, and the beef was sliced just right to soak in all the delicious sauce. Dan Dan Noodle (æ‹…æ‹…é¢): Oh yeah, this was amazing. The noodles had the perfect amount of bite to them, and the minced pork and pickled vegetables that were served in the noodles were SO flavorful and delicious. The dish itself wasn't extremely saucy, and not spicy either because there wasn't any chili oil added. The flavor was salty and savory, and tasted amazing when eaten with the other spicy dishes that we ordered. Chongqing Spicy Chicken (é‡åº†è¾£å鸡): Basically a classic Szechuan spicy chicken. I dare say that this is the BEST rendition of this dish that I've ever had aside from actually having it in China. The chicken was cooked PERFECTLY - crispy on the outside and smothered in chilis and Szechuan peppercorns. The dish wasn't crazy spicy, but certainly numbing enough to make me drink water. I couldn't stop eating this dish, it was that delicious. GET THIS DISH! Sichuan Boiled Beef (水煮牛肉): This dish was also amazing, and thankfully not as spicy as some other renditions of the same dish. The flavor was more numbing and fragrant, and the sauce was a bit thicker than the normal sauce. The dish is served on a big bowl, with vegetables at the bottom, beef on top, with Szechuan peppercorns and garlic piled on top and drenched with chili sauce. The beef was extremely tender, and the vegetables were cooked really nicely as well. Definitely one of the best Sichuan boiled beef dishes I've had! Dry Fried Green Beans (干煸四å£è±†): Basic dish that is hard to execute correctly. However, this place did this dish justice for sure. The combination of the ginger, the ground pork, and the fermented mustard greens created a flavor explosion in my mouth. The green beans were blistered and charred perfectly as well. This place seriously surprised me with how good it was. It will be my go-to spot in The area for authentic spicy Chinese food. Try this food out and you will leave satisfied!
This place is really good! It's a pretty new place and kind of random to find it in San Ramon. I met up with a friend who is from Beijing and she says everything is pretty good and likes the place! It is conveniently next to the billiards place. So this place has a lot of different type of food. They have Chinese skewers ,Szechuan food, skewers where you dip in soup. All the food is pretty good. I came here tonight and had the skewers. I got the lamb, beef, and pork belly. They are all very good because of a special spice they add to it. The mango drink with coconut milk pairs well with all the spicy ness of food. The place is pretty decently priced and pretty casual and family vibes. I definitely would come back! Tip: Order the bun. It is grilled white bun (man tao) with spices. It may sound kind of weird but it was really good.
Contra Costa County has always been lagging on Chinese food. But with an influx of Chinese moving into the Tri-Valley area, that trend is slowly changing. More and more Chinese eateries have set up shops in the area. Lin's Noodle & Skewers Bar (Lin's) is one of them. Lin's took over the space that now-defunct Yiping once occupied some months ago. When I first saw them pop up on Yelp, I was excited about having a Chinese noodle shop in the area, but skeptical at the same time about the level of authenticity of their offerings. On 10/19/18, I came here for lunch with a group of my close friends. We arrived at 12:15 pm and were seated immediately. The place was surprisingly quiet, given that it was lunchtime. The interior was dark and boring, but nonetheless clean. Pop music could be heard playing softly in the background. There was a large TV near where we sat. One of the servers dropped off menus and took our drink order. Apparently, they no longer serve skewers since I didn't see any on the menu. After a few minutes of deliberation, we decided to order the following to share: - Pork Belly with Garlic Sauce ($7.99) - Tasty Black Fungus ($6.99) - Chongqing Spicy Chicken ($14.99) - Dandan Noodles ($9.99) - Pork Rib Noodle Soup ($9.99) - Spicy Beef Stew Noodle Soup ($10.99) The pork belly dish was beautifully presented. Thin slices of pork belly sat atop on a bed of long, thin cucumber ribbons. A generous amount of minced garlic sauce and chopped scallions topped the dish. The pork belly had a really