formoosa

Couldn’t decide what to eat, so we turned to Yelp and found this spot with great reviews and I’m so glad we gave it a try. It’s a cozy place, with most of the space taken up by the bar, giving it a laid-back, intimate vibe. The menu is small but thoughtful, and everything we ordered felt intentional and well-prepared. We were greeted and seated right away, which set the tone for a smooth experience. The food lived up to its descriptions. I especially loved the scallion pancakes..they were fluffier than what I’ve had at other places, which was a pleasant surprise. The sesame wontons had a bold sesame flavor, which I personally loved (definitely one for sesame fans!). The beef roll was a hit for me..tender beef paired with crisp cucumber and a touch of sweetness. My husband wasn’t a fan of the fresh cucumber or the sweet notes, but I appreciated the balance of textures and flavors. I’d definitely come back to try more from the menu. It’s a spot worth revisiting. Props to James and Brandon for friendly service!

I’ve been thinking to try this place for a long time, but actually my husband chose to dine at here for dinner because they offer hard drinks as an authentic Asian restaurant. We ordered beef wrap, like a beef burrito, a braised beef noodle soup and a cucumber salad. Everything tastes good and especially I love the beef noodle because they have giant chunks of beef in it and the soup is delicious. The only down side is everything tastes sweet, I hope they can make a little less sweet. The atmosphere is nice and service is good and fast. But their wall is kinda dirty, hope they can clean it.

Went with a party of 4 on Thursday night. No wait and service was really quick and good. We ordered 7 items (which might of been a mistake cause we got so much leftover). The food was good but a bit salty. Not much difference in flavor profiles but I don't think we were suppose to order almost the entire menu. Overall good experience and would come back again for the chili wontons, beef rolls, and mazemen.

Ordered the chili wontons, pickled cucumbers, and beef noodle soup—everything was absolutely delicious! The flavors were spot on, portions were generous, and we enjoyed every bite. We cleaned our plates completely and will definitely be coming back for more. Highly recommend!

Had the beef rolls, pork over noodles, and Taiwanese beef noodles minus the noodles. Total comfort food. Authentic flavors, generous servings, fantastic service. Both Bella and Brandon checked in often and provided cheery and great service. Good vibes, great music, not your traditional Chinese restaurant. Well done!

Came here when they opened so we got our pick of seats. There's only 3 tables and the rest are at this big U shaped bar. We ordered in a very casual way, meaning our orders were taken by the young man at the center of the U, so he didn't even come to the table to take the order. Guess it was too far of a walk for him. The beef noodles came first. Food is delivered in the order it's ready, so next came the beef roll, and last was the braised pork rice (lu rou fan). My favorite was the beef roll. It was on the greasy side but the flavor was good. The noodle soup was a hearty portion and good flavor. But the noodles were slightly raw, I could almost still taste the uncooked flour at the center of the noodles. They were nice enough to remake it for me but they were just slightly more cooked than the first time. I gave up and just ate it. While I waited for the noodles, I went for the egg. It was still cold at the center of the yolk. I guess we got here too early and everything hadn't been warmed up enough. Not once did the young man come to check how we were doing. I don't know why so many reviews praise the servers here.. maybe it's their friends helping them look good to the bosses? The bowl they serve the rice in has a sharp inward slant so while the top view looks like a lot, if you look at the base of the bowl, you'd see that it's nearly a triangle instead of a round bowl shape. I tried capturing it in my picture. The music they played seemed like a mismatch to the type of food they were serving. I felt like I was at a rave instead of an eatery. I did like the bag they provided for our leftovers. It was a very cute and creative design, and it was nice seeing multiple companies pool together for this business expense. Final verdict: so-so.

The Beef noodle soup tastes like the ones we had in Taiwan. The star anise is not that strong. I really enjoyed it a lot. Popcorn chicken tastes authentic, too! Definitely coming back of I am craving for some Taiwanese food.

We ordered the beef roll and noodle soup. The beef and soup were delicious. The chili oil and crisps go well with the noodle soup. The beef roll was a bit on the sweet side Danny and Brandon were our servers and they were both great!

This is our second visit. We came back because we loved the food and drinks (Guava margarita & Yuzu sparkling soda) and also the service gets solid 5 stars: Aiden and Ryan are both super attentive and very pleasant. Recommend the sesame noodles.

The beef roll and chili wonton are amazing. Fun atmosphere and I love to watch the videos of Taiwan.

