First Meeting Noodle

This was a great find when driving through Rochester. This place, as advertised, makes noodles by hand and it is super fun to watch. The food is A+ but as a note - these are chinese noodles and have a different taste. Keep an open mind to that and you will love it. The site appears to be very new so everything is clean. The location is small, so better for small groups or couples. If you sit on the kitchen side the staff are right next to you. They hover a bit but not much they can do given the space. If it was me, I'd kill the front chefs table and move the wait staff into that space. I would recommend this to everyone. It may not hit your palette because it has unique flavors, but worth a try.

First meeting noodle is a must try when you are in Rochester. They hand pulled noodles are made fresh to order. Everything on the menu has been absolutely delicious and I have not been let down in a way. It is simple amazing food and hope they continue to stay that way. Definitely recommend!

Absolute 5-star lunch here! The restaurant is small, the seating limited, but the customer service is so efficient that tables were cleared immediately. The place was consistently full on this Saturday at lunchtime, but no one had to wait. Also, I noted they had a vigorous take-out business. Like other people, we were seated right away and immediately met our server to get drinks ordered. We ordered pan-fried beef dumplings to share. I had the braised egg and braised pork noodles while my husband had the Mongolian beef. The wait for food was minimal. The noise level was low, making it easy to talk, and it was fun to watch the incredible cooks stretching and twining noodles in the kitchen. The food was extraordinary. Truly artful stuff. This restaurant is highly rated for many reasons. When we were done, the plates were immediately cleared and we were asked if we were done. We were able to pay right away. Again, amazing, attentive service. We would gladly come here again.

First Meeting Noodle has quickly become one of our favorite go-to spots. The handmade Chinese noodles are a standout—you can even watch the chefs knead and pull the dough right in front of you, which adds such a special touch. The food is always incredibly fresh and full of flavor. Though the space is on the smaller side, the seating gives a great view into the kitchen, and we actually love being able to see the action. The integrity of the food speaks for itself—everything on the plate is thoughtfully prepared. Service is always friendly and efficient. After discovering this spot, it’s become a regular stop for us. Highly recommend!

This place. Is. Amazing. Hand-pulled noodles right here in Rochester? Yes please. And everything I've tried from the menu has been fresh, flavorful, and delicious. This is truly a hidden gem, and I take anyone who visits here to see what type of wonderful food we have available in our little city.

We had 3 different kinds no of noodles: plain, tomato and spicy. I like the plain the best with herbs and clear broth. You accept go wrong with any of them since they are hand pull and just the right tenderness. Seat at the counter if you wanted to see how they hand make the noodle. Place is small so make sure you come here early on weekend.

Though my partner and I only ventured inside to pick up an order to go I scanned the evironment more than once! It was a gently dimmed comfortable none rushed atmosphere. It was so inviting that I would have felt very at home to be served delicious wholesome foods from here. I am writing this reveiw as culture and flavor permeate the room, and dance on my dance. I am brought to a slower pace of not rushes energy. A few calm intimate place for a date at any level I feel. I think that the value of the healthy portioned food, and the privilege to interact with their staff is well met in value offered for the dollars. As someone prone to high anxiety this is definitely a place I could feel comfortable on a fist date, or place to connect in a kind place. The food is SO satisfying!!! Thank you! ****************************************** Second visit was our 5th year anniversary ❤️ this place is good luck on the relationship! Heaven met Earth! When Body, Mind, and Spirit are each nourished by the quality cuisine, stellar service, and exquisite environment 👌 😀 there are few words to add to perfection of culture on display to be shared!

Modern noodle shop, nice, clean,cozy, excellent service. Food tastes okay, nothing special. Good freshly made noodle that you can see through the window.

Absolute 5-star lunch here! The restaurant is small, the seating limited, but the customer service is so efficient that tables were cleared immediately. The place was consistently full on this Saturday at lunchtime, but no one had to wait. (If you have a large party, be sure to call ahead!) Also, I noted they had a vigorous take-out business. Like other people, we were seated right away and immediately met our server to get drinks ordered. We ordered pan-fried beef dumplings to share. I had the braised egg and braised pork noodles while my husband had the Mongolian beef. The wait for food was minimal. The noise level was low, making it easy to talk, and it was fun to watch the incredible cooks stretching and twining noodles in the kitchen. The food was extraordinary. Truly artful stuff. This restaurant is highly rated for many reasons. When we were done, the plates were immediately cleared and we were asked if we were done. We were able to pay right away. Again, amazing, attentive service. We would gladly come here again.

Authentic noodles in Rochester?? Yes plz! First meal I had after moving to town and loved the authentic food and staff were so kind. You can watch them hand pull noodles through a window as well! Highly suggest! 5/5 food 5/5 service 5/5 vibes

A cute, clean and inviting unassuming hole in the wall. You get to watch them literally hand pull the noodles. Service is fast and hot! The wontons in chili oil were not too spicy, soft and very juicy. The tomato brisket soup with the hand pulled noodles was delicious. A deep, flavorful broth was a highlight. The noodles had a nice chew and beautifully shaped. The scallion pancake was crispy and a nice vehicle for collecting remaining broth. Please stop by if you are in the neighborhood!

The best Chinese noodles house in town. I came back here after 10 months from Las Vegas. Very tasty excellent foods. Steve and Hai are friendly nice and very professional services. With warm smiles in the snow beautiful weather. Must try when you're in town. Very clean and nice environment .You can see chefs hands making noodles through the kitchen window...

Stayed at Residence Inn across the parking lot (very convenient) and we parked, the aroma from First Meeting Noodle enticed us to check-in and walk over for dinner. Small wait as there are limited tables, and a couple people in front of us. Large groups may want to call ahead. Steady flow of customers, both for dine-in and pick-up. Friendly Staff who greeted you as you entered, and checked on you throughout your meal. Good prices for some made to order food, which u watch as kitchen is visible & the magic is done in full view. Each dish we tried was unique & new to us. Everything was delicious!!! If we pass this way again - the Residence Inn & First Meeting Noodle will our be our spots.

Holy shit this place is incredible, get whatever. It's all good. The service is great too, and it's cool to get to see the noodles be made.

Can you get any better than fresh hand pulled noodles? Everything we've had here is delicious. String bean pork belly stir-fried noodles, chicken curry noodles, Sichuan chili noodles, wontons in chili oil...you know when they ask 'if you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life?' - I would be happy with any of these. Service was super fast and friendly. If you're thinking about going, go!

The noodles taste delicious! I highly recommend this place. I was visiting with my husband and we loved the environment and service provided.

This is a legit northern style Chinese hand pulled noodle place. Everything we ordered was fantastic: cumin mutton sandwich, wonton in chili oil, and string bean and pork belly noodles. The chili wontons (hongyou chaoshou) are one of my fav dishes ever and the numbing chili oil sauce was perfect. I would love to try a soup noodle dish or rice bowl next time. The restaurant is very clean and service was very fast and helpful. You can watch them make the noodles and cook the food through the big windows in their kitchen which was cool.

Made a special trip to try their noodles, and I have to say it was worth the drive! We were greeted promptly and shown to our seats. The dining area looked pretty new and inviting. I love how you can see into the kitchen to watch the chef hand-pull noodles. To start, we ordered the Wontons in Chili Oil, then a bowl of Lanzhou Noodle Soup and Shanxi Shaved Noodle Soup. The flavors were spot on and authentic. The wontons had more kick than I expected, which I really liked. The Lanzhou noodle was fresh, and the broth was comforting, light, yet complex. The Shanxi noodle had a delightful chewy texture, and the broth was unctuous and tasted like it was simmered for hours. After finishing the first two bowls of noodles, we had to order another bowl of Lanzhou Noodle Soup (because it was super tasty) and we also ordered their Sichuan Cold Noodles to try, which was refreshing and a great way to end our meal. The Lanzhou Noodle Soup was still our favorite. Overall, noodles were delicious, service was friendly and efficient, and prices were pretty affordable. They have a parking lot outside so finding parking was convenient. Highly recommend!

Tasty food great service. I'll be back for more! Portion sizes are huge! We sat in a cozy booth.

The food was terrific and fantastically fresh, especially the noodles. We watched them make the noodles they were serving - cannot get fresher than that. They make their food in a visible well lit kitchen on the other side of large clear clean window. Entertaining and tasty. Possibly my new favorite Chinese noodle restaurant. My only worry is that they're about 200-250 miles from my home. Certainly will stop and eat here again someday.

We were driving through Rochester looking for a new place to try. This came up, so we had to try! It was so fascinating to watch them make the noodles right in front of you. It is a small space, but we went at an odd time and it was perfect. Service was quick and attentive. I started off first with the chili oil wontons. Add a bit of soy sauce and these are easily a 10/10. I would drive the 1.5 hours just to get them again. They are a bit spicy, peanut-y and chewy. Perfection. For entrees my husband and I tried 2 different things. We got the Mongolian beef and the Dan Dan noodles. We both agreed we'd get the Mongolian beef again next time! The Dan Dan noodles were good, a bit spicy though. The Mongolian beef was the perfect amount of sweet and spicy. We will absolutely be back!

First meeting noodle is a legit ethnic food location in Rochester. The chili wontons, beef shanks, and scallion pancakes are very tasty and quite authentic as well and the perfect starters. I love the Lan Zhou Noodle soup and it does have a floral fragrance which I have only ever remembered tasting in China. Dan Dan noodles are impressive here as well. Service is great and the servers speak Chinese. Very kind people. The shop has a nice vibe to it as well. Highly recommend.

Was seated right away and the servers were readily available for questions, ordering, clearing the table, etc. Inside seating was cozy. Sitting at the middle table felt more busy than if I had been seated in a booth, but was still a pleasant and enjoyable experience! The food is Delicious! The lamb was seasoned and cooked beautifully in the sandwich. Typically I enjoy shaved noodle bowls but on this visit, I preferred the Lanzhou pulled noodle. The noodles and broth were well seasoned and the broth well developed! The Shanxi pulled noodles were excellent; the broth had hints of both sweet and sour but overall flavor was a bit heavy-handed for my preference.

So consistent and delicious! My sisters and I have gone to First Meeting since they have opened a couple of years ago in Rochester and it's still our favorite go-to places in Rochester. Their food is so fresh it's crazy. The kitchen's window is clear so you can see the noodles being pulled and made before it comes to you in your stir fry or your noodle soup. The broth is extremely flavorful which ever one you get! One of my sister's favorite dumplings are here and my favorite scallion pancakes are from here. We've practically ordered everything from here and can say all of them are solid! And fyi, don't be scared of the name "black fungus" on their menu, it's just wood ear mushrooms and it's delicious! And the prices are very hard to beat for the quality of food. It's such chill, no frill atmosphere with great service. You can substitute for your meat of choice or omit meat if you want, they're very accommodating for dietary preferences. Highly recommend!

Wow! This place is incredible. I got the Garlic chicken noodles and the scallion pancakes and it was seriously the closest thing I've had to a dish I've had in China. Service was kind and helpful. The setting is cozy and not too loud. You can see the noodles being made through the window too. 10/10 would recommend!

After reading many reviews my Dad and I decided to try First Meeting Noodles. We were the first people in the restaurant when it opened at 11:00 on a Tuesday. The three booths had reserved signs on them. So they wouldn't let us sit in a booth. We were seated at a tiny table. When we left the meal, all the tiny tables were full and you sit elbows to elbows next to another couple. But not one booth was being used. We ordered beef dumplings to come out first , then I was specific and told our servers to bring the wontons after and then we were going to split the Dan Dan last. We waited a long while and watched many take out orders go out the door. Then she brought all the items all at once and we had no space on our tiny table to eat. The iced tea was amazing and the service was very attentive as he refilled our glasses often. The beef dumplings were very tasty. I didn't care for the wontons but my Dad loved them. The noodles in the Dan Dan were so delicious. This was the star of the meal. The texture was perfect. Not too chewy but not mushy. Only two small leaves of bok choy but very fresh. Definitely will return to try more noodle dishes .

Amazing taste! The restaurant was clean and well organized, the service was fantastic. Servers came multiple times to check in with me. Tried their chili oil wontons and garlic chicken fried noodles. Their wontons were 10/10 and would definetly come back for them! The noodles were great too. The quantity was great for the price! Looking forward to coming back and trying more of their food.

Nice quiet lunch or dinner spot, cozy and unassuming. The menus are plastic placards, which is a nice touch and eco-friendly. The service was very nice. Our waiter anticipated our needs, refilling tea frequently and delivering food quickly. The food itself was delicious - the wontons in chili were our favorite part of the meal. I ordered the spicy chongqing soup (nice and warming on a colder November day) and my husband ordered Dan Dan noodles, which had a nice presentation and were very tasty. We are not from the area but would return if we could. I would recommend this spot to anyone from a larger metro who is used to high quality and good value noodle dishes looking for some good food locally in Rochester.

Service was great. I didn't have to wait long to get served. Quick for takeout. Food a very good. Better than expected.

We've ordered food to go a couple times so far and each time it's been super consistent. We love the scallion pancakes! They are a must each time. The wontons in chili oil were good too. We also have tried a couple different types of their hand pulled noodles and feel like you can't go wrong with any of them! Think my favorite has been the Dan Dan noodles. The story behind the restaurant too is pretty cool!

At first glance, nothing remarkable about the place. High ceiling, quiet on a Tuesday afternoon. Service was excellent, paid attention to water, food was prepared fast as well. Several vegan and vegetarian options. The noodles with black fungus- mushrooms- had a nice flavor. Has egg in it, I added tofu. Portion size was reasonable. The green tea cheesecake was pretty and had a subtle green tea flavor. I would go here again

This was a fantastic choice after a long day. I can't say anything about the decor because we picked it up and took it to the hotel. No matter where you eat its delicious. My wife had the chicken curry and liked the flavor and by the end was sweating from the heat. I had the beef burrito tender beef slow cooked in a hoisen sauce with cilantro. The tortilla was more like a Chinese pancake, slightly crispy yet fluffy delicious. This may be our First meeting Noodle visit but won't be our last.

We tried take out from First Meeting Noodle for the first time this week and thoroughly enjoyed our selections! We're used to high quality Asian food from the Bay Area/San Fran and from traveling across Asia. We were very satisfied with our meal. The chicken curry rice was what you'd expect for Chinese style curry, the chicken of good quality and cut and overall satisfying. The brussel sprouts were fantastic! And I try Brussel sprouts everywhere we go - these are a tasty must try! We also really loved the Mongolian beef fried noodle dish. The beef was nicely done and the noodles delicious. I definitely recommend First meeting Noodle if you love Asian food.

Fantastic food and very friendly service. Loved the chicken fried rice. Great quality and very reasonable prices!

The texture of the noodles was immaculate and the flavor was spicy yet rich. I truly enjoyed this food and it was some of the best noodles I've had in my life.

I love noodles and was very excited to find authentic hand made noodles. I was equally surprised and happy to find the cumin lamb sandwich! Both dishes were great in flavor. The shaved noodles (aka long pieces cut with what looks like a peeler or a knife) was cooked al dente. They absorbed the broth flavor well. There was plentiful amounts of stewed beef. I do wish the Shanxi shaved noodles had more vegetables. It comes with some pickled sour cabbage but I would like a default of more vegetables. Next time I'll probably add extra veggies for a more balanced meal. The lamb sandwich had some soft bell peppers which added a nice texture. The lamb was in long wide slices. They had a lot of cumin seasoning. And the bread was soft with a crispy exterior. I wouldn't mind the exterior being chard a bit more for a more golden shell. You can watch them make the noodles through the window. Decorations are cute and the space is small but fits way more than I expected. Feels very efficient. Their food options give me a homely feel and their service is quick and friendly. Next time I want to try their pulled noodles and beef burrito. Excited to come back!

My friend recommend this place, told me it's small but so neat to visit. I dined in at the window since she told me they make homemade noodles in front of you. So fun to watch the kitchen staff make the fresh noodles. I had the dumplings and the garlic chicken stir fry. Both are amazing and so fresh. I wish I knew that the dumplings had onions in the beef, but besides that it was fabulous! So affordable also. The broth flavors are amazing and noodles are perfection.

Food and service were really good. I had the Mongolian Beef noodles and I'll probably come back while I'm in town to get them again.

Good food for pretty good prices! I loved both dishes and would highly recommend the Lanzhou Noodle soup for a cold day. The wontons were flavorful and not too spicy! It can get a little busy and the place is a little small so try to avoid peak hours. GF options are just the fried rice without soy sauce.

I had the best noodles ever!! I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles and the Braised Pork belly and Egg. I assumed it was going to similar to the Vietnamese dish called Thịt Kho but it was very different but not in a bad way, it was more savory opposed to sweet. I loved the bitterness of the Dan Dan noodles, it reminded me of Jajangmyeon. I was very impressed overall and I will come back if I am ever in town.

Food - 9.5/10 yum! Exceeded my expectations for Rochester. Quite authentic as a Lanzhou beef noodle place. While not exactly the same and with as many diverse options as those in the 626 area in California, I can imagine myself coming here often (as long as I have a car / can find people with one!) Service - 9.5/10 very friendly, food came out pretty quickly. Could be a bit more attentive to water refill needs, but the food was amazing and came out hot and warm. Ambience - 10/10 I liked the name and the aesthetic of the place! Lol "初次见面" The bowl was also very big and served enough for the both of us and we even took some home! Got the recommendation to go here from a professor at Mayo Clinic.

So pleasantly surprised to find mazing Sichuan cuisine in Rochester of all places! We had Sichuan cold noodles, rice with braised pork/egg, wonton in chilli oil, and beef rolls and everything was delicious and authentic per what I've known (I've never been to Sichuan but have had plenty of Sichuan food in North America). Reasonable pricing, great service, server very attentive and patient. The table went to us didn't know what to order as they're not familiar with the cuisine, and the server explained everything in great detail. Tip: if you are concerned about spice level, ask them to not put the chili oil in the actual dish and put it on the side. I'm a baby when it came to spice but they were very accommodating. The dishes do not lose their flavors even when the chili oil is separate. Highly recommended!

The food had good flavor but the dish was mostly noodles. I ordered Garlic Chicken Noodle and Beef Mongolian Noodle.... Not much chicken or beef in either, And, each dish has a glob of noodles all stuck together. I wouldn't go back

Very quick simple Chinese noodle shop. Good service and very tasty. Just wish they served rice noodles so I could enjoy more of their preparations.

Authentic and delicious. Well priced and speedy. The restaurant is smallish so there can be a wait- worth it!! Love the scallion pancakes!!

It's delicious and I love watching the staff make the homemade noodles! It's absolutely a must try, you won't be disappointed

Went again and was just as good as the first! It was a busy Saturday night, but we got seated and were served our food fairly quickly. It's fun to watch the noodles being stretched!

Simply put OUTSTANDING! Great service and incredible food at a really affordable price. 5 out of 5

Homemade noodles? That's the truth! This is a don't miss experience in Rochester! Cute little place with plenty of seating, even a few spots along the bar. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was delivered quickly, hot and fresh!

Fresh noodles are the star of the show. The wait was not too bad for lunch time, and the food was fresh and hot.

A tiny place. What a treat. Yes, the scallion pancakes were a delight. Sauce was good too. Ordered the Mongolian beef and Mongolian chicken. Sauce is plentiful and a bit too salty. Noodles are fabulous though. Little pepper and onions in it too. You can get it hot or mild. Sat at bar and enjoyed watching the chefs. A gem of a spot. Friendly staff in here.

Fresh and delicioud foods, affordable prices and friendly services. I definitely recommend this place.

This restaurant is fantastic! My husband and I were recommended this restaurant and after trying it we will also be recommending it to people! Their fresh pulled noodles are the BEST! We started with the Wontons in Chili Oil which were very satisfying and slightly spicy! 8/10 My husband ordered the Chongqing Spicy Noodle Soup which was a bit spicier and had great flavor. The spice in it was different, reminded me of star anise. 6/10 I got the Mongolian Beef Fried Noodle and it was AMAZING! 9/10 We also tried the Vegetable Fried Rice and it was the best fried rice I've ever had! 10/10 We were seated immediately although it was quite busy. A server was over immediately to get us drinks which came out seconds later. The staff rock! We ordered our appetizer and not 2 minutes later it was in front of us and the food followed shortly after. Service so fast it made my head spin!! Facility felt VERY clean. My first 5 experience in Rochester

Dang! If I lived in Rochester, I'd eat here all the time! We had Beef Dumplings (pan-fried), Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Dan Dan Noodle, and Garlic Chicken Fried Noodles (but with shrimp). Everything was EXCELLENT! Atmosphere is fun watching the noodles being made. Service was super polite and friendly. Seriously, this is a great spot. I want to try everything on the menu!

The food was great and flavorful. I like the fresh noodles and the appetizers were good. I suppose the only issue was the long wait. If you're a group of 6, they do not have a lot of seating options and we waited 50 mins to be seated when we were told it was a 25-30 minute wait. If you're a smaller group then you have a better chance to be seated in a timely manner. I suppose if we come back, I'd rather do pick up.

I wasn't sure if eating here was going to work out or not. My husband is a patient at Mayo Clinic and he has certain dietary restrictions. They were able to accommodate us though. No MSG and even made it low salt, but spicy and tasty. Great job!

My husband and I were excited to try fresh cut noodles. I had the Mongolian beef fried noodles. This dish was good, but had too much sauce for me. If it had half the amount of sauce, I would have enjoyed more the fresh noodles I so anticipated. If I could ask for less sauce next time, I would. My husband had the curry chicken with noodles. It had really good flavor. But again, it had so much curry sauce, it was almost like soup. Not sure if that's the intent of the dishes but we would have preferred less. Still a decent place to try again.