Spice C

I was in town for PAX Unplugged and decided to try out this restaurant as I’m a big noodle soup fan as well as a fan of anything spicy. I surprisingly didn’t have to wait much as they happened to have one small table available all the way in the back, although the food took a little bit of time. It was worth the wait, though. They advertise that their noodles are hand drawn or hand shaved (whichever method you choose) to order, and the noodles definitely seemed hand drawn (pulled). I was actually a little hesitant to choose that method since their description even said it was like spaghetti, but there was definitely a nice uneven texture that made it at least seem like it was hand done and not mass manufactured. I ordered the “dragon and phoenix” (chicken and shrimp) in as spicy a soup as they had. Nice kick to it for sure. A little sparse on the shrimp (tons of big chunks of white meat that was not dry at all but only two small shrimp). Nonetheless delicious. For my appetizer I had the fried pork dumplings which were a nice size and juicy, with just the right amount of dipping sauce so that it wasn’t overpowering. Also quite good. Overall the meal was great, and I even considered returning to try something else tonight. I’d definitely recommend if you like noodle soup and spicy food. :) Edit: I forgot the word "not" before "dry at all": the white meat chicken was NOT dry at all.

First time having shaved noodles and it was really good. Definitely the place to go to get some Chinese noodles. They pull their own noodles and they are delicious. Especially in cold weather, the spicy soup will warm you up. Don't worry, there is non spicy option as well as you can get stir fry vice getting the soup. Worth checking out if you are looking for something new and different. Definitely get the shaved noodles. Worth it.

Bomb food. Had seen this place on the internet and wanted to try it. I got fried dumplings and the beef and chicken hand drawn noodles stir fry. The dumplings were great, they were huge! The noodles were also really good, I guess you can tell they’re homemade. The service was fast and friendly. No complaints and will probably change my rating to 5 after trying something else.

Spice C offers great traditional Chinese dishes and cuisine. We stopped by because this place was legendary in the area for it's hand pulled noodles and it did not disappoint. Definitely a must try. We tried a few things here: Spicy Pork Dan Dan Noodles: These were fantastic, there's something about fresh pulled noodles that greatly adds to the overall flavor. Seseme Chicken: this isn't the traditional overly sweet seseme Chicken you get at most places. It was done perfectly and had a great flavor to it. Fried Pork Dumplings: Served with a spicy garlic sauce, these are a must try. Crab Rangoon:. The quality here trumps just crab Rangoon I've had. Absolutely delicious.

This place is the best hand drawn noodles in Philly Chinatown so far! The noodle was cooked soft enough with the chewy texture, but the broth was a bit salty. Beef was also soft & tender that it melt right away in the mouth! I was also surprised by their "Spicy Szechuan Wings"! It's crispy and has that mild numbing spicy taste to boost up the flavor! Highly recommend to try if you're a chicken wing lovers. Downside of this place is: They only accept CASH (or Venmo)! Beware of to wait for a table because it's always BUSY and might get over crowded/noisy dining area. But, it's worth it wait & try it!

Love Spice C. We were in Chinatown for the lantern festival (definitely check that out!) and wanted to grab a quick bite before. Love the hand drawn noodle dishes. So many great flavors and options to choose from and they make it spicy which I love! All of the food is great and very reasonably priced. We had leftovers which I enjoyed the following day. Spice C is cash only. Go in for a meal, you won’t be disappointed. I will be back very soon!!

I've been wanting to come here for weeks now. Kept forgetting they're closed Tuesdays. Finally made it and happy did. Service was good and had to be the fastest I've seen food come out. No complaints at all. Everything I tasted was good. Im a fan of the hand drawn noodles. Could eat those daily.

A comfortable, warm Lanzhou style noodle restaurant with quick service and delicious food. Pictured is The Dragon and Phoenix hand-pulled noodle soup with mild spice. If you can handle a bit of spice, you can’t go wrong with the mild option in the soup. Also, add some of the pickled veggies available at the table. If you’re looking for something to share, I recommend the Spicy Szechuan Wing. I’ve been eating here for 10 years and I hope I can continue for many years to come!

This spot serves amazing hand pulled noodles with an amazing texture and flavor. The spicy beef noodles and the dry szechuan style noodles were incredible and I'd order them again and again! They're quite busy, but even with their bustling business the service was good. The interior isn't huge but the ambiance is comforting and lively. I can't wait to come back!