Really enjoyed Formosa. Waited for about 10-15 and got sat at the bar. Got the house noodles and the sesame noodles. Both were phenomenal. Paige and Kenny served us and we're great, hustling between all the diners, running food and taking to-go orders. Highly recommend!

10/10 Taiwanese Beef Rolls: This was my first time trying beef rolls, and they definitely didn't disappoint! The flavor is on point, and if you add a little hot sauce, it's even better. 10/10 Sesame Noodles: The flavor of these noodles is amazing, with a strong kick of peanut sauce. Plus, the noodles themselves are super unique! 8/10 Price: Everything is pre-tax. Taiwanese Beef Rolls: $14.00. Sesame Noodles: $13.00. 10/10 Environment: The seating arrangement primarily faces the center, with guests sitting side by side rather than across from each other. This setup creates a warm atmosphere, enhancing the sense of community and togetherness.

We drove all the way down to SD to try An's Gelato's Pho Flavor gelato for the month. We were in a mood for something savory and came across formoosa on Yelp. What originally lured us in was the popcorn chicken. However, we came in and were sat down. This gave us time to look over other options, so we ended up just ordering and sitting to eat. Here is what we got: Taiwanese Feed Noodle Soup: This soup was so good! It was spicy and had a good kick, but not too spicy where I was not able to enjoy it. We opted out of the thin noodles and in for the thick noodles. I have never had noodles like this before, but the texture was different in a good way! It was perfectly al dente if you will. The beef was tender and it was a good portion for the price. Popcorn Chicken: this was tasty and came with a side of sauce, but I wish it had a but more spice to it. It did not even seem like they had an option to make it spicier or not. This was also decent portion for the price. We were so full at this point, we took majority of everything togo. I would have to say that this place is a little hidden gem. Inside was quite tight and small with a few small tables bordering the room and a bartop area in the middle. I wished they would open up one in OC!

Deeeeelicious Taiwanese dishes. My husband loved the beef wrap and I loooved the chili wonton. Cant remember if we ordered the beef noodle soup, we order it a lot at different places lol. I just remember we liked everything we got. We went here before our baby is born. I remember the service was kinda slow but they were very busy and I think we were in a hurry. Server was very nice though. This place has yummy food perfect to go to for catch up dates with friends but definitely not for groups with more than 3 people. It's a very tiny spot with the hippest decorations and the vibe is very instragrammable but the size of it is tiny and the parking is horrendous. Make sure to come extra early because you will be wasting a lot of time looking for parking.

Nice casual spot with a simple menu and great flavors. Beef roll had epic flavor, texture, and moisture. Sesame wontons taste like they have tahini on them, super yummy. I would reorder both. Downside was the pickled cucumbers (didn't taste pickled and didn't have much flavor). Also the parking lot is awkward and tight. Service was fast and friendly!

Came here on a Saturday night with a couple of people. We waited over an hour, which I expected since the restaurant wasn't big. I wish they were better about turning over tables faster because it seemed like many people were done eating but just sitting there talking. It could be just because I'm used to Asian restaurants getting people in and out quickly. Onto the food, everything we had was great--big fan of the beef noodle soup, pot stickers, and pickled cucumbers. My boyfriend added extra meat to his noodle soup, which was filling. Super delicious but just be prepared to wait for a table.

I really wanted to love this place but wasn't a huge fan of anything. The service was little to nothing (although overhearing the tea between 2 coworkers was something), and the overall ambience is weird. The seating around a bar and then tables along the wall side. The food was average, nothing I was crazy about or recommend to anyone.

We were pretty lucky upon arriving there was no wait. The staff was somewhat attentive. Maybe because it was a 1 hour till closing. The beef soup and beef wrap are my favs. The egg is cooked to perfection and the noodles are plenty. The broth is rich in flavor. The beef roll is wrapped in a scallion pancake and beef with some vegetables. The vegetables really helped with a nice refreshing taste of the richness of the wrap.

I came around 4:30pm and there wasn't any wait however for the amount of people dinning in it has taken a while for our food to come out. The seating is definitely limited so I would come early if you're thinking about a later dinner. Scallion Pancake 7/10; it has a mochi texture to it and not much flavor to it. I would make sure to mix the chili oil when you dip otherwise you just get the oil and no chilis. I'm not sure if I would order again next time but it was good to share with my table! Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup 8.5/10: the broth and the beef were really good! I also like how the egg was soft boiled.

