Papa Noodle

I feel like this place was designed with me in mind. Super delicious hand made noodles! Affordable, delicious, ultimate comfort food. Simple menu, simple ingredients. Very quick and while casual, it feels nice to be inside. Definitely a great example of less is more. I had the vegan noodles. Also served with a white rabbit candy - a childhood favorite. Will definitely be back with my family and probably for birthdays because noodles on birthdays means long life.

Cute szechuan style dan dan noodle shop with fun table games. If you go here you must order the crispy fried tofu - best dish on the menu. Great place for a quick, clean and healthy lunch. Service was fast. The people here are also very kind and showed my kids how to play the computer game by the wall - the tables also had games like chinese checkers and mahjong. Cute concept! (Would be really nice if they added cold wide glass noodles to the menu but still really enjoyed the experience.)

My husband and I visited the San Francisco Papa Noodles yesterday in the evening. We were undecided on what/where to eat, and after walking around, searching Google reviews on almost every restaurant we walked by, we finally settled on trying something new. The photos looked great and it sounded promising. Greeted by a very friendly host/cashier, we felt welcomed as soon as we walked in. She stood eager to help behind the register, but there were two screens on the wall that made us feel like we should use them, so we did. Very limited choices to our surprise, but no complaints about that. A handful of customers were eating in, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, which is something I always look for when trying a new spot. Everything is pricey in SF, so I was happy they only charged $1 for water bottles. Disappointed we paid for water after seeing the locals were drinking their free, orange-infused water. Had we ordered with the cashier, I imagine she would’ve told us; but now we know! I did taste it, and it’s quite good. Doesn’t taste like tap water which was another nice surprise. I loved how they had all the necessary/complimentary things lined up and easily accessible: chopsticks, forks, napkins, straws, mints, and floss picks (genius!). I loved the cute chairs and that they had Chinese Mahjong/Chinese Chess at the family style table we sat at, really great idea. Feels like they want you to stay a while. Food didn’t take long to come out. Beautiful bowl and presentation. I ordered the pork and he got the chicken; hubby tasted mine and said they pretty much taste the same. We didn’t make any modifications to the meal; really enjoyed its unique yet familiar taste. The fresh veggies make you feel like you’re eating something healthy while the warm noodles were the perfect comfort food on this cold, super windy June day. Hubby added a little chili and soy sauce to his, and I added a little vinegar and soy sauce. The vinegar was about the same color as the soy sauce and really enhanced the flavor, to my surprise. The cashier/host remained attentive and we saw her serving water to other customers. We kept kicking ourselves for missing that, but overall really enjoyable first experience. All this to say, try it! You won’t be disappointed. It’s very tasty and you have plenty of noodles to practice using chopsticks.😉 4.5 out of 5 *Photos of pork bowl, unedited.

Such an unassuming but amazing experience! Good: - The noodles are soooo good - I loved the spicy pork noodles as well as the cold shrimp peanut noodles - the sauces really make the difference - Loved the portion sizes - it was so large and we felt like the value for price was amazing - We were able to bring our bikes in here and lay them next to our table - Food came out in 5 minutes, it's amazing how quickly the staff came and dropped off the food - Nice and dim lighting, good for a catchup Bad: - Pretty casual place - it's mostly self serve Overall I enjoyed getting to experience this casual noodle place!

When a friend craves noodles, they see Papa Noodles and picks Papa Noodles to try. Super simple menu, self-service drinks and bus your own table. Nothing to write home about, just a refreshing and filling bowl of noodles. Vegetarian and vegan options available. Wouldn’t recommend, wouldn’t mind going back but wouldn’t go out of my way to do so

In a nutshell; it's ok food but rather overpriced, but then again it's city prices. Not the easiest place to find parking but there is some parking by the street around if you get lucky. The atmosphere of the place is pretty neat. Say probably the best aspect of the place. The food is relatively alright and the menu isn't the biggest but they keep it simple which I can appreciate but again price is a bit steep. The servers were relatively nice and our food was served without too much of a wait. Overall it's honestly just okay.

We were pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed the food. The tofu was the bomb. It was perfectly breaded and had the right amount of spice. The noodles both pork and chicken were tasty and the vegetables were fresh and nicely prepared. We definitely will order from them again.