nice flavor, possibly because it was poached in stock. The minced garlic sauce was spicy and garlicky but surprisingly not as violent as I thought it would be. Fantastic starter! The black fungus was refreshing but a bit bland. It was simply dressed with a dressing made with sugar, vinegar, soy, and sesame oil. The dish needed a bit more taste since black fungus has a neutral flavor. Texture wise, they were very crunchy. The Chongqing Spicy Chicken was decent. Chicken was deep fried first and then stir fried in a bunch of dried red peppers and other aromatics. The chicken was a bit on the dry side but tasty. Spiciness was surprisingly on the milder side. We had to customize the Dandan Noodles since a couple of my friends are not great with spicy food. While I cannot attest to the authenticity of the dish, I can say it tasted okay. The two noodle soups were very good. The base broth was robust and flavorful, with a hint of Chinese herbal taste. The noodles were cooked perfectly. They had a nice chewiness and not mushy. The beef stew was melt-in-your-mouth tender and had a fantastic beefy flavor. The pork ribs were equally tasty. They were slow cooked for hours to the point in which the bones could be eaten as well. The staff was very friendly and attentive. They kept our water glasses full and took care of our requests with great efficiency and enthusiasm. Overall, I thought the food and service here were solid. I will certainly come back again. If you want a good bowl of Chinese noodle soup or northern Chinese fare in the Tri-Valley area, look no further because Lin's is here. BONUS MATERIAL: - Major credit cards accepted. - Close on Mondays. - Private parking lot on site.
This is a relatively new place in town and it's a welcome addition. The food is very good but we thought the service was a bit awkward. We had Cold Cucumber Garlic Salad, Spicy Beef Stew Noodle Soup, Fried Spicy Cabbage, Dan Dan Noodles, Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce and Chong Quing Spicy Chicken. That was plenty for just the two of us but we wanted to explore the menu. We're not that well experienced with Chinese Northern Cuisine. The Beef Noodle Soup and the Pork in Garlic Sauce were outstandingly good! The Dan Dan Noodle and the Cabbage were very good! The Chicken was our least favorite. The flavor was good but we thought the chicken was a little on the dry (over fried) side. We went at 6 PM on a Saturday night and the place was only about 1/3 full but we waited and waited for someone to take our order. I finally had to flag one of the staff down. The food came out in spurts and in no logical order. And they did not give us small bowls or soup spoons when they delivered the Beef Noodle Soup. And, they forgot my Diet Coke and even when I reminded them, it took them a while to bring it. I am a bit mystified by this because they appeared to have plenty of servers so it wasn't because they were shorthanded. Oh well! But the food is really good and the portions are large with very reasonable prices. Jim
Updated/Revised Review: Review is for dinner. The skewers and noodles menu is now replaced with a "Deluxe" menu featuring classic Sichuan dishes that pair perfectly with rice. Spiciness levels go from one chili pepper to three chili peppers, but its all subjective of course! We ordered three dishes and two orders of rice. All had great wok breath, strong flavors, and were well executed. Generous portions and fast service on a Sunday night, so 5 stars! Lin's Flavored Pork was the most spicy dish by far. It consisted of shredded, well seasoned and tender boneless pork strips stir-fried with thinly-sliced jalapeí±o and green peppers. Yep, the left the seeds in so be prepared for some serious kick! The dry-fried green beans were stir-fried with red chili, and was a bit less spicy and more pleasantly numbing with the use of sichuan peppercorns. I like the plump, juicy beans prepared in this manner. The last dish was one of my favorites, Kung Pao Chicken. Surprisingly, Lin's version tends to be on the sweeter side. It was a relief since the other two dishes were plenty spicy. Very tender and seasoned chicken with the crunchy celery, peanuts, and bell peppers. It had a nice sauce that gave everything a smooth texture. Will definitely come back for dine-in and takeout for dinner!