We stopped by at first open on a weekday. Tried this place when it first opened and liked it then but didn't appreciate the food until today. We were 3 that dined and coincidentally we order the same dish, the beef noodle soup. The dish was full of flavor especially the broth. As much as we enjoyed it, we shouldn't finish the serving because it they didn't skimp on the noodles and the beef. Really a satisfying soup especially since the day started cold and gloomy.

Wanted to grab some food in Kearny Mesa and this places seemed like it would be a good spot. We walked in on a Sunday after noon with a 30 minute wait for 2 people. We got the beef noodle soup and the popcorn chicken. The beef noodle soup was amazing. The broth was so flavorful and the noodles were bouncy. The chicken wasn't dry either and came with a spicy sauce on the side that we enjoyed. Not the best we've had for both but definitely hit the spot for what we were looking for. Food took a while to come out but they came out hot. Food: 7.9/10 Service: 8/10 Ambience: 7.9/10

Always good food whenever we visit. Service is great and the ambiance is nice. Give it a try

Just had an amazing meal at Formoosa Taiwanese Restaurant in San Diego! The pork over noodles was so flavorful, and the popcorn chicken was crispy and delicious. We cleaned every plate--so good, not a bite left! Highly recommend! Service was good and staffs were friendly. Only one four seats table, and two small tables for two. Then everyone sit around the center facing each other at rectangular large size table. Seats are Not convenient for families. But food was good. My kids love them.

The beef noodles were okay but the cocktails were weak and the service was terrible. Our server seemed like she didn't want to be there and it felt like we were inconveniencing her by eating there. I came here because of the large number of reviews, but beware--Yelp has posted a "Compensated Activity Alert" warning that someone is offering an incentive for people to post a review on Yelp.

There is no reservation system other than signing in on a sheet and waiting for your name to be called. We waited an hour. There seems to be a staffing problem or maybe we went on the wrong day. There was only ONE person and u felt bad watching her bus tables take orders by herself until someone finally showed up to relieve her. She did the best she could. There were empty seats that patrons could have been seated faster but because she had no help, the wait was longer to be seated. Once inside orders were taken immediately. I love the design of the restaurant it's modern and beautiful. The food and drinks came out within thirty minutes. Honestly, the best thing I had was the beef rolls. Very tasty. Everything else was way too salty. Would I come back? No. The bathrooms are disgusting. Interesting way to pay which is scanning barcode. Fast way to pay Nd leave . Please consider more staffing, a reservation system and a cleaner bathroom

Everything is so flavorful - Beef noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food! The beef roll is also a must-try!

It wasn't that busy but service was kinda slow. It might have just been taste preferences/what we ordered but I just didn't really love the taste of any of the dishes we got -- beef roll, mazesoba, and chili wontons. My partner did enjoy the beef roll but I found my half a bit soggy and overwhelmingly sweet. The noodles in the mazesoba were really broken up which was disappointing. The wontons had an odd taste at first but I did like how vinegary it was. It might've just been our preferences but I probably won't come back.

Aiden and Chris were so friendly and helpful with explaining the menu. They let me and my bf order as they were closing (normally I wouldn't bother them with it but we were in a crunch). Food is yummy! We ordered the beef roll, potstickers, sesame wontons, and the sesame noods. The atmosphere here is fun and lighthearted. 10/10 recommend. Carpool bc the parking lot gets hectic quickly. Sorry for the eaten food, just couldn't wait! Their sister restaurants are also top tier. Sooooo good!

Atmosphere is great and the food is delicious! We got the beef roll and beef noodle. Service is fast and friendly!

House Special Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup + Beef Roll Delicious! Amazing food! . . . . .

Food was great! Service was good for a smaller shop. Ambiance was cozy and gave mom and pop shop vibes. Definitely try the apps!

A great find!! It's a bar-like restaurant with some tables. They have a simple and easy-to-read menu, where you aren't overwhelmed with a lot of things. The food quality is pretty good and everything is made fresh upon ordering. They give you a QR code for the menu and to pay for your meal, so they've everything pretty convenient. Just be warned, good luck with parking. Convoy street on a weekend? Parking is scarce.

This place was cute! Straightforward small menu, cheap cocktails. It's pretty much one big bar seating. Service was very focused on efficiency. I had to use my phone as a menu which I don't really like. The beef noodle soup was delish - it had that aromatic refreshing taste you get with pho but also a deep richness to the beef flavor. Big portions. Came on a Monday and there was no wait. I can only imagine the line on the weekends.