Probably the best noodles I had in the city. I had the vegan noodles (loma noodle) with the option to customize it (remove what we don’t like). The tofu and the spice mix were incredible, vegetables crunchy and very warm for a cold veggie bowl. Portions are more than generous. Service is fast, efficient (shake shack style). I did not have to interact with anyone, everything happened via a screen, very easy.

I don't even know where to start with my review coz I'm just blown away. Just came across this place as this was close to my hotel and saw this as I was walking by. Here's my review: 1. Place is very clean with spacious tables both inside and outdoor seating as well 2. They only have 4, yes, only FOUR items in the menu. Not 40 items! Easy to order from either the kiosk or with the front of the house person who was the owner when I visited. His name is Jie, a really really nice guy!! 3. Their 4 items are basically 2 main entrees and 2 main sides. I won't you tell what they are (I want you to come and try it for yourself) but all I can say, it's the best 4 item menu I've had. I literally told Jie upon ordering, this better be the 4 best food items you have. And he was absolutely correct! 4. Noodles are so fresh and the balance of flavors was SPOT ON! The umami taste from every bite just gets better and better! 5. The chicken wings were prolly in my top-3 wings I've had. And I'm a sucker for chicken wings. All I will say, pls give it a try. It has a very well balanced herbaceous ginger flavor that is so si rich and delicious but not overpowering If I can just describe it succinctly, every dish is a harmony of spices, herbs and fresh ingredients that truly come together once it touches your palate!! Jie, thank you for an amazing meal!! I will definitely come back here everytime I visit SFO and will highly recommend your resto to my family and friends. Thank you for offering your heart and soul to every dish!!

Liked the experience at Papa Noodle! They have very few options on the menu but these options are solid. We tried the vegan noodles and the fried tofu and both were yummy. We especially liked the tofu, it was so crispy and the sauce on top was so good! Solid choice for a restaurant! Will definitely be back!!

I love all kinds of noodles. The pictures for this restaurant caught my eye as the dishes looked like Korean bibimbap, but with noodles instead of rice. The menu is super limited with noodles, wings, & tofu. I tried the two noodle entrees: papa noodles (with pork & mushroom) & vegan noodles. Both were good with the papa noodles being saucier. The tofu in the vegan dish was good even though I'm not a fan of tofu. We ordered at the counter & waited for our food. The restaurant was decent-sized & not busy on a Friday night, with just a couple of groups dining. It was fairly quiet. They also offered creamy rabbit candy (reminded me of my childhood). Hopefully they add just a few more items on their menu.

We dropped by to get take out on a Saturday for lunch and were so pleasantly surprised! The place was pretty popular for FiDi on a weekend. They have a couple main dishes to choose from and some sides. We got the signature Papa Noodle bowl and also the Loma Vegan Bowl with Tofu, as well as the tofu tater tots. Our food was ready in about 5 minutes and tasted so good! The noodle bowls are a perfect combination of ingredients and I really loved the crisp of the tofu tater tots.

I saw a sign by the SFMOMA entrance and couldn't resist. It looks good and tastes pretty good. I got the Papa Noodle with pork. Good serving size and fast service. I wish I added some salt, vinegar or chili sauce which was available at my table. By default, the combination of ingredients is pretty good but not great. For $16, this was a good deal. I would come back but add more seasoning.

Sometimes it's best to keep things simple and that's what Papa Noodle does. With just three types of noodles on the menu, it is a great addition to the neighborhood to satisfy my ZhaJiangMian cravings. I came in on a Saturday evening and was welcomed nicely by the staff. I loved the modern interior and atmosphere, it would be definitely a solid spot to grab food and catch up with friends. I ordered the noodles with pork mushroom sauce. For the price, I was very impressed with the portion size as well as the quality/freshness of the food. The noodles were very bouncy and had the perfect chewiness and I loved how all the various vegetables complemented the dish. The sauce started off solid but became a tad salty for me at the end. At each table, there is complementary chili oil and that definitely gave the noodle a bit of a kick which was nice. I had a nice chat with the owner after my meal and it is clear how much he cares about the customer experience. They've been opened for about half a year now, so if you had not tried Papa Noodle yet, I would highly recommend it. I will definitely be back!