I was at work when my brother texted me about a new restaurant he had heard about online called Spice C. I saw a video online about the place soon after so we decided to head into Philadelphia to check it out. Once we parked at the edge of Chinatown (parking lot between 12th and 11th between Race & Vine Street), we walked over to 10th and right next to the little Chinatown Firehouse is Spice C. Once inside, the aromas and ambiance were just amazing. The waitstaff were busy taking orders, and we were pleasantly greeted, asked how many in our party, and taken immediately to a few tables left near the back. The menu consisted of a few pages (I consider this to be a good sign that there should be some variety on the menu) with detailed photos for quite a bit of it! We both ordered the pan-fried dumplings which tasted amazing and definitely had some spice to them, we also had the salt and trippnwww and we also ordered the House Special Hand Drawn Noodle Soup ($13.25 at the time of this review) which has sliced beef, tendon, and brisket with noodles and vegetables. It was SO GOOD! I had caught my brother's cold and this really helped open up my nasal passages! We also had the Salt & Pepper Shrimp, which were insanely good as well! All and all, an incredible experience! I highly recommend going here, and I cannot wait to go back myself!

Spice C is a popular restaurant in Chinatown that is known for their hand-drawn noodles and other traditional Chinese dishes in a rather small, but comforting setting. The servers are pretty attentive and quick. I ordered the Wonton Soup, specifically with the hand-drawn noodles, and the Crab Cheese Rangoon. The Crab Cheese Rangoon was super delicious! It was very warm when it came out and it had the perfect amount of filling inside; the sauce, which I believe was sweet and sour or a sweet chili, was also good. I will say that I am not a big Chinese noodles gal just because I do not really like the spices and flavors that are in those dishes, such as star anise. With that being said, I ordered the Wonton Soup and I did not like it a lot, but that is on me for the dish I picked knowing my taste buds. However, the wontons were pretty juicy and savory. I know a lot of people enjoy this restaurant and their food, so please take my review with a grain of salt!

Spice C is an iconic staple in Chinatown. I've been coming here since I was a kid and they haven't really changed much. The hand drawn noodles are made fresh and you can see the chefs in the kitchen making them. The soup is flavorful and packed with ingredients. The meat is super tender. My favorite bowl is the 3 treasures that have chicken, pork, and shrimp as I enjoy the variety. I also appreciate the huge container of pickled cabbage, I'm an absolute fiend for them. With a couple scoops of chili oil, it's the perfect bowl! I would also recommend trying the hand shaved noodles too. It's a totally different experience but equally as delicious. This place & Nan Zhou is the way to go with beef noodle soups. The service is always quick. It's a relatively small restaurant and can be super packed on weekends. Interior is nice and clean.

Came here with friends and had a great experience! The restaurant is popular, busy, fast and delicious! We ordered the food eggplant with garlic sauce and stir fry Chinese broccoli. Both were a 10/10. Cooked to perfection, great texture and very flavorful. I could've ate the entire dish! For entrees, I tried the house special(medium spice) hand drawn noodles and the 3 treasure stir fried noodles. My medium spice noodle soup was spicy! I loved adding the complimentary pickles to my dish to help balance the meal. Noodles were perfection! The broth was hearty and the ideal thing to eat on a cold day. I realized I'm not the biggest fan of tendon, so I will choose a different protein next time. The stir fried noodles were also very tasty! Not spicy at all so added some chili oil to it. This dish was also a 10/10!

Affordable and delicious Chinese spot in Philly's Chinatown. My friend and I shared the pot stickers which were a generous size. All of us got the same thing, the noodle soup that comes with beef, brisket, and beef tendon. It was such a good portion size and had so many noodles.

4.5 stars. Had a very satisfying meal here. The food seems simple, but it's made well and hit just right. The food came out quickly, and service was friendly and efficient. They charge an extra 4% for card payments, so it's better to bring cash. They have so many noodle soup and stir fry noodle options. We ordered the dumplings (boiled and fried), wonton soup, Three Treasures noodle soup, and Three Treasures stir fry. - The dumplings were good. The skin was just the right thickness, and there was a good amount of filling. There were only 6 pieces, but they were pretty big. - The won ton soup was okay. It came with 4 large wontons. The broth was light and refreshing, but the wontons themselves were just okay. I couldn't taste much of the pork filling, and the skin was a bit too thick for my liking. - The hand pulled noodles were chewy and not too thick, which I like. The Three Treasures stir fry dish was delicious. My friend who got the noodle soup version of the Three Treasures noodles seemed to have a bit more beef. They charge an extra ~$1.75 for the mala soup base. Between the hand-pulled noodle soups at Nan Zhou and the ones at Luscious Dumplings, we liked the noodle soup here the best. The broth here was richer than the broth at Nan Zhou, and the noodles were less doughy than the noodles at Luscious Dumplings. I saw some comparisons between this place and Nan Zhou, and I personally would come here over Nan Zhou. I liked the food and ambiance at Spice C a lot more, and I think the prices here are a bit cheaper too!

