Old Gui Lin

Delicious brisket noodle. Fair amount of tendon/fat but I picked around it and the meat was delicious. Toppings like mustard greens and fried soy beans were perfect as condiments and made the noodles taste great. Loved the vinegar chile oil cucumber. Egg roll just okay. Clean dining room and friendly ladies at the counter. Cleanliness of the floor (greasy, bug) in the bathroom area needs improvement. Broth was helpful for mixing noodles, but when cooled down it had a powder taste. Stick with ice water. I will definitely come back for noodles.

We dropped in for Lunch just before it got busy. The ladies in the front were very nice and welcoming. We ordered a Beef brisket Rice noodle bowl and a Beef brisket rice bowl, on the side we got the Cucumber Salad and Special Pancake. Come hungry because these portions are Big!! Everything we ordered was so good, we definitely over ate lol. We will be back to try other items!!!

Had the blessing to have had the food of my dreams here. Really good food, in case that wasnt obvious. I got the A8 and my friend got the A10, and we came about noonish on a Friday. Despite being what I'd argue is peak lunch hours, the place was quaintly empty and really quick. We placed our order and got our food very quickly after. The condiments/additions bar was well stacked and perfect for the dishes we had ordered. I definitely see myself going again, and its a new favorite recommendation for anyone and everyone I know!

Authentic Chinese 米粉 (similar to pho) with rich broth and fresh toppings. Loved the free side dishes—pickled veggies, herbs, and sauces to mix in! Great taste, generous portions, fast service, and good prices. A must-try for noodle soup lovers!

We had a wonderful lunch at Old GUI Lin after our Tahoe trip. Their servers were super friendly and the food was amazing. Recommend to try A1, soy milk (sweeten) and veggie! As we drove home, I still crave for their soy milk and regretted that I didn’t get another one with me. Environment was clean and comfy as well! They are also dog friendly! Highly recommend!

Guilin rice noodles and variety of side dishes are delicious. They don’t charge tips. So you feel the price here is very affordable. I particularly like the condiments bar, where you can freely add cilantros, chopped green pinion, sour cabbages, and spicy oil into your dishes.

It’s a local small rice noodle restaurant, authentic and tasty. Most likely self service after you ordering from the counter, and they note that you don’t need to pay tips. It has a mini bar for add-ons , you can choose all those items for your noodle or rice without paying extra. Portion is not that big but overall worth a try, and I actually like it. Will come back if I’m visiting around.

Affordable Chinese beef bowl. Reminds me of the food at the airport on layovers in Hong Kong. They give good portion per bowl and offer free toppings such as peanuts, chili oil, green onion, etc. The toppings add good flavor to whatever you order. We ordered A15 with pork braised bowl with rice and A3 braised beef with noodles. Beef was a bit tender than I'm used to, especially with beef bowls. We also ordered beef pancake, which is also good and best to share. I think all the bowls have a bit of similar flavor. As far as drink, no sodas only soymilk drinks or tap water. I would come back to try the other dishes such as veggies and dessert.

Great place for guilin noodles. I've already flown from San Jose for this 2ce, and will keep coming back. The noodles are tender and the meats are flavorful. The best part is you can add whatever sides you want to make it to your taste. I love the pickled beans and bamboo shoots with spicy oil. Also, no tipping, which is great.

Such a tremendously underrated place. First time trying them out, got a stir fry beef rice bowl for I think $13.95. Great portions, good taste, excellent value. I was extremely impressed by the types of beef they had in the dish, which had what seemed like cartilage beef. The meat was very tender it was easy to eat too. Absolutely a gem of a place for Chinese food!!

Prices are as listed. You'll get a good amount of yummy food for $15. They have a self-serve toppings station with bamboo, pickles, sauces. Their cucumber salad for sub $8 is really good with enough cilantro, fresh smashed cucumber, good garlicky chili oil. Dry dishes come with a bowl of soup. Dont recommend noodles (maybe rice noodles good?) as they are just instant ramen noodles. Nice ambiance not dirty.

Yummy! Large braised pork over rice 9/10 - very flavorful, juicy, soft - melts in your mouth! - wish there was more of the braised pork sauce in the rice - definitely a LARGE portion - get the condiments in the side (pickled veggies, cilantro, green onion) - comes with side of bone broth Guilin rice noodles 9/10 - unique flavor - reminds me of my parents home cooking - toppings make this meal so yummy - crunchy pork skin add such a great texture and flavor - comes with side of bone broth Pork ear 10/10 - flavored very well - not heavy on the vinegar - crunchy and refreshing Beef rolls 10/10 - very crispy - the pancake definitely tastes like it is made in house - beef was very good and braised until soft! Guilin milk tea with pearls 9/10 - boba was chewy and delicious - milk tea was creamy and tea flavor is still strong - definitely compares to China - normal sugar/ice is perfect for those with a sweet tooth - it's perfect for me but I can see people wanting 50-75% sweet. Service was 10/10 even though we order at the front, pick up our food, and buss our own tables. The owner (I think?) was the one who took our order. She was very friendly and explained all the popular orders and recommended great options. Overall, I'd come back if I lived in this area. I could see myself becoming a regular with these prices! Many of the customers who came in seemed to be regulars and the owner remembers them. A very nice community feeling. *Mandarin, Cantonese, and some English is okay for ordering.