I stopped by on a Friday around 6:40pm. The restaurant was about 75% full. There was no line to order. You can order from a tablet or at the cashier. I ordered the papa noodle and the win-win wings. Service was friendly and quick. The same cashier brought out my food to my table within 6-7 minutes of ordering. There was black vinegar and chili oil on the table. They helped boost up the flavor of the noodle dish but it still felt like it was missing something. It was mid. Good portion size though. As for the wings, I think I was supposed to get 6 pcs but got an extra piece, so yay! It was alright though, a bit dry. Each order came with a complimentary white rabbit candy and you can grab some mints and plackers floss by the utensils which was nice.

Friendly service every time. Easy and quick ordering process. They bring the food out to you. Very casual atmosphere. Big portion too. Small menu but everything is good. Nice bouncy noodles. I like it with extra chili oil.

Such an unassuming but amazing experience! Good: - The noodles are soooo good - I loved the spicy pork noodles as well as the cold shrimp peanut noodles - the sauces really make the difference - Loved the portion sizes - it was so large and we felt like the value for price was amazing - We were able to bring our bikes in here and lay them next to our table - Food came out in 5 minutes, it's amazing how quickly the staff came and dropped off the food - Nice and dim lighting, good for a catchup Bad: - Pretty casual place - it's mostly self serve Overall I enjoyed getting to experience this casual noodle place!

The restaurant had a couple tables outdoors, and several indoors was a little crowded and rather loud. The wait staff were prompt and very friendly and helpful I had the noodle bowl was good but I wasn't impressed. It could have used more spice it was a bit underwelming.

I'm SO impressed with Papa Noodle. It's clear that a lot of thought and care is put into all aspects of this fast-casual noodle shop. From the efficient service, the deliberate five-item menu, to the zhajiang style noodles themselves, everything was very satisfying. == Food == Situated in the heart of SOMA, the shop is taking a big bet with such a small menu, but the smaller selection allows them to hone the consistency of the taste, deliver super quickly, and use higher-quality ingredients. For example, take their signature dish, the "Papa Noodle"--the portions are correct, the ingredients are fresh, and flavor is *exceptional*. With a little help from the seasonings (chili oil and vinegar) at the table, I could calibrate the taste to my exact preferences. It'd be hard to find better noodles in the area. The "Win Win Chicken" is likely more polarizing, especially at $15. I personally liked the richer flavor, but the heavy marinade and white sauce may be harder to stomach for some. While I ate in, I'd like the flexibility of takeout version more, where the dressing is in a cup. The white rabbit candy that comes with each order is a nice bit of nostalgia. Please keep that. == Service and Dine-in Experience == The "system design nerd" in me really appreciates how the service is set up. Each of the following points seemed like they were well designed to optimize the dining experience: 1/ Your order is taken by either staff or one of two touch screens so you're never waiting to order. This also frees up the staff to deliver dishes as you come out, wipe down tables, etc. 2/ Dishes come out as soon as they're ready--so you're always getting the freshest version of the dish. Shout out to our cashier in particular--she gave a clear heads up when the noodles came out before the chicken. She also thoughtfully included an extra bowl to split noodles between my partner and I. Thank you! 3/ Water, takeout boxes, and the dish collection robot are all co-located in front, so self-service is super efficient. Suggestion: move the hand-sanitizer next to the water and takeout boxes, since it's common to clean your hands right before food comes out, or right after you finish. 4/ The staff were friendly and polite. Owner was on-site and greeting regulars, and he also came up to say hi to us first-timers. Guests leaving were given a sincere thank you by the front staff--they don't take any one of their guests for granted. 5/ This is clearly a more "casual eats" type place, but for the price point, it's doing everything right. The tables were well spaced and it was easy to talk within the table. No loud noise or distractions common to other SOMA cafes. All in all, a great first impression--I'm definitely coming back. This place will soon become a neighborhood classic.

Can I say that I'm happy to find a vegan noodle place where I can go to and not have to use my broken Chinese to try to make sure that it's vegetarian friendly? I really enjoyed the vegan noodles. Loved the toppings on the noodles, especially the suan cai. Reminds me of food from home. I like the casual, modern feel of the restaurant. You go in, self order or at the register, sit down, and just eat. Mostly self service, so perfect if you want to just enjoy your food and help yourself. Staff at the front were incredibly nice. So, a big shout out to them. Hope to stop by again.

