Lili's Restaurant

Authentic and delicious! I came here on my birthday because in Chinese tradition we eat noodles for longevity. The noodles tasted just like home—so authentic. After two years in the U.S. and usually cooking for myself, this little spot truly surprised me. Highly recommend!

10/10! We had the stewed beef soup noodles, scallion pancakes and pork and cabbage dumplings. The soup had tender meat, delicious broth and hand pulled homemade noodles (I still regret not ordering another to go to bring home). The scallion pancakes were some of the best I've ever had--made to order, light and not too greasy. The pork and cabbage dumplings were wrapped in a thin, homemade wrapper and the filling was juicy and flavorful. While I don't have any before photos, I think the after speaks for itself.

Highly recommend the Biang Bang Noodles, or another dish with the handmade noodles. The noodles are made to order, and there is a good amount of meat on them. I had the Hot & Sour Vermicelli Soup, but it had minimal meat, was not sour and was not spicy (don't recommend). Small resturant with 8~ tables inside, but quick service and accepting of Allergies. All handmade noodles are NOT glutenfree, Vermicelli were made from potatoes.

We hesitated to walk into this little restaurant but we walked with no other thought than we made a good choice. The food is good and they have specials that used in season, fresh ingredients. This means that the owners care about their offerings and brings the best to customers. We had the garlic bolt pork stir-fry, Biang Biang noodles, and sour soup dumpling, all are delicious.

I had the #2 Biang Biang Noodles with stewed pork. It was really good and the portion was great too. I love how the noodles were chewy and wide. The #7 Sao Zi Noodle Soup had a nice sour broth that I enjoyed too. Went here again and I got the #1 pulled pork hamburger. OMG it was so good!! The buns was made fresh, it was crispy on the outside. The pulled porked was basically pork belly chopped up with cilantro over it. It came out so fresh!

As I was walking along Pleasant Street earlier this evening I saw a couple sitting by the window with big bowls of soup. It seemed like the perfect thing to have for dinner on a cool autumn evening so I went in and perused the menu. The soup (#8) was soooooo delicious - probably the best noodles I've ever had with tender pork in a delicious broth. I'll definitely be back - though I'll try to pick a less busy time so I can be sure to get a table. The place is popular - and for good reason!

Lili's is a unique Chinese restaurant experience with the famous hand pulled noodles. I enjoyed dumplings and scallion pancakes as well as several other dishes overall, not as spicy as I expected. The service was very friendly, the seating is very Spartan and extremely limited for dine in. For the past 4 years this has been my daughter's most favorite restaurant in Amherst.

Lili's is a smaller Chinese restaurant located in the heart of Amherst Center, serving a variety of Chinese dishes in store or as take out. The staff are very friendly, able to make the dishes quickly, and help cater to any needs or changes required. We tried the Biang Biang Noodles with pork, and it was a big portion for the price, and was very tasty. The spice wasn't too overwhelming, and the noodles were a good thickness that weren't too hard. The stewed pork went really well with it. Overall, a solid food choice while in the area.

We've been coming here every time we bring our kid up to school and back. Such a treat, to have this perfect authenticity of home cooked Chinese comfort food. All the dumplings are made in house and the noodles are pulled right in front of you when you order. The dining room is usually packed with Chinese foreign students. Lots of mandarin spoken. They no doubt miss food from the homeland and Lili's more than fulfills their needs. And now I see that they are Yelp's top 100 in the US!! What an accomplishment from this little unassuming kitchen. Well done!!

I've settled on 4 stars because they did everything right, but I'm probably not going to eat there again. The noodles are fabulous and the scallion pancakes are perfect. The flavor palette is unusual, presumably authentic to Xi'An. With no knowledge of the actual spices I'd call it "szechuan indian fusion." I'm guessing crushed red pepper, curry and hing. I don't particularly like the flavor combinations, so I likely will not be going back. The noodles are fabulous.