Formoosa is a hidden gem that exudes a cool and unique vibe, along with its cozy interior. The sesame noodles and Taiwanese beef noodle soup were absolutely delicious, leaving me eager to return for more. The atmosphere was very good, and the interior design gave off a speak-easy vibe, adding to the overall experience. The standout food, good service and great atmosphere make Formoosa a must-visit spot. I can't wait to go back!

Love love their beef noodle soup here! I find the portion size to be very fair relative to the price that you are paying. I wish they do have a bit more vegetables with their beef noodle soup, but it's not a killer. I also love how they flame torch the beef before serving it to you. Not that it made the taste any different, but I do appreciate the showmanship. The ambiance inside is also very thought out. It's designed to resemble like a bar. The bar seating is in the center surrounded by tables around it, allowing different dining vibes based on your preference. Parking here is absolutely hell. Convoy really needs to build more parking structures. The lot is very small and is usually packed during dinner time. Your best chance is to find another parking lot or just street parking.

Stopped by for a quick lunch while I was in the area and there were plenty of seats, but filled fast and a lot of parking spaces (parking lot typically really sucks) Parking is free for the first two hours. Grab a seat at the bar or table and scan the QR code for the menu. Although it wasn't crowded, I could visually see the server (Kenny) staying busy and attentive for customers who were already in the restaurant and others coming in. Ambience of the restaurant was chill, but pretty cold. Don't know if the a/c is always blasting but BRRRR! If you check in on yelp, you receive 50% off any drink! Write a review on yelp and get free sesame balls for dessert. I ordered the beef noodle soup and it was tasty. $18.50 is a little steep in my opinion, but I'd come every once in a while. Only had two chunks of meat and a good amount of noodles. The one order can be split into two if you'd like. Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Parking: 3/5

Came around 730pm and there was a 10 min wait. The establishment is pretty small so there are just a few tables and then a u-shaped bar seating area to maximize service space. We ordered 4 dishes: pork over rice, scallion pancakes, spicy beef noodle soup and chili wontons to share. We also did the Yelp check in to secure 50% drinks (but when we paid, it only discounted one drink... the staff was unable to fix it for whatever reason...which was odd) anyway, food was flavorful. The scallion pancake isn't flaky, more doughy-like inside. The pork over rice had a nice flavor, however was leaning more salty imo. Beef noodle soup noodles were nice and chewy, though the meat could be more tender and the egg more cooked (the white interior was gooey). Chili wontons are typical. The jasmine milk tea was nice, and not too sweet. Pricing? It is a bit pricier than what it could be, the overall meal was over $60.

Unfortunately, I thought the food was eh and pricey. It is very difficult for me to recommend any of my orders. everything was on the salty side which could have been the chef's intention. The service is pretty solid, it's a small intimate place that reminded me of a sushi bar. I liked how clean it was. Definitely a first date kind of place, assuming you don't slurp on your noodles :P Parking was tough, we had to park on the side of the road even though there was a parking lot. This was a weekend though, which was expected for this area.

I have been looking for good Taiwanese food in San Diego for a long time and Formoosa was it! The beef noodle soup broth was warm, rich, and authentic, and the meat was tender. The service was top notch as well. Kenny and Paige were great -- super efficient and friendly. The ambiance was perfect for a group meal or a chill date! Overall 8/10

Took the boyfriend here and we absolutely loved it and devoured everything. We both grew up with Asian food and it hit the spot. Amazing service, comfortable settings, strong attention to allergies, and great spicy options. Def a new favorite. It's hard to find cold sesame noodles like this on the West Coast.

Beef noodle is really good! Would highly recommend. We finished the entire bowl. Also great cocktails

Really enjoyed the beef burrito and chrysanthemum tea. 2nd time here and it's still good Paige is a great server. She's super friendly and attentive

Overall rating: 4.9 I stumbled on this place with my cousin wanting to try a different cuisine that wasn't a burrito. LOVEEE. SO SO good. I wasn't expecting it to be in a mart area, but the food is immaculate. I'm not going to go into any detail. The pictures speak for themselves! The staff was very attentive too!