While their menu is pretty small, you honestly cannot go wrong here. The noodles are made fresh (and taste like it)! The meat sauce is well flavored and perfectly coats every noodle. The veggies and pickles add a great variety of flavors and textures. They've opened up pretty recently in the Fidi area so go check them out!

Came to Papa Noodles on a whim because I was hungry, but didn't want ti stray too far from my hotel. I checked the Yelp app and Papa Noodles came up and was less than .2 miles from the hotel. When I arrived around 230, I. Walked into a fast casual, which was decorated nicely, had bright pops of orange on the walls or seats. I was greeted and headed to the kiosk to order my meal. There weren't too many options and honestly I was happy about that because I didn't have enough energy to make a decision. I ordered a regular Papa Noodles with chicken. You can customize your bowl a bit like if you don't like cucumbers you can leave them off. Within a few minutes a girl brought out my Papa Noodles bowl. It looked beautiful and bright. I LOVED the noodles. The meat was delicious. The vegetables tasted fresh and the noddles were delicious. All in all this was a great option, prices were in line for lunch. .

Five stars for the service and amazing staff!!! It's not everyday when you get the most attentive and welcoming service at a casual (but trendy) grab and go spot. We ordered the dandan noodle to go and went for a walk around the block before coming to pick it up. The sweetest server ladies eagerly brought our takeout order to us and also encouraged us to eat inside since it was cold. She quickly walked us to a table and cleaned it thoroughly, so sweet! The takeout bag was also packed with care, including a lil chili oil, white rabbit candy and also a flosser picker. The dandan noodle came with a surprisingly hefty portion, flavorful meat sauce, and lovely assortment of veggie toppings. The noodles were bouncy and chewy. Highly recommend and would come back based on this amazing experience!

a pretty new spot with fresh noodles, the store itself has plenty of seating and has the cutest pacman arcade machine that's free to play! their menu is small but portions are huge. we got the: - papa noodle ($16.88): the noodles were bouncy and nice! the dish wasn't very warm when it came though - cold shrimp noodles ($15.89): this is limited daily, but we still managed to snag some at 7pm+. the peanut sauce was interesting in a good way, but I wish it was more nutty

Lovely spot for noodles. The Papa Noodle is surprisingly fresh and feels healthy when you eat it. It's ~$20 for one. Getting served is easy, you just go up order or order from a screen, then find a table. You pick up your order when it's ready. The interior is cute, as there's a little pac man game you can play for free near the corner of the store.

I thought it was ok! I got the vegan noodles and the flavor was alright. I think it got too saucy and salty towards the end. Not my favorite kind of flavor (i prefer more sesame/soy sauce) but still good. Ordered takeout and service was very fast. Ingredients felt fresh. Definitely worth it to try!

Ordered Papa Noodle for the office and everybody absolutely loved it, couldn't stop raving about it over lunch. The base noodles aren't spicy at all. They give you chili oil on the side to mix in to your preferred level of spice. I could only handle a little bit of spice, maybe half a container, whereas some of my colleagues who really like spice needed two chili oils to get to the right level of spiciness for them. Ask for extra chili oils if you like your food super spicy. The portion sizes are large and generous. Ordered online and the order was ready ahead of the expected time. It's a big restaurant inside and they also have a couple tables outside. Will definitely be ordering again!

While attending a conference at the Moscone Center, I walked a few blocks to Papa Noodle for lunch. I had the Papa Noodle with Pork. This was a noodle dish with a pork and mushroom sauce. It was very good. The price was $16.88 before tax. They also offer a veggie version of the noodle dish. Papa Noodle also offers a 6 piece chicken wing side and vegan super tofu tots. Not an extended menu but my Papa Noodle with Pork was so good, I can have a couple of times for lunch during a week long convention. You order at a kiosk or at the counter and they will either call your number or bring the food to you when it is ready. I highly recommend Papa Noodle.

I visited Papa Noodle after a long day at the office and probably a little less than thirty minutes until closing. This was my first time visiting since I've mostly been working from home and not in downtown too often, however this restaurant has a self service menu. At first I was little concerned since most businesses that have self service menu screens often mean that there is no personal interaction from staff. However, fortunately the owner of the restaurant saw me after I ordered, seated me and took extremely good care of me. I mentioned that this was my first time visiting and that his business open pretty recently. For a Thursday evening right before closing there were a good number of people still finishing dinner and I was able to receive my noodle dish right away. The noodles were definitely made in house, and the spices, meat and garnishes added right amount of flavor. Keep in mind though that these are dry noodles and not a soup. Additionally, the ambience and settings definitely home-y. The owner made sure to check up on me multiple times and we had a friendly conversation on how business was going since he opened. If you're working downtown or visiting, I highly recommend that you give Papa Noodle a try!