First time trying this place & I was very pleased! My partner & I just tried their boba, but the food on the menu looked super tasty too! The coconut shake with strawberry boba was to die for!! The shake literally tasted like coconut ice cream!

Soup was very flavorful and the meat was not tough or dry. The Beef Roll was also tasty, but I would have liked it a little crispier. It's a very casual joint. You order at the counter (get a buzzer) and choose your seat at one of the communal tables. There is a self serve toppings area and you bust your table when you are done. Our food came out super quick!

Probably been here five times now. Great place for a very fast (and big) bowl of noodles soup. Other dishes I've tried, like the cucumbers are great, too. A3, the beef noodle soup is my fav, tho!

What a unique food experience! My wife and I wanted something quick and I had been wanting to try this local spot. I ordered takeout which was super easy since menu options are on yelp. I ordered 2 of their most popular items including the guilan rice noodles and beef rolled pancakes. I wanted to get a thinner noodle with a different meat so I also ordered the braised pork dry tossed noodles. The food was ready when I got to the restaurant and I was greeted kindly by their front restaurant staff. Since this was my first time, I asked if there was anything else that I needed to add such as sauces or toppings. However, the staff told me that all of the toppings and sauces were already included in the takeout bag. One thing that is unique about this restaurant is that they give you a heavy duty tote bag for takeout orders. The packaging of the food is high quality and keeps the food safe and hot. Although I did take out, they do have plenty of seating inside the restaurant. If you want to get what they are known for, I would order the guilin rice noodles. It has rice noodles that are shaped like spaghetti and an assortment of different types of meat cuts. The meat was flavorful + thinly sliced. Each entree comes with a white cup which had peanuts, cilantro, sprouts, and pickled vegetables. The entrees also came with a cup of brown sauce (idk what it is but it's really good) + a chili oil. The braised pork dry tossed noodles had tender and fatty pork that had a soy sauce base. It also included a soy sauce egg. We didn't know how much of the toppings and sauce to add so we ended up just throwing all of it in and I think that allowed for the greatest eating experience. Another pleasant surprise is that they throw in these Capri Sun looking pouches that hold a hot white broth, which I think is a bone broth. It is a really nice addition to sip on the side. The beef rolled pancake (beef rolls) were so good! The green onion and cilantro inside add freshness to the fried pancake, and there is sauce inside that adds some sweetness. The beef was super tender and doesn't all get pulled out when you take a bite. These go really well with their chili oil. I really appreciate this restaurant because it offers a unique eating experience for a pretty competitive price. Although the bowls looked a little bit small, the amount of food that we had was a lot. The toppings allow you to get creative + super flavorful with the dishes. We will be back again!

This place was packed at 1pm on a Sunday. It took my party of 7 at least 20 minutes to get a spot and even then, we had to sit at different tables. It had a cafeteria vibe to it. You order and pay then get a buzzer and wait until your number is called. They put your order on a tray and there's a self serve topping bar. The amount of noodles and meats you get are fixed but you can get as many vegetables and sauces as you'd like. I really liked the bamboo and pickled string beans! The noodles were soft and easy to eat. The beef was tender. The crispy pork was crispy but very oily. They only give you a small bowl of soup so it wasn't exactly a noodle soup, more like wet noodles. It would've been nice if the soup was more flavorful but it was pretty bland.

It was packed on a Monday evening at 6:30 PM. We could not find an empty table. We had to squeeze in between these 2 other parties. I am not a fan of this communal seating. I ordered the A1 with steamed rice, brown sugar glutinous rice cake, and fresh soy milk with boba. I enjoy the A1 better with steamed rice rather than noodles. I was very pleased that this substitution was allowed. It was so delicious with all the toppings from the self serve bar. My sister ordered the same dish, although she received a different type of noodle, which was disappointing. Instead of the thick rice noodle, I believe she received egg noodles. The rice cake was just okay. I like it better at I Shanghai delight. The soy milk was just okay as well. It was very light and too unsweetened for my liking. I would still dine in given the suboptimal experience as I really enjoyed the A1 with steamed rice.

