Kirk J.
Yelp
A classic fixture of the Irvington area. I don't exactly know when this place opened, but it's been around forever. And for great reason! Even after inflation, Shanghai Noodle House remains one of the cheapest, tastiest ways for two people to get stupidly full in the Southeast Bay.
It's in that cluster of shopping malls and stores around where the Cloverleaf used to be, so parking is easy and convenient.
Given that the restaurant is called Noodle House, I have always ordered the noodles. I understand that they also serve Shanghai-style buns, but I haven't actually tried them in all my years of eating here because quite frankly, the noodles are massive. Absolutely massive. Enough to feed two people.
It comes out very very quickly, because the noodles you get in every noodle dish is more or less the same. The base of the broth is also fairly similar - but the sauces/flavors you mix into the broth differ based on what you order.
So in practice, you'll get a huge bowl of broth and noodles, far more than any one person can eat. In addition, you also get a huge amount of meat/vegetables/sauce to pour into the bowl - and there's so much, just that amount of meat/vegetables/sauce could be considered a full dish on its own.
I am not sure if this is how you're actually supposed to eat it and I have no confidence in my parents ability to authentically eat Shanghainese food, but we've always just slid all of the sauces/meat/etc. into the bowl of noodles and then eat it like a noodle soup. I hope that's how you do it, or else I've been doing it wrong.
Cash only - presumably one of many ways they keep this place super cheap!
Cheap, plentiful, ultra-fast, and actually relatively healthy (there's oil, but a lot less than you often see in Chinese food). Highly recommended for anyone who wants a meal like that!