As someone who can never pass up a good bowl of noodles, when I walked past Papa, I had to give it a shot. The menu itself is very simple - there are 4 items (2 veg, 2 non-veg) of which I tried the 'Papa Noodle', their interpretation of the classic Chinese zhajiangmian dish, and the tofu tots. While the noodles themselves were excellent and portion size was hefty and left you full, the flavor of the noodles could have been stronger. The bean sauce itself didn't really stand out and even pouring their chili oil on top only marginally helped. The tofu tots were quite good, crispy on the outside and with actual firm tofu on the inside, it made each bite very filling. Paired with a housemade mayo sauce, it was definitely the stronger of the two dishes. The interior of the restaurant is clean, modern, and spacious. Service was also excellent - if you're looking for a nice lunch spot in SoMa for a solid bowl of handmade noodles, Papa's is a good option.

Two stars because I hated the wings. I ordered the chicken papa noodles and the win win wings. The noodles were amazing; I will get it everytime. The wings were gross. I will never get them again. The service was amazing. The cashier told me that they used peanut oil for all there food and told me they proceed with caution since I am allergic to all nuts. There was no ambiance and my opinion but I did get my food togo.

Stopped by on an early Thursday afternoon while waiting for the MoMa to open. It wasn't too busy during this time, we got a table easily. The menu is small and limited, but the two dishes we got were good! We got the papa noodle ($16.88) and the chicken wings ($15). The papa noodle was a big bowl, big enough to share between 2 people, and was pretty tasty. The wings were super good and grilled nicely. The place itself was cool, you can tell it's new. There's a Pac-Man arcade machine in the corner to play while you wait for your meal. Also, they gave us some White Rabbit candy, which had the texture and consistency of a tootsie roll but with a milky taste. Overall, a pretty good bite! BONUS : the bathroom was very clean and put together!

PAPA NOODLE IS FANTASTIC! I'm so happy I finally got to try them since they're located super close to my work. I came on a Tuesday evening after work with my friend, and we were served immediately. There is a lot of seating for different group sizes. The owner was very attentive and seemed to care a lot, which I appreciated. They only have 4 things on the menu, and I went with the Papa Noodle. The dish was incredibly flavorful and well balanced. The sauce was very umami, the noodles were perfectly bouncy, and the vegetables added freshness. I also really liked the chili oil, which elevated the dish. Another plus is I thought the portion size was pretty generous; I had enough to take home leftovers. They also give a White Rabbit candy with your meal! In general, I really loved my meal and will definitely be coming back. I think it'd be a great work lunch option.

This spot is great! If you're in the area for a quick but delicious bite, this is the way to go. Served in paper bowls, the papa noodle is super flavorful and you have chili oil and vinegar to season to your liking. Happy to have it in the neighborhood.

In my almost 3 decades of existence, I've never felt compelled to write a review for anything, until now. Upon reflection, the one word I would describe our lunch experience is: earnestness. It was the tiny little touches that made us feel like we have found a hidden gem: We got two kinds of Chinese candies to enjoy after our meal. There was complimentary breath mints and flossers. Takeout containers for leftovers were easily accessible. There was Charmin toilet paper (??!! unheard of at restaurants??!!) in the bathrooms. The decor was cute. The prices ended in .88, a nice touch. The owner was present and thanked us for stopping by. What we expected to be a fast casual place ended up being a warm experience. I haven't even talked about the food yet! The food was amazing. We got the pork and chicken versions of the zhajiangmian. The best parts were how chewy the noodles were and the fermented mustard greens. The chicken wings were coated with a sauce that's hard to describe. You just have to come and try for yourself. All in all, we didn't find just a nice lunch spot, we found a place to root for. We had a feeling that maybe this place is new because there were so many earnest touches. Come and see for yourself. We're rooting for you, Jay!!!