Old Gui Lin - Solid Spot for Authentic Chinese Dishes I've been to Old Gui Lin three times now, and each visit has been consistently good. when I'm in the mood for something more traditional and regional, this place definitely hits the spot. Their Guilin rice noodles are flavorful and comforting -- the broth is savory, and the noodles have that great chewy texture. I've also tried the braised beef with pickled vegetables, and it was tender, well-seasoned, and really satisfying. The restaurant itself is low-key and clean, nothing fancy, but the staff is friendly and the service is efficient. Prices are reasonable, and the portions are generous. Overall, if you're looking for authentic southern Chinese cuisine, Old Gui Lin is a solid choice

Got to try this new noodle spot on Freeport! Before we tried this spot, I was told that this spot was really good so I was curious to try! First, this spot is in the same complex as the popular tealicious!! Parking is not my favorite in this complex as spots are small and limited. I ordered to go since I got food from tealicious as well! I ordered the beef brisket with noodles! I actually called in for my order and when I checked in with the employee they actually put it together on the spot which was cool because it would be fresher and hotter when I got home. As I was waiting, I went to the produce selection and they had a variety of choices such as: green onions, pickled veggies, cilantro, nuts, and sauces. When the food came out for my take out order, it came out in a nice bag and they separated the noodles, the meat and the broth as they should. The broth came in a cool soup pouch which was really cool. Service was really good, the female employee was very nice and professional! The food itself, it was okay.... The noodles were good, soft texture and it's a different type of noodle than I usual eat but they were good! It's almost like the noodle you eat in bun Bo hue! The broth was a little plain which I don't mind but some may think it needs more flavor! The beef brisket was decent, a little too fatty but the flavor was good! Also, in my opinion, you need 2 bowls to get full! Would I go back, yes, but not in a rush! Overall, it was decent but nothing wildly delicious, but decent!

Noodles have a nice texture, service is decent; space is not great for large parties (10+?) during busy hours but it's possible to put combine/share tables. Self-service water is available, and self-service toppings station is located in the back. Remember to use the dish return station!

Came around 12:30 on sunday, parking is very hard to find in this complex depending on the time and day. We got the beef brisket and pork ribs soup noodle, forgot what its actually called. Both were about 14$ i believe. Was pretty quick to come out, then you put ur own toppings however much u want which is nice. The soup and flavor was pretty good tbh. The beef brisket was like 80% tendon and that stuff compared to meat lol and not that tender. The pork ribs were very tender and good. Overall pretty good pricing not too bad, and an easy meal.

Not sure why I gave a 4 star review for this place but it's definitely a 5 star place! Noodles are delicious, all the meats are super tender. Got the A5 today and it was sooooo good. That pork belly . The self serving veggie bar is the best. You overload your noodles with all these toppings. Drinks are also good here!

I saw this restaurant on Instagram and wanted to check it out! We took our order first, and then sat down. The service was very kind and friendly and when I had a question about the "lychee boba" he showed me what it was exactly so I was able to change it to the rainbow jelly because their flavored boba is the "popping" bobas. We ordered the braised beef noodle soup, the special pancake, the strawberry smoothie, and shaved ice. Everything was so good, especially the special pancake that was my favorite. It was savory, had the perfect texture and crunch inside with some cucumbers to help keep feeling fresh. The shaved ice also exceeded my expectations because they use a milk base instead of just water for the shaved ice. The toppings go really nicely with it! I recommend trying this for the summer Everything was delicious I really don't have anything to criticize about! The place was clean, bathroom was clean and AC was on because it was hot outside. Do be aware that their English isn't fluent but they will make sure you ordered what you want! 10/10 food and experience for me :) I will definitely come back again

Passed by here while walking to Rice Theory and knew I needed to give this spot a try. Absolutely delicious, bouncy rice noodles with crispy chicharonne and brisket. I love the self service area for custom toppings. The beef roll had the right amount of exterior crunch and was well seasoned. The fresh soy milk was the right level of sweet. As an aside, no service charge is expected here so you will bus your own table (which works just fine for me!) Soooo satisfied, will definitely be back.

When there's mostly Chinese people eating here, you know the food is legit. The reason to come here is simply for the flavorful food. Old Gui Lin delivers fantastic noodle dishes with customizable toppings at a reasonable price. The food is served cafeteria style so no service fee is requested and you clean up after yourselves when you're done. Appreciate they upgraded the sizing of the spoons used to scoop the toppings since they first opened for more efficient serving. Don't be afraid of the casual exterior and interior, come in here for no-nonsense great food.

Unassuming decor, incredible food and service. Specializing in delicious rice noodles with all the delicious toppings you can pile on. Highly recommended. We're truly all outer friends and will be back!