Was craving Asian, saw this place have the pull by skin hands noodles. So tried the biang biang noodles and it was tasty. The chef was pulling my noodles while talking to me, awesome. Also tried the pan cake and it was alright. It's a small mom paps type of place so it's small. Love the fact the chef lady came out to ask us aboit the food. Never seen that kind of treatment from an Asian place before. Would come here again for the biang biang.

I had the tastiest Biang Biang Noodles with veggies!! Sooo good! The noodles are homemade. The sauce is warming but not spicy. Napa cabbage. The portion was generous. It was the best noodle dish I've ever had. Very nice and quick service as well. The place was packed on a Friday night. Everyone was eating with chopsticks . I'm definitely eating here again!

When I learned the #4 ranked Chinese restaurant in the USA was only 30 minutes from my business meeting, I made the decision this was a must stop! The best Chinese food I have ever eaten. And coincidentally, I just spent a week in China 3 months ago. Even better than anything I had there. I arrived around 1:30 on a Thursday for lunch. Just me. There is street parking out front but no spaces available. Luckily, I noticed there is a small lot (maybe 8-10 spaces) behind the building. Went in and there were just a couple of parties seated given the hour. There are maybe 10 tables (?) with seating for 20. The staff was very friendly and made ordering a breeze. I got the Biang Biang Noodles with Pork and Dumplings. They are absolutely the best dumplings I have ever had. You could tell they were house made. The noodles were amazing. Like life changing amazing. Highly recommend!

So good. Recommended by Amherst tour guide...she said top 5 Chinese restaurant and she's from SF. Biang biang noods were delicious. Hand made noodles. Just a little spice with a TON of authentic flavor. Pork dumplings with cabbage were just made by the owner so she recommended those. So tasty Can't wait to come back.

My son ate here last week and loved it. We just stopped for lunch- hand pulled, homemade noodles- really good food at a Mom& Pop small restaurant where it's clear they care and the food was delicious. Hubbie gotta noodles w/pork. Pork very tender. I got porkw/homemade noodles soup- I like spicy so got side of chili oil. Great dish. Sid of pork& leek homemade dumplings were more than we needed- but certainly very good. Will eat here every time I make in the area! PS Owners super nice as well

The owner and staff are friendly and accommodating. It is small and simple but pleasant & clean. The food and noodles specifically were good but not quite to my preference. For years I had pulled noodles in Flushing, NY, at a tiny basement stall where I was usually the only Caucasian. It was a Bourdain favorite, and I think that was what I expected. The noodles in the Biang Biang were thicker, quite beautiful actually, but a chewier texture and to me appeared cut rather than pulled, not really sure and will research. They market as homemade and think that very accurate. The seasoning reminded me of cold noodles, which I look forward to trying. But it was 10 degrees out and I was up for a hot dish. We also had peashoots & tofu at a reasonable price but very light on the peashoots. This too is more me as I usually order them as a dish with no other key ingredients other than seasoning g (garlic) and oil. I will return at some point and try the soups. This was my experience and It may not be yours. As I said I plan to return. FYI ...while not a vegan they have about 5 dishes that really are. I was with someone from the area and evidently that can be a problem in the area.

Very small place featuring very delicious authentic Chinese dishes, all made with love. Get the Biang Biang noodles and savor the soft texture and layers of flavor, which get even BETTER as leftovers, eaten cold. Food for your soul...

Almost don't want to add a review because this is a tiny place and I fear it will get too popular. Super friendly owners. Delicious and authentic hand-made noodles. No General Tso chicken or "crab" Rangoon here. Definitely meat-oriented.

This sleepy college town housed a surprisingly numerous Chinese restaurant scene, among other Asian cuisines. This appeared to be the pick of the lot, offering authentic Northern-style items including noodles. The option to order a tofu stir-fry seemed appealing, and indeed several options were clearly marked as vegetarian and vegan. However, the signature dish is a fresh sort of noodle distinctive to the region, and I was seduced by the distinctively springy texture and fresh flavor. It took around fifteen minutes to make those noodles, and while I was on a schedule, it was worth waiting for fresh food.