An awesome new noodle spot in Fidi. They only have a few items on the menu but they do them well. The tofu tots are delicious. They're coated in 5 spice powder and come with a creamy dip on the side along with salad. The tofu has a kinda firm and chewy texture on the inside that I really liked. I wonder how they get it to taste like that! The vegan noodles were good too but next time I'd ask for less ginger as I felt it overpowered the dish a little bit. There's plenty of seating and there's a nice casual vibe inside. They have a fast food style tv screen that tells you the status of your order and they also have a small Pacman game tucked away near the hallway that leads to the restrooms.

Soft Opening = Small Menu? I do love it when an eatery stays focused on what they do best! It's a new business, but things seem to be running smoothly and efficiently. I was about to visit the Museum of Modern art, but wanted to grab some lunch with a craving for noodles, and this place was right by! Interior is clean, simple, and modern. $17 Papa Noodles: nice chewy egg noodles, ground pork in a fragrant brown sauce with Mushrooms, Garlic, Organic Ginger, Home-made Spices, Home-made Chili Sauce, Home-made Pickles, and Green Onion...quite tasty! I wish the temperate of the dish was a bit hotter, some bite were luke warm. I also would've like a bit larger portion of food, but that might be just a "me" problem since I'm a big eater. $17 seems a little bit steep since I'm from San Diego, but it's likely a normal price for San Francisco. Thankfully drinks are super cheap with $1 water bottles and $1.50 La Croix cans!

Fast casual where you order at a kiosk and pick up at the counter a few minutes later. The menu is extremely limited with two noodle variants and two appetizers; you can essentially try everything in two visits. It's a bit hit-or-miss, but the quality of fresh noodles is high. Papa Noodle: Nice fresh chewy noodles. A rich umami meat sauce with lots of flavor. Plus tons of fresh veggies for a nice crunch. It comes out looking nice, with the ingredients parceled out in different sections. But obviously, mixing it all together is a necessity before eating. The mixed result is good, but lacking something. Thankfully there's tons of chili oil on the table to spice it up. It seems like the fancy in-house made kind, not from a restaurant supply company. Loma Noodle: Very similar to the Papa Noodle, but vegan. Same chewy noodles and fresh veggies. No ground pork, just some cubes of tofu. Not particularly spicy, so also needs some chili oil from the table. Think I prefer the Papa Noodle more. Super Tofu Tots: Just kinda meh. It's essentially bite sized cubes of tempura fried tofu. The mayo sauce doesn't seem like the right pairing, since it's just rich with no tang. Squirting on some black vinegar and a little chili oil, before dipping, makes it better. Though probably not a repeat. Win-Win Wings: Way better than the Tofu Tots! The wings had such a nice firm crispy exterior with lots of great flavor. The drumettes seemed especially large. The mayo dip wasn't that special, so just ended up eating these bare. Really great pairing to the noodles.

Very authentic noodles, felt like my hometown of Shenzhen I also used to hate tofu cuz it's like fake meat and I'm not vegetarian, but I ended up ordering 2 plates of their fried tofu bites because they were so good and decorated with this nice sauce Would come here again fosho

New place in FiDi. Decent noodles. A good place for a quick lunch on a workday. The papa noodles is a little bit too salty - It would taste much better if it's less salty. The wings were flavorful but not much meat on it... overall 7/10

Really good noodle texture, great flavors, nice crunch, pickled veggie is nice! The soft open also has sample of fried tofu (good) and chicken wing (average). This place feels very cozy and friendly also. Looking forward to them expanding the menu and will def be coming back for more

The vegan noodle bowl was huge. They have vinegar and chili oil on the table and water with lemon if you'd like. This is a great place for a quick bite.

Wonderful place. Very helpful and friendly staff. Delicious spicy food. I would come again

I really liked the noodles! Flavorful and loved the texture of the noodles. Tried the fried tofu too, but that one was okay. I expected it to be more crispy outside and it wasn't. Still tasted pretty good though, just different from what I imagined.

I tried Papa noodle for the first time today and was blown away. They make an authentic zha jiang mian with fresh veggies, tasty sauce, and springy delicious noodles. The tofu and chicken wings were also perfectly fried with great presentation. Jay the cashier is also very friendly and made us feel very welcome. Can't wait to come back and eat more tasty noodles!

Delicious, tastes fresh, quick and super friendly service at the counter, and cute spot inside.