Food was yummy Staff was friendly and nice First time trying definitely coming back

My sister and I tried Old Gui Lin for lunch and had a blast! We came in after the typical lunch rush around 1, and were able to find seats. It is an order at the counter and bus your own table kind of place. There is no table service. It is different from other noodle shops (like Vietnamese bowls)- the regionally speciality that is their noodle makes for a delightful chew. It's almost like a rice noodle bucatini. I enjoyed the generous portion of noodles and meat that I received in my order, and the well stocked toppings bar with traditional items like boiled peanuts, pickled vegetables, chili oil, cilantro and onions. I took full advantage of the toppings and put so much spice and umami into my bowl! We both ordered the A1 (the best for an intro into this noodle dish) and the beef roll as well as the marinated cucumber salad. Everything was so fresh and flavorful! If you're looking for flavor and a satisfying noodle dish, I highly recommend trying OGL. The restaurant is clean and simple. Not much ambience so if you're looking for romance, look elsewhere. But the service is very friendly, the speed is fast and the food is reasonably priced. Beware the parking lot can get hectic at peak hours so if you're like me and hate dealing with terrible drivers and parking lots, try to come during the week and after the lunch or dinner rush.

The food is pretty tasty. I like the peanuts. The sweeten soy milk is not that sweet than I expected. I expected more sweet. The food came out pretty quick. The seating is open seating. It was pretty warm inside.

This was trending on IG and I thought I'd give it a shot. China is so big with so many provinces, food def taste different from place to place and this is one of those places. I went with my mom and sister and the food was very fresh but not up to my taste buds, unfortunately. My sister enjoyed it a lot! I liked that there's a toppings bar you can head over and it is unlimited. Place was clean as well and soy milk was good! Only reason why I made it a 4 star instead of 5 was bc of the ordering, the cashier didn't know any English and it was hard to communicate. I understand though, because majority of their customers are mandarin speaking Chinese. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for new Chinese food to try. Def not Cantonese or American Chinese food! I orders the house special which came with a side of daikon soup. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to eat this dry with sauces on top and then sip the soup or put the soup in the bowl which would make the dish semi wet? Lol. Instructions would be nice too!

First time having this regional noodle dish. I'm hooked!! I wish there were more of these exact restaurants closer to me. Fair price and the sides is what makes this worth it. I will keep coming when we I'm close by. It gets hella crowded and finding a seat feels chaotic. Heads up, the workers don't know English. I wish I knew mandarin, but they couldn't answer my question on what they recommend for a kid in their menu. Fortunately it gets busy and there are lots of bilingual customers to help. Prepare in advance and point or keep it simple with saying the number of the items you want.

This is a cafeteria style order and sit down kinda place. They have the toppings bar, which is my fav. I love the pickled veggies and spices they provide. It gets really busy and the ladies working there are always bussing tables and cleaning. One time our order was mixed with another costumer and we were given a free chinese burrito (rarely happens in a Chinese restaurant). I will definitely go here again for the beef noodles soup.

Old Gui Lin has comforting noodle dishes. I got the dry braised pork noodles and it was flavorful and tasty. The noodles are a good portion size at a reasonable price. The noodles came out literally two minutes after ordering. The cashier was nice and the restaurant is clean and cozy. I also liked the unlimited toppings.

This was my first time having Gui Lin noodles and I loved that this spot had an unlimited toppings bar. Everything was very tasty. I got the original with a side of gui Lin rolls and sweet soy milk.

I've come here twice and both times it did not disappoint! Something to note here, is that you would pay first for your meal, receive a device that notifies you when your order is ready, and then take a seat wherever you'd like. Since this is the case, I recommend coming earlier if you have a larger party. This does seem to be a popular place with larger groups. There are no wait staff to clean up your dishes or to check in with you. If you need anything, you either go back to the cashier or go to the pickup counter. They do ask (based on signs) that you put away your dishes in the designated areas and keep your dining area clean. During my first visit here, we ordered Guilin Rice Noodles and Beef Roll Pancake. Both dishes were delicious. They came out relatively quickly and the food was very fresh. For the noodle dishes, I recommend adding plenty of toppings. There is a topping station near the pickup counter. Usually I had my partner load up our noodles and he seems to add everything, and it seems to be the best way to enjoy your noodles! The Guilin Rice Noodles have great texture, flavor, and freshness to them. I highly recommend the Guilin Rice Noodles. I also remember the Beef Roll Pancake being great and comparable to other local restaurants. During my second visit, we ordered Beef Brisket Dry Tossed Rice Noodles, Cold Marinated Seaweed, Pumpkin Pancake and Fresh Soymilk. The Beef Brisket Dry Tossed Rice Noodle was somewhat similar to the Guilin Rice Noodles. There are chewy pieces of beef brisket, which I enjoyed but some people may not. They were seasoned well though. It does come with a side of plain broth as a palate cleanser. I do recommend adding plenty of toppings to this dish. The noodle bowl may seem small, but when you add the toppings, it is very filling and you may be able to share it! The rice noodles that they use has a great chew and texture. If you are a bun bo hue (Vietnamese spicy beef noodles) enthusiast, these rice noodles are very similar. Cold Marinated Seaweed - Pretty generous serving, slightly spicy, and garlicky. I enjoyed this side dish! Pumpkin Pancake - this is supposed to be more of a sweet kind of dish. It wasn't very sweet though. It might taste better with some sugar or condensed milk. It was fried and very hot when it came out. It seems like they use kabocha as the pumpkin part, and there are sesame seeds. It has a chewy texture like nian gao. Not sure if I would get this again. Fresh Soymilk - We decided to order it since I saw another person order it and the staff prepared the drink by scooping it out of a large pot, which made me believe this was definitely fresh, and it was! If you love fresh soymilk from the tofu store/Asian grocery store, this is for you. It was warm when it came out and I think it was not too sweet. They did put it in a boba cup which was interesting lol. The cashier who was helping us seemed very pleased we were ordering it and gave us a thumbs up. It was adorable. Something to note is that the staff does not speak much English, so I would take the time to make sure your order is correct. We didn't have any issues, but I imagine that they have had issues, such that the cashier used a long stick to point to things on the menu when we ordered in English to confirm that each item was what we actually wanted. They do take card by the way. Parking can be challenging in this plaza. Overall, I highly recommend Old Gui Lin and it is definitely authentic!