Went here with two others-- super cozy place, ate inside. The scallion pancakes, the dipping sauce, and the biang biang noodles with pork were the stars of the show, but the dumplings, beef stewed soup, and twice stewed pork were great as well. All the vegetables were fresh and fantastic. Portions are perfect for anyone who loves leftovers the next day (and maybe the day after)!

Excellent authentic Chinese food. The space is tiny and you can take your delicious food to go.

One of the best restaurants in all of MA. The food is stellar, the service has never been anything but fast and kind, and the ambiance is perfect for a great college town. I couldn't recommend this place more highly and come here every time I'm in town. It puts the best Boston Xi'an places to shame and is only rivaled by NY joints. Whoever runs this place is a perfect person.

I went here almost 50 years ago. It was a very nice experience. The service and food were great. Things could have changed but I doubt it as it was a family business. Passed down through generations.

Really amazing & fresh hand pulled noodles. Really authentic, flavorful, filling, large portions. The service is efficient with no frills. This is a casual takeout spot.

I absolutely LOVE this place. I go whenever I miss my family's food a little extra. The service is fast and the restaurant itself is a little small but very cozy. I have made it a personal mission to try every dish in this restaurant before graduation! FRIED RICE (9.5/10): Delicious and full of veggies and meat. Only downside is that it is very oily and makes me feel very heavy after eating. But the taste is good enough that I keep coming back to get it. DUMPLINGS (11/10): These dumplings are the main reason that I keep going back again and again. With every trip, an order of dumplings is a must buy. They're flavorful, satisfying, and never fail to make me crave more right after. BIANG BIANG NOODLES (6/10): I know the noodles are a popular item but they aren't to my taste and fall short of the other potential menu items. While still yummy, they lacked the flavor that is usually present in the other dishes and I felt like I was consuming a plate of just bland flavors with different textures when compared to the rice and dumplings.

buss can someone plz leak the recipe for their vinegar sauce it was so truly so delicious

We went to Lili's for second dinner after eating in IYA. The #4 ru lou fan did not have the rich fattiness I like, but the egg was egg-cellent. The #14 beef noodle soup, again, missing the depth in the broth but flavor was pretty good. I love and appreciate the hand-pulled hand-cut noodles. Very thick and very chewy. Really wanted the broth to hot the spot, niu rou mien should be rich and flavorful. Even though those two things were not my favorite, I'd still like to go back and try the pork bun and scallion pancakes. Street coin meter parking

This is my 4th time here. The last time was 1 year ago. Very busy and only a few tables. Fortunately- the tables open up quickly. The fried rice is very good. The dumplings are ok and the spicy chicken with rice lacks flavor. We also had the dumpling hot sour soup which was average. I've also had their noodles dishes in the past which are better..

This place is a gem. Really authentic Xi'an food. If you like central Chinese cuisine and are in the area you must stop by. I got the sour soup dumplings (酸汤饺子）and my husband got the pork noodle soup 卤肉汤面 and both were great. They also have yang rou pao mo which is very hard to find in the States. Service was great and the owner was very friendly!

Amazing service and food was phenomenal. Best Asian cuisine in the area for sure. Definitely take the time to dine in and enjoy.

When you're starving and it's raining and it's just a few minutes shy of closing, and they still feed you is such a blessing. So I came in grateful, but listen, I left feeling LOVED. We went for the staple dish of BB noodles, Slow roast pork soup with cilantro and scallion, and the seasonal special of fiddlehead pork dumplings. - The dumplings were steamed, but not flimsy, the shape stayed strong and the filling was dense and savory. The light sweetness of the dumpling sauce elevated the tasty bites. -Bb noodles were good, but I'd probably try them with vegetables Instead of pork for some textural variety. The noodles were reeeeeeallly long, and the red sauce was delicious. -the soup was hands down some of the best broth in town. I'd kiss that woman if I could. Definitely add the scallion and cilantro and spice. It's a fantastic combo.