I'm honestly confused by the 4.7 rating for Papa Noodle--it feels more like a 4-star place at best, maybe even a high 3. You can tell the city hasn't fully bounced back when places like this are topping the charts. The limited menu made me hopeful that they focused on doing a few dishes really well--but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The noodles were mushy, not al dente, and just didn't hold up. Tofu squares were over-fried and rubbery, and the sauce overwhelmed everything instead of tying the dish together. The wings were dry and forgettable. The only redeeming flavor was the noodle sauce itself, but the texture of the dish ruined it--I didn't even finish my food. It felt like gentrified Chinese food, more style than substance. That said, I'm giving them an extra star for the friendly service. The staff was kind, and they included a thoughtful touch with rabbit candy, utensils, and even a toothpick flosser. I just wish they had carried that same thoughtful, gentle approach into their cooking--because if they did, this place could actually live up to the hype.

Noodles with a bit of Finesse What a wonderful addition to our noodle consuming community. Fresh, chewy, spicy, delicious and generous portioning. We had the cold shrimp noodles and the braised pork noodles. Both excellent with enough noodles for two people to enjoy. Very good value for the quality and care that goes into the dishes. We also had the chicken wings which I gotta say, were a lot better than any we've had recently. The dipping sauce was creamy, salty and acidic. Great compliment to the crispy and moist chicken that had a blackened crust redolent with Szechuan peppercorns and sugar. We like that they use less seasoning of Szechuan peppercorns. We find too many places go really heavy on the seasoning. This place is finesse. It's not too heavy but it's there. Great job guys. Much needed for the neighborhood.

New restaurant by my office in SOMA. Really happy something new and different opened up here. 1st time here I tried the #1 Papa noodle with meat and chicken wings, Both were amazing. 2nd time the owner recommend the vegan noodles, I told him I wasn't vegan, but he said the sauce was different so I tried it and was very happy with his recommendation. Customer service is A++ here and the ambiance is very nice. I would recommend to anyone craving noodles. Always order the wings with your noodles. Do not pass on the wings!

The servers are very friendly. I hope they have more dishes than just 4 choices and soup. The food is a bit salty for my family. I don't took the photo of the chicken wings.

I had the Papa noodles. I was impressed with the freshness of all the vegetables, the flavor of the meat mixture, and the overall quality of the food. The packaging was awesome-a beautiful presentation, including a pretty paper sleeve, napkins, an environmentally friendly fork, bamboo chopsticks, a White Rabbit candy, and most entertaining and thoughtful of all--a little mint-flavored tooth flosser. I will definitely put this into the "I don't feel like cooking" rotation.

We walked in the rain to try Papa Noodle. There are not of options on the menu, but with what we ate, there is no need for a variety. We ordered the Papa Noodle, and it was so delicious! The textures and flavors were completely well-balanced. I'm very excited to visit again, and order the exact same dish, but maybe 6 orders of it to take home!!

I'm feeling a bit drained after all this noods. I recently tried Papa Noodles in the SOMA area, and while it's a newer spot, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. For about $20, you get a bowl of dried noodles with pork, bean sprouts, chili oil, cucumber, carrots, and pickles--honestly, not my go-to choice when it comes to noodles. The dish is more of a mix-it-yourself style, which isn't what I usually look for. The menu is super limited, with only two options, and it's all self-checkout, which makes the process quick but a bit impersonal. The location is right next to a popular sandwich spot, but the neighborhood doesn't offer many other food options. Honestly, I probably won't come back unless they expand their menu. The vibe is simple, with a typical restaurant feel, but I think the pricing is a bit steep for what you get. The service is great though--they bring your food to you quickly. Overall, it didn't feel like the best value for the price.

I work right next to this place and when I saw they were having a soft opening I had to give it a try! I got the papa noodles and they had such a nice chewy texture. The flavor of the sauce was really delicious too. Overall very tasty and worth the try :)

I thought these noodles were decent. Service is FAST, so dont be intimidated by the line. Portions are generous. Noodles themselves were perfect. I personally wasnt wowed by the overall flavor, but extra star because my work colleagues found this to be very authentic and well-done execution of zha jiang mian.

Food was excellent. Bathrooms were immaculate. Great ambiance. The chicken wings were a standout!

The noodles and sauce are great. What made this stand out even more for me was the abundance of veggies: cucumber which is traditional but also carrots, bean sprouts, and pickled mustard greens / banana? peppers. Also great setting and nice add-ons like the white rabbit candy.