Chubby Noodle

"Naming a restaurant “Chubby Noodle” in the Marina is the equivalent of proclaiming yourself “The Gluten Emporium.” It’s not a branding scheme that turns tables in an area where a 30-minute wait for a salad is perfectly acceptable. But if the name scares some people off, we’re OK with that. Chubby Noodle brings the restaurant scene on Lombard St. into the 21st century. The rest of this strip is a 70s time capsule, and while it can be fun to explore what SF was like when your parents were at their first Dead concert, the “motor hotels,” IHOP, and Linoleum Larry’s lend to a less than appealing array of food choices. Thankfully, Chubby Noodle, brought to you by the team behind Don Pisto’s, is livening up the options in this ’hood with simple, straightforward Asian-fusion. The shrimp is killer, the noodles are awesome, and the Fresh Prince theme song is on the playlist. Bring it on. The place flies under the radar – no name on the exterior, just a sign with what we think is a noodle bathing in a bowl of noodles. The discreet approach helps keep the crowds away – so far, we haven’t had to wait for a table. It’s nice to hit up a “fusion” spot with a menu that doesn’t require turning a few pages to get to the “Noodles” section, and almost every dish delivers. And it’s even better to find a Lombard St. spot without a shag carpet, Pet Rock, or tile in sight. Sorry, Larry. Food Rundown Korean Pork Tacos Holy fck. One of the top dishes, taco or otherwise, we’ve eaten in SF. The pork has the texture of steak and the marinade of heaven. The tortilla is lightly fried and the yogurt sauce complements the meat perfectly. Can you serve us 22 rather than two? Tuna Poke Tuna served in crispy chip bowls of undetermined but delicious origins. The tuna could use a little more soy/sesame, but eating it in the crunchy bowls is a refreshing take on the usual. Salt & Pepper Prawns Too big to be called shrimp, the Chubby Noodle prawns go heavy on the pepper and it works. Don’t miss these guys. Pork & Shrimp Wontons Mushy wontons in a tasty broth. Save your stomach space for everything else. Also, we’d label these dumplings, not wontons. Chile Prawn Noodles The green curry sauce would make a bike tire taste good. Get at me. Spicy Garlic Noodles Thick, hearty egg noodles in a spicy, garlic sauce. These are excellent, but we wish they had something else in them. Maybe more prawns." - Taylor Abrams

"The Deal: $54 for 90 minutes and your choice of six brunch items (served family style) and three brunch drinks. If you’re teeing up a Saturday full of day drinking, make a reservation for the bottomless brunch at Chubby Noodle. The North Beach spot has a weekend dim sum brunch special featuring options like the excellent spicy garlic noodles, firecracker chicken, spicy wontons, and other dishes that will hopefully satisfy everyone in your brunch crew." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, lani conway

"Tablehopper also caught wind of the news and noted that Don Pisto’s sister restaurant Chubby Noodle “appears to be business as usual” at its North Beach location as well as the already-established Chubby Noodle outpost in Cabo San Lucas." - Dianne de Guzman

"When you have friends visiting and want to take them out bar hopping, you can’t go to a quiet dinner before telling them to flip the party switch in their heads. Instead, you start the night at Chubby Noodle. It’s one of the more fun restaurants in the city, and while people like coming here for bottomless brunch, the food is better at dinner. Plus, you feel much less obligated to drink everything as fast as you can. Get a reservation for your group, be sure to order the garlic noodles with fried chicken and some sake, and start talking about where you’re heading next." - Will Kamensky

"For a night out with friends - especially if you want a louder situation - Chubby Noodle is ideal. The menu isn’t too extensive, and most options have some sort of meat or fish (we recommend the Korean pork tacos or spicy garlic noodles with added fried chicken), but there are salads if you have vegetarians in your group. The menu’s sarcastic descriptions of sake (“drier than California’s reservoirs last year”) are amusing, and if you’re teeing up a Saturday full of day-drinking, make a reservation for the bottomless dim sum brunch." - Will Kamensky