This place is CRAZY GOOD. Owners are super friendly and it's a convenient location but above all, the food is SO GOOD. Easily the best food in Amherst and I don't have enough good things to say about their place. Hand pulled pork noodles and beef noodle soup are so top tier.

Amazing real Chinese food She even makes the real pasta right there. Want real Chinese food come here

Excellent find. Started with friendly welcoming service at the counter to order by the owner herself. Not your typical Chinese menu.. only a dozen or so items .i ordered the bang band wide noodles , a little spicy with some vegetable topping. Those noodles are home made and delicious . Scrumptious . And very reasonably priced . Followed by a smiling friendly clean up service by the owners husband . A smile to greet , a smile to checkout and an unusually great meal . The soups looked great too. If you are in Amherst or nearby , go to Lili's ..

My favorite local Chinese restaurant. Authentic Chinese dishes. The twice cooked pork is amazing.

Food is top notch hand pulled Asian noodles ! Enjoy the rustic environment and the rich aroma! Get take out in the warm months and enjoy the cozy table seats for cooler times. Anywhere you eat LiLi'a you will enjoy!!

Excellent food - we had two types of the hand-pulled noodles, the dumplings, and the scallion pancakes - and quick, warm service. The restaurant is small but we were able to sit down right away at 12:30 and comfortably finished our food to make room for another family. Highly recommend if you're in Amherst!

Wow! So good. We were in town and saw a 5 star restaurant so we had to try it. All the tables were full when we arrived but the owner had a table ready in a few minutes. For our table, we ordered the scallion pancake, the pork burger, biang biang noodles, pork dumplings, twice cooked pork and stewed beef noodle soup. Everything was great. The biang biang noodles, twice cooked pork and pork burger definitely the stars. Owner was very nice and attentive to customers. Lots of people coming in and out.

i've eaten there several times since they opened every time was very good well prepared and package thirdly, to take home. The noodles and the dumplings are excellent!

Small family run business with only 4 tables. Nothing fancy. Good food. No forks, only chopsticks. Soda, no liquor. Pork dumplings, Bieng bieng housemade flat noodles and chicken fried rice were delicious.

Lili's has the best noodles in town, hands down. It's a local treasure. The first time I had their tomato egg noodle soup, I wept tears of joy. My partner said it tasted comforting and nostalgic (even though they have never had a similar dish before in their life). Biang biang noodles, twice cooked pork, and hot & sour dumpling soup are also favorites in our house. But truthfully, we've never tried anything at Lili's that wasn't absolutely delicious and obviously lovingly made from scratch. Portions are fair and it's a great value. Staff is friendly, warm, and welcoming (even when it's busy and "down to business.") I don't have enough nice things to say about this place. Lili's rocks. Dining area is tiny and cozy (read: cramped) with just a few tables. It can get loud during busy meal services and you may have trouble navigating the dining area if tight, narrow walking paths pose a challenge for you. Take-out is often easier than dining in.

We loved this place, very small, definitely worth it if you have to wait .. we had the pork dumplings, bang bang noodles, chicken fried rice ... all were exceptional and portions were enuf for us to take some home ... service and friendliness was exceptional, as well. Highly recommend !

LiLi's is hands down my favorite Asian restaurant in this area. The food is authentic (my Chinese mom gives it her seal of approval) and it's really dang good. Sometimes I come here when I feel homesick and it always makes me feel better. Their noodles cure my depression. It's a little small inside, but the staff are really nice. Personally I really like the biang biang noodles and the liangpi (pictured below) but everything is good. I have never tasted a bad dish here. Every time I come here, I have to spend minutes deciding what I want to get, because the food is just that baller.