My favorite Chinese gem in Sacramento on Freeport. I can't begin to tell you how this bowl of soup warms your soul after a long work day. Can get dry tossed or soup based noodles, but personally dry tossed is the way to go. Self serve pickled vegetables is what makes this dish and it's fun experimenting with what works. Each bowl comes with soup and can be used to mellow out your bowl if you went overboard on the toppings. I don't know Chinese but have always had luck reading the number of the dish (A1, A17, etc) to the cashier and they are always super nice and friendly to me. The place can get very crazy at peak lunch and dinner time so it can be a little chaotic so be mindful of what time you come in cause there may not be seats at times.

Love it here. They have traditional Guilin noodle entrees! I've only ever had several different instant snail noodle packages from 99 ranch. Different cities and styles in China but it's pretty similar from someone who's not cultured, imo. I was thrilled to taste a real bowl when I saw the DIY toppings bar!! It's my third time coming here. Great place to eat alone. Tables are long for large groups as well. Braised Beef Soup - yum. Braised beef is super tender. Only thing is the side soup really tastes like boiled noodle water. Pretty sure it's supposed to taste like that but it's not for me. Guilin Noodle Bowl - my go to. Really good and simple meal. I absolutely love this bowl with the roasted peanuts, an abundance of cilantro and extra sour pickled veggies. Again, soup not my preference. Rolled Beef Pancake - love the texture of the pancake but it's lacking some flavor. Cucumber salad - good, oily. I think their chili paste isn't as spicy. Still a good crunch to the meal!! Also the sauce is good to dip the pancake into if you desire some extra flavors.

Wife was craving Guangxi Noodles. The restaurant is popular among Sacramento WeChat groups and Little Red Book (China's version of Instagram). Restaurant serve the base (noodles and meat), and the customer can scoop their own vegetable toppings. "Meat" is used loosely as it is mainly skin and fat, but that is expected for $14 in 2024. The skin is crispy and serve as a contrast to the soft noodles. Flavors are decent as you can customize to your liking with pickled vegetables and hot sauce. I thought it was delicious, but my wife felt it wasn't "authentic" enough. However, my wife and I unanimously agree the beef pancake rolls were the best. Beef pancake was filled with meat, pancake had a nice savory flavor and wasn't too oily. If we were to come back, it would be mainly for this dish only. The milk tea boba was decent. It isn't as good as a dedicated boba shops, but boba was soft and milk tea tasted fresh. Customers order upfront, pick up their food when pager vibrates, and bus their own tables afterwards. However, tips aren't expected. A rarity in modern times. I would recommend this if you are craving Guangxi noodles or want a unique tasting experience if you are unfamilar with the cuisine. I feel it hits a nice sweet spot for mainstream appeal and authenticity. However, my wife insists I dock a star due to flavor profiles not being authentic.

Old Gui Lin is a gem! Nestled in Freeport along the many other businesses, you'll find Old Gui Lin. It's a small spot that can seat about 30 people all together. The seating is an open style and you share the table with others. It gives off the vibes as if I'm in an Asian country where the seating arrangement is common (it's a good thing!). Feels comforting and home-y at the same time. It's a self-service style, almost like a food court vibe for the most part. You order first, then find seating and when your food is ready, you'll pick it up and add whatever toppings you'd like. You also help yourself to water. The employees are friendly and keep the place clean. The food is good. I got the A1 Noodle Soup for myself, which I recommend to anyone who's a first timer. The portion and pricing is amazing. I appreciate how clean the soup is and tastes. The beef roll was okay to me, and the fries are fries. I was randomly craving it, and surprisingly they had it. I love the concept of being able to add toppings of your choice to your dish. Some items that the topping bar includes: - green onions - pickled vegetables - roasted peanuts - roasted pine nuts - roasted red peppers - chili oil - vinegar - soy sauce - a few others I can't remember The only downside to this place is there isn't much parking, which is out of control of the business, so I recommend carpooling if you can.