Here's your Yelp review draft: I first visited this spot about six months ago while in San Diego and had the Taiwanese beef noodle soup. It was absolutely incredible--the flavors were rich, the broth was perfect, and the wavy noodles were amazing. I couldn't stop thinking about it! Fast-forward to today, I was in Orange County for work and running errands in Carlsbad, so I knew I had to stop here again for dinner. I ordered the same beef noodle soup, but it felt a bit off this time. The broth was more watery, the beef wasn't as tender, and they used normal noodles instead of wavy ones. Not sure if it was an off night or a new chef, but it didn't hit the same. That said, I'll definitely be back because this place is usually excellent. The restaurant was packed with a big line outside, so it's clearly still a favorite. Shout out to Nicole and Ryan, who were absolutely top-notch and made the visit memorable despite the food being a little off this time!

Before and after!! Found this place on a whim and wow was it a treat! Def authentic Taiwanese flavor and amazing service too! Scallion pancake + pork over rice + spicy wontons (not pictured) were great!!! Will be back for sure

Chewy noodles and savory, aromatic broth deliver authentic flavor. Attentive service, a cozy atmosphere, and artful presentation create a memorable dining experience. So yummy and tasted very authentic. We will be coming back soon.

Beef noodle soup, chili wontons, picked cucumbers and popcorn chicken were sooo good!! And service was great. I also got a cosmic mu without sake. Delicious! Love the seating in the restaurant. So simple.

Literally everything was the best thing. Pork rice, beef noodle, sesame balls, scallion pancake, beef roll...it was all so good

Paige was amazing. The service is always quick once seated and food is never disappointing. I recommend coming on a Monday night!

Super fire here, paige was cool too. Left full and food for tomorrow. Got a bunch of apps too

Very yummy! I got the lychee colada and guava margarita, Paige helped us out with the recommendations and they did not disappoint.

I've been wanting to try this place for so long.. it really let me down. I want to start off many saying I am very familiar with all these flavors and Taiwanese food. This place just missed the mark for me.. not sure if the cooks are getting careless with attention to detail or what because they had such high ratings.. To start, my friend and I were seated at the table right next to the door which was weird because there were other tables open.. then the server came around with waters but walked right passed out table and gave water to the table who had been seated about 5 minutes after us.. then when he was heading back to the kitchen I stopped him and asked if we could get some water too. He gave me a very confused look and then said "sure" . That made me feel pretty uncomfortable.. but a young woman ended up bringing us out our waters, then we ordered a Lychee colada and a Guava Margarita, the drinks were okay but really not strong or mind blowing so not worth it.. We ordered a Taiwanese beef roll, a scallion pancake and the Taiwanese beef noodle soup. The Taiwanese beef roll was what I was most excited about however it was really just beef and cucumbers wrapped in a scallion pancakes. Nothing stood out to me when I bit into it, the cucumbers weren't bursting with freshness, the meat was flavorless and we just had two pancakes on the table. The scallion pancake was burnt and I was actually kind of surprised they served it to us like that, also it had little to no flavor. And what was supposed to be the star of the show, the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup, was lacking in spices and flavor as well.. and the noodles weren't cooked all the way.. I feel so bad because I always love everything on convoy! But on this visit to Formoosa, it just felt like there was a lack of everything going on from the service to the kitchen.. before we paid they young woman said if we left a review we we would get a discount and she asked if we would mention her by name.. I don't want to do that as this isn't a positive review but the her names starts with an N and the boy with an A.

Came here right after they opened and the line started getting line after we placed our ordered. Got two signature beef noodles soup and a popcorn chicken. Portion is huge but wish the beef ratio in the soup could be higher. I got 2.5 pieces of beef! They were so flavorful and tender. Two types of noodles to choose from; I would suggest choosing the wavy noodles bc it's better with the soup. The popcorn chicken is so good and they gave us a lot of pieces not just batters.

Amazing food even better service. Aiden and Chris were the best. So knowledgeable and helpful. Definitely will be back

Terrible dumplings, took forever to get my order and they only had 1 table with 3 people at the time. Dumplings fell apart. Would not return.

Located in the heart of the convoy district in the same strip mall as O'Briens pub. One thing I loved right away is the simplistic menu, typically a good sign of specializing in their passion foods. The inside vibe is exuberant, staffed by two upbeat people. It was busy when I visited, but they handled the tables and arriving guests with grace. I went for the beef noodle soup dish. The broth was flavorful and the soft boiled egg paired well with the noodle soup. One small drawback is the beef could have been more tender. Other than that, the beef noodle soup was good and I'll return to try other options on the menu.

What an awesome stop Paige helped us out with these amazing drinks. Juliane my guy provided excellent service during our visit. What a team !!!