Ordered food @ 6:00pm for pickup after reading all the great reviews. Food was on the table w/I 20 minutes. Vegetables were soggy, pork was either dry or fatty and the dish was 60% rice. The pork sandwich was dry and their signature noodles tasted bland and had a mushy. While I didn't care for the particular spices used, (my fav style is Cantonese) the quality was so poor, the dinner was a total disaster. I surmised that it was left over from lunch.

We ordered 5 or 6 different dishes and one was better than the other! Everything was hot, stream was pouring off the vegetables and we were all enjoying the food that was made especially for us. We had scallion pancakes, fried rice with chicken, pork with noodles, a pork sandwich and 2 number 4's. So good! Thank you for your absolutely delicious meal!

Oh my god. I was driven here by the enthusiastic reviews, and they do not lie. These were far and away the best biang biang noodles I've ever had, and top quality dumplings. The restaurant itself is small, and not heavily decorated--you're coming here for food, not ambience. But the food is so worth it--it's one of the best Chinese restaurants I've ever been to.

Small shop in Amherst serving authentic, delicious dishes. The seating is a bit limited and tight, so most people do takeout. The homemade noodles were the perfect texture and packed with flavor. The non-noodle dishes were also fantastic (rice, dumpling soup, etc.). Portion sizes were huge and the staff were super friendly. Would highly recommend!

Love this place. Consistently delicious food, clearly popular amongst Chinese college students and the general public as well. Probably my favorite restaurant in the area, other local Chinese restaurants have nothing on LiLi's!

The place is cozy and the owners are very friendly. The food is delicious and good portions. My wife and i order: Scallion Pancake 10/10 Pork Dumplings 10/10 Fried Rice 8/10 Stewed Pork Noodle 10/10 If you ever around that area you might want to give it a try, we will go back again. We spend around $60 including 2 cokes.

Very tasty! I hope I get to go back some day. We had the Beef Noodle Soup (get the cilantro and scallions!) and the Biang Biang noodles and the Pork and Leek dumplings. All tasted amazing!

Simple, authentic, family-run deliciousness! Lili's doesn't need another 5 star review but here I am anyway. We stopped here on a whim while traveling through Amherst and were glad we did! We spoke to Lili herself while she prepared our food and she was so friendly and authentic! She emphasized how they have a small menu and everything is cooked to order to ensure peak freshness. We tried: - biang biang noodles with stewed pork - scallion pancakes - pork and scallion dumplings - beef noodle soup - stewed pork noodle soup Everything was delicious, but I especially recommend the scallion pancakes. $6 each but they are hand made to order and are the perfect mix of crispy, chewy, salty and fatty!

Hi hopes when I walked in because it looked like an unpretentious "hole in the wall". This is usually an indicator that the focus is on the food. I ordered pork dumplings and scallion pancakes. Both were unsatisfactory. I ended up throwing them away at home. Maybe I ordered the wrong things?

A great spot to not spend too much but still have a full stomach! My friend and I have been here numerous times and we have tried everything on their menu haha. Our favorites are their Braised Pork Noodle Soup, Roujiamo, and Biang Biang Noodles. Their noodles taste amazing as they are chewy and feel like thick dumpling skin, which I LOVE! They are a small place that is clean and very friendly.

First time visiting LiLi's today and it was incredible! The owners are so warm and friendly - we felt as if we were in their home and the food is cooked with love. Hand pulled noodles and dumplings were absolutely delicious. 10/10 we'll be back when we pass through town again!

Quick service, great authentic tasting food. Utilitarian decor only, but people are there to eat, not hang out.

Very small place and quite loud, so we took our food back to our hotel. Excellent food. Only complaint was the green onion pancakes were soggy by the time we were able to sit down and eat. The noodles and dumplings were so good!

This place is by far my favorite restaurant in the area!! As a vegetarian, they have so many veggie and vegan options. If you go, you need to get the biang biang noodles, scallion pancakes, and the veggie soup. The portion sizes are so perfect and the staff are the most wonderful people you will meet.