I did a fair amount of research on this restaurant before walking in because I've been searching for jianbing for a while now and hadn't been able to find it. I saw some good things online about the beef rolled pancake, which seemed comparable to jianbing, so I decided to check it out with my family. We walked in right after opening and ordered the marinated cucumber salad, couple's delight, beef rolled pancake, Old Guilin special rolled pancake, seasonal vegetables with minced garlic, and two orders of Guilin rice noodles. Maybe our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, but since it was our first time trying this type of Chinese cuisine, we wanted to experience as much as possible. After ordering with a welcoming worker up front, we sat down, and all the food came out in less than 10 minutes. I was especially excited to try everything at the toppings bar, even though I didn't know what most of it was. Everything at the bar incredibly fresh, and I noticed the entire restaurant was spotless--the worker from the front even wiped down the toppings bar between customers. The flavors of all the dishes were bold and complimented one another perfectly. I was most excited to try the couple's delight since I had learned about the dish's history and am a huge fan of tripe, whether it's dim sum-style or menudo. This cold dish was packed with chili and umami flavors. The marinated cucumber salad and seasonal vegetables with minced garlic were also surprisingly delicious--usually, I gravitate toward meat dishes, but I kept going back for bites of the veggies because they were so fresh and full of flavor. The two rolled pancakes were exceptional--after all, they were what brought me here in the first place. The texture was perfectly flaky, like a scallion pancake, but with new flavors inside that had a slight sweetness to them. The mix of flakiness with sweet and savory was exactly what I had hoped for. Lastly, the star of the show: the Guilin rice noodles. I could tell they were freshly made, and I loved that this dish is what you make of it. The broth is served on the side, and from my understanding, you can add it as needed or even dip the noodles in. I opted to load my bowl with every topping from the bar (as shown in the menu photo) and then added broth. The light broth starts as a base but takes on the flavors of all the wonderful (pickled or fermented?) toppings, becoming rich, salty, umami, and slightly sour. It was honestly an incredible experience--slightly reminiscent of pho in construction but much bolder and more savory in flavor. Again, the flavors are what you make them, depending on what you add. By the time we finished, the restaurant was packed--not even an hour after opening. We took some leftovers to go, and they still tasted amazing reheated. This was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Sacramento. This is real, authentic, fresh food, made by people who clearly cook from the heart. You won't find any quirky menus or postmodern gimmicks here, like you do at so many "local" corporate restaurants in the area. The prices are beyond fair for this day and age, and it seemed like tipping wasn't even accepted. I challenge anyone reading this to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. Look at this not just as food, but as an experience--a glimpse into a unique culture. The orange chicken and crab rangoon can wait for another night, I promise.

My 700th review will go out the Old Gui Lin - a new restaurant in town. Upon arriving you will need to order and pay first. The cashier asked if it was our first time there and she had let us know what was popular. They ran out of braised pork at the time. My bf ordered A1 gui lin rice noodle which was supposedly a popular choice and I got A3 beef brisket rice noodle soup. The best part was the toppings bar where you can add your own selection of toppings such as pickled veggies, peanuts, cilantro, green onions, bamboo shoots, hot chili oil, etc. It definitely made it better. The only thing I didn't like about the beef brisket was that majority of the pieces had so much tendon on them. I'm not a big fan of it so I gave them to my bf. I took some pieces of meat off his bowl and I really liked the addition of the chicharron on it which gave it a nice crunch. Not sure why there isn't a soup option for A1 but I do hope they can add that to the menu. We also ordered B6 brown sugar glutinous rice cake. That was actually pretty good and had a tea flavor to it. We also got B19 cold marinated seaweed which I wasn't a fan of. It didn't have any flavor. Next time I would like to try the Pork ribs or braised pork noodle soup.

Decided to come on a Friday afternoon to try this place to see if it is as authentic as it is in Taiwan. The parking situation isn't the best, took a while to find parking. It was relatively clean inside. ordering is quite simple. Order at the register and secure a beeper, then pick up your food and add your own toppings on the side. food was ready within minutes! impressive. one thing we wished was that there was less tendon and more of the brisket meat part (as one of the bowls were filled with tendon). The fresh mung bean drink is refreshing and house made! not too sweet either. noodles and flavor were good! ended up accidentally ordering the brown sugar rice cake and it was surprisingly delicious and the texture was good! overall, would come back and recommend to others.