Best noodles in Chinatown. Dont argue. Seating a bit tight in my opinion but not exactly elbow to elbow, didn't disturb my personal bubble. I've been here multiple times and have no complaints regarding service. The noodles though! Definitely the best noodles in Chinatown, from what I've tried at least. Broth so flavorful and noodles perfect. I like that you are able to choose the style of noodles and spice level. I went with medium, spicy enough that you get the spice without being uncomfortable. They don't skimp on the meat either, the House Special was packed with meats and veggies. Spice C is definitely my go to for Chinatown.

SOLID beef noodle soup place in chinatown! get the noodles sliced. comes in a big bowl for like $13. i loved the beef brisket and texture of the noodles. also enjoyed the pork dumplings too. the only thing i didn't like about this place was how long it took for the food to come out :/ it might have just been a busy night. definitely coming back!

Let me start by saying I'm leaving one star because of the customer service. The food is very delicious and flavorful but I had a very uncomfortable experience. Today my mom and myself visited the restaurant when we were seated we were seated right next to the front door but they were several seats available through out the restaurant. I try not to make things about color or be the angry black woman if I made a complaint so I kept my cool and just watched how this experience was gonna play out. Well we unfortunately got ignored about 25 mins then we didn't get served any beverages or utensils until I had to ask for both. after we finally were served the servers kept walking back and forth to our table not asking if we're ok. But just watching and walking away Making sure we don't leave . my mom kept getting hit by the patrons as they entered the restaurant because that's how close we were to the door. Then the server expected a tip which was hilarious.

I really don't understand the hype around this place. I tried their sliced beef noodle soup in hot schezuan sauce. The broth itself was flavorful but the noodles, although fresh, seemed to lack flavor. My husband got the stir fry noodles with beef which was quite bland. Lots of food - I was able to finish the soup and all the protein in it but couldn't finish the noodles. Good thing is this place is cheap because we couldn't get ourselves to take the leftovers home.

Not lanzhou but other kind of hand pull noodles, super popular and I would say overall is good.

Great soup flavors. Yummy hand pulled noodles. I usually order the grand that has all the meats. When I order Togo, mostly noodle soups, they stuffed the meat with the soup, and it always spilled. I wished that they separated the meat and soups so that I can have more soup to enjoy.

Nothing but great things to say about this place! Will definitely be returning. The staff is quick and attentive if you need anything. The food comes out fresh and hot, they make sure you get what you want, and so does the menu (very detailed on what things are, or recommends alternatives). It is a ton of seats available but they get busy so it gets lightly crowded, but it is a great little place to go. The chicken on a stick appetizers came out fresh & hot and were a great size for an appetizer. The chicken tore away easily and was juicy. The pork pot stickers weren't for me, but they weren't gross, nice crisp on top but soggy bottom. The hand drawn noodles are delicious, I had to stop myself from eating before I popped. The entire stir meal was good, the vegetables tasted fresh, I took it home and immediately ate it the next time I was hungry.

The food and service were both great. We were seated right away, even though the place was packed. Food came within minutes from ordering but it was still fresh and flavorful. I really enjoyed my meal and will be coming back to try other items on the menu. The portion sizes are also great for the prices and you do get a discount if you pay in cash.

Straight to the point: affordable and delicious. Chilli wings top tier and salt and pepper Shrimp really good (the classic way). They give a lot of noodles in there soups so it makes it worth it. I don't like that they charge 4% to use card. That's insane. Ambiance is chill, small and classic Asian restaurant

Great service, great food, and the quantity and quality of food was off the charts. I spend about $45-$50 on the food. I went on a Monday and there was seats for my friend and I. Delicious!

Took me far to much time to get the name "Spice C" "Spicy" but it's a nane I won't forget. Located right in the heart of Chinatown, Spice C boast a large menu with a bunch of tasty items. Came for the hand drawn noodles which were amazing. Compliments to the waiter for suggesting the Pork dumpling soup. Spicy, savory, and just all around satisfying for a cool autumn night. Service was quick and efficient. Perfect for how I like noodle spots to be. They accept all forms of payment (credit/debit/cash) Can't wait to come back.

I love the spicy beef noodle they have here. It's not too crazy spicy but has a little kick to it. I had a great dinner with my family

The workers are not as nice and the beef noodle soup is not as good as nan zhou. Just go there. But, it's still good for sure.

Ordered pork & dumpling soup with spicy Szechuan broth--one of the best dishes I've had in Philly China Town! The noodles are hand drawn and perfectly cooked. They have a satisfying, chewy texture. The best part is the soups come with huge portions of noodles (you actually may need more broth to finish them all). The broth was flavored well, a little fatty, a little spicy, perfectly salted. As far as ambience, the restaurant was very clean and busy, even on a weekday. They play pop-music and have comfortable seating, even for larger parties. Service was quick and the meal was relatively inexpensive, under $15 for a generous portion of soup. We will be coming back soon!

Hand drawn noodles were amazing! My sister really loved the General Tso dish as well. Speedy service, delicious food.

Noodles are fresh but bland. I had seafood stir fry and that night I got sick from the food.

Went in 50 minutes before they closed. They greeted us, seated us and we ordered. My dish was great, loved the hand pulled noodles. The sauce had the perfect amount of spice. The service could have been better, but at the same time, we arrived later than usual so I get it! Would love to go back next time I'm in Philly!

This is a great restaurant to come to with family and friends! It is a very homey and cozy vibe inside. A bit tight, but just gives you that comfy close-knit type feeling with others who are enjoying the food. I came here with some friends and we all loved our dishes. The service was fast and since there was a wait, our hostess/server was respectful and made the checking-in process easy. If you're looking for great authentic Chinese food in Chinatown, would definitely recommend Spice C! Also I do very much enjoy the name of this restaurant - creative!

I was walking around Chinatown and stumbled upon this place. I'm glad I got to try their food. Everything I ordered was delicious and fresh. Their hand-pulled noodles were especially yummy. The staff were nice and welcoming, though the place is a bit small. I will definitely be back when I'm in the area again.

One of my favorite places to go in Chinatown! The food is fantastic and perfect to satisfy any beef noodle soup cravings. Whenever I go with someone, I always order the stir fried broccoli and the seaweed salad. Both are delicious and very well seasoned and are perfect sides to pair way the entrees. For the noodles, the house special with the spicy sezchuan soup base is the way to go. I prefer medium spicy as it has a kick but retains and does not overwhelm the flavor of the broth. Both the handdrawn and shaven noodles are fresh and fantastic and are a personal preference - I personally love the handdrawn while my partner prefers the thicker, shaved noodle texture.

amazing food, the service is consistently fast and they are kind, the environmental of the restaurant is also nice.

There seems to be a lot of pulled noodle places in Philly's Chinatown, but my cousin said that he always gets noodles from here and so I knew I had to try some before I left. My friend and I walked in for a late lunch around 2pm on a weekday and there was plenty of room for us to sit. Loved that the menu said that the noodles were shaved/pulled to order. Everything was so fresh, and you could genuinely tell. I went with the shaved noodles, and they were perfectly chewy and flavorful. The beef and brisket I got were both super tender and went with the noodles so well. My only complaint was that I ordered the double love, which was supposed to come without the beef tendon; I ultimately found a few pieces of tendon in my dish. Not the end of the world, but it just wasn't what I ordered. We also tried their steamed pork dumplings-- these things were HUGE. Really appreciated the size of them for the price. They were delicious, especially when dipped in the sauce they had which was both savory and a bit sweet. I'd absolutely recommend getting these, either steamed or fried.

3 Words Pineapple Fried Rice!!! Walked down to ChinaTown in Philly after sightseeing most of the day. Spice C had a wide selection of different kinds of dishes. Crab Rangoon was ordered for the table and was it great. It was not too creamy just right and quite a bit of crab meat. When ordering my main course I try to go with one of my first choices and that happened to be the pineapple fried rice. The pineapple fried rice came with chicken, shrimp, eggs, veggies and of course pineapple. I was surprised how much I liked it, but I am someone who likes pineapple on my pizza and Mexican dishes. The service was pretty good and the ambiance was nice. I would recommend this Chinese restaurant and go there again.

Ordered the fish filet noodles with Szechuan mild broth and cut noodles. The serving was super generous for ~$15, and my brother and I split just one bowl and were both full. The fish was super tender & interestingly, the filets had been fried prior to being braised. They were still somewhat crispy but also really soft and not overly cooked/oily! Def recommend this place.

When in Chinatown, you get Chinese. It's a no brainer. But... How do you choose? There's a different spot around every corner and many of them are highly rated. But Spice C stood out to my boyfriend and I so we headed there after walking around and building up an appetite. It was the end of December and a bit chilly so their noodle soup stood out to us. We arrived to find a packed house and we were lucky to snag the very last open table. The service was prompt and friendly. We started with spring rolls and then we each ordered a bowl of noodle soup. I forget what my boyfriend ordered but I opted for the vegetarian option. It came with a plethora of vegetables, tofu, a ton of hand pulled noodles, and the portion was crazy big. They had red chili oil on the table and after adding a small splash of it, my soup was spot on. I felt terrible that I couldn't finish it. Being that I was staying in a hotel with no microwave, taking it back with me wasn't an option. But that doesn't mean it wasn't delicious, because it was