A good friend of mine is from Guilin, China and she told me about how the noodles from that region are delicious - and different from the noodles found in most of the Sacramento area's restaurants. Upon hearing that there was a couple of restaurants in Sacramento featuring Guilan food, we had to give Old Guilan on Freeport Blvd a try. Upon walking inside, you can see huge menus (with pictures and descriptions) on the wall and community-style tables. After placing our order at the counter and paying, we were provided a buzzer and found a couple of seats. Within a few minutes, our buzzer went off and we picked up our orders: A2 Beef Brisket with Dry Tossed Rice Noodles and A4 Braised Diced Pork with Dry Tossed Rice Noodles. Both orders came with a small bowl of broth that could be added to our noodle bowls (it had a very mild flavor). The Beef Brisket was so tender and flavorful. And the Braised Pork was really tasty too; that bowl came with a boiled egg (soy-based? which really didn't do anything for me). The rice noodles were unlike any noodles I've tried before: silky smooth and went really well with the meats. Oh, there was a self-service toppings/condiment bar that contained green onions, cilantro, bamboo shoots, pickled veggies, diced green beans, roasted mung beans, roasted peanuts, and a couple of spicy chili oils. I tried a tiny bit of most of the items but I'm not sure how my noodle bowl was supposed to be topped. I also tried a milk tea with boba but it was ok. Their drink menu did look interesting and I would definitely give other drinks a try. Overall, we really liked our food and will be back to try other dishes. There is no service and customers are expected to bus their own tables. There's even a sign on the table saying this. Lol. Parking can be challenging in this popular strip mall. Street parking is available though and preferred over having to find a spot in the lot. Warning: there are customers will park illegally perpendicular to parking lot spots - which will make it annoyingly difficult or impossible to reverse out of your parking lot spot.

The spicy pig ear for $13.95 was a total rip off and a huge disappointment. I barely got any meat, it was mostly cilantro which completely overpowered any pig ear taste. Tiny portion, bad flavor, and overpriced. Definitely not ordering again.

I have had take-out from here and finally got to dine in on a Friday night. It was around 6:30 pm and not busy at all. I heard lunch time is packed. This is a counter/self service restaurant on Freeport Blvd. The older grandpa like gentleman (assuming he is the owner or family) took our orders right away, gave us a buzzer to alert us when the food is ready. It was less than 10 minutes. ok, the BEST part is the self-service toppings. I love pickled cabbage, roasted peanuts, cilantro, and green onions. I was loading it up and went back for seconds. It just added so many flavors and texture to the already delicious noodles or rice dish. I had the Pork Ribs Fried Tossed Rice Noodles and it came with a small broth soup on the side. The meat was tender and savory. My husband had the large bowl of Double Combo Rice with beef and pork ribs. He managed to eat it all and it was huge. We also added an egg each. I usually don't get a sweet drink for dinner but the Fruit Tea here is exceptional! It actually taste like fresh brewed tea with fresh fruit. Well Done! Keep in mind that this is not a fancy sit down place with table cloth and you're spending two hours dining. It's quick, inexpensive and delicious. The left over tasted even better the next day! High recommended and will be back to try other dishes.

I used to come in this exact location when it used to be boba cafe but since i was already in the area waiting for my husband, might as well try this old gui lin and the reviews were right it did not disappoint! My order came out hot & newly cooked and about $20 for large lemonade and pork ribs rice bowl, ambiance is quite nice, i noticed they had it renovated since the last restaurant closed down and service is quick! Will come back to try more of the variety. More power!

Homey, old style Chinese food. Friendly. Tasty. Was looking for place before going to airport to fly home. Hit the spot !! Comfort food.

Update! Soup on the side has flavor now! Cashier can speak English. Everything is good now imo. Definitely love the generous amount of protein that came with the bowl of choice.

A new favorite restaurant in town! My friend took me to Old Gui Lin for lunch and I had such a good time. We came on a Friday and didn't struggle too much to find parking. The tables inside were a bit packed, but we were a party of two so it was easy to get seating. We ordered 2 Guilin Rice Noodles & a Beef Rolled Pancake to share. The items came out pretty fast & the rice noodles also came with small bowls of broth on the side. I really liked the cafeteria vibe of it all. The water was self-serve, and the toppings bar was amazing!!!!! I got so much of everything, and I enjoyed the way the various toppings added flavor & texture to the dish. Everything was just so yummy. With toppings added, it's honestly enough for 2 meals. The Beef Rolled Pancake was also super good! It wasn't too greasy & also had a really delicious marinade for the beef. My whole meal & experience was so good here; I will definitely be back to try more items c:

For a noodleholic like me, Old Gui Lin was heaven sent! I did a little research on Yelp but still wasn't quite sure how things would go there. Fear not, i have figured it out, and will help fellow noodle-maniacs as best I can. So this is purely a fast food place. You walk up and place your order, get a vibrating pager, and take your seat. When you order the Gui Lin style noodles, you will get a bowl of awesome rice noodles in a bowl topped with meats, and the side bowl of broth. You can proceed to the toppings bar, and start loading up all the condiment goodies on top of your noodles and meat. Most of the toppings are preserved veggies, and will be on the sour side, so proceed as you like. The hot chili oil and peanuts are must haves. You get back to your table and then you can pour the broth into your noodles at this point, and then mix everything up into a savory sour delight. I tasted the broth straight and it is a very light beef flavor, so I wouldn't really consider it a side drinking soup. It is much better poured into your noodles to give it some moisture and create a soup/sauce base. My favorite meat was the crispy pork in bowl A1. The skin is oh so crunchy crispy just the way I like it. I love how the payment kiosk didn't beg for tips like 99.9% of all payment machines!! They have a tip jar so you may want to bring a few dollars for the workers. They don't speak much english but that just adds to the authenticity. Can't wait to go back and try the other bowls and the appetizers as well. I'm sad to see Boba Cafe go, but glad Old Gui Lin is the one to replace them.

Came here on Thanksgiving Day, only restaurant that was open. Parking- pretty crowded in the lot, so parked on street. Accessibility- place is kinda small, but if you get a seat in the front tables, it can fit a wheelchair or stroller. Ambiance- busy and small. You order first then you try to find a seat. Service- they are friendly and efficient but they tend to break out into Mandarin. You'll just have to ask for things clearly. Food- -Braised brisket rice noodle soup- it was a tasty spicy -Braised pork ribs rice noodle soup- noodles fresh -Beef rolled pancake- crispy meat inside; you'll need to make your own sauce, not much flavor. - Pumpkin pancakes- nice and hot and not too sweet They excel on the rice noodles. There is a sauce bar that you can top off in your bowl. I liked the roasted soy beans. Restroom- way in the back and you have to go through a narrow hallway, so not so wheelchair accessible. Return Factor- yes, just to try more of the appetizers and drinks.

I'm in the Freeport area pretty frequently and noticed this place. The businesses in this part of Freeport have changed significantly over time (my parents owned the fish store - Crystal Aquarium on this block). I noticed that this restaurant popped up so I wanted to try it. We ordered the A1, A5, B3, and B18. The staff were very friendly and quick. Overall, I would definitely come back to try some of their other dishes. Pros: the food comes out quickly after you order. I ordered the A5 which had broth and the braised pork was on point. The pork was crispy and flavorful. Even though A1 is the popular dish, I don't think I would order it again. There's a bar of dry condiments where you can add to your bowl to give the noodles flavor. They also have a broth dispenser. I loved the mini steamed buns, the right size and sweetness to end my meal. Cons: the seating is cafeteria style so we waited a bit til seating opened up. It's easier to find a spot for smaller groups since this place gets busy. Parking is not the best either. Some of the other businesses have parking blocked off for their customers only.

I have very fond memories of eating Guilin noodles at a cafeteria in Beijing when I studied abroad. The ones I had at the cafeteria was a soup based version and was delicious, so when I heard this place opened replacing Boba Cafe, which I also liked, I was like I have to go. Parking on Saturday at noon was pretty awful, there were very few spaces so I had to park behind the strip. Ordering is at the front and then they call your number when your order is ready, you go to a little table to the side to add condiments to your bowl (lots of pickled veggies, chilis, cilantro,green onions, vinegar, peanuts, etc). The tables are communal so you just find an open spot, eat up, and at the end you bus your own table. It kind of reminded me of eating in a Chinese cafeteria. I think I liked the noodles I had in China better, and if there were other places like this I would probably not rate it as highly, but I am really glad that a different noodle place has opened in Sacramento. I probably wouldn't rush back right away, but I'd definitely come back. You also know you are somewhere pretty authentic when everyone there is Chinese and the default language is Chinese, from ordering, number calling, random people asking me if seats were open, even a random guy I bumped into said it was ok in Chinese.

This is a new rice noodle place on Freeport! Definitely get the rice noodle dishes over the regular noodles cause they just use ramen noodles. When they give you the noodles, there is just meat on top, but there is a topping bar where you can add pickled vegetables and other stuff. The appetizers are where it's at! The beef roll was sooo good! They wrap the beef in a green onion pancake. The pumpkin pancake was also nice and chewy with a little crisp. I definitely prefer their appetizers over the main dishes.

Wow so exited for this new find! We ordered the guilin noodle A1 and the braised pork rib rice A16. Both were soooooo goood !! Served hot and fresh with a small both of broth . You get to take your bowl to the little condiments station and add a bunch of delicious toppings of your choice . Casual spot . You order at the counter and then listen for your order number to pick up . While eating in ... all I heard spoken was Mandarin .. so listen and" look "for your order ! :)) I don't when they opened ... but I can tell this place will be very popular and will probably always be busy most of the time . Enjoy your visit :))

This is my to go place for authentic Chinese rice noodles. Food is great and they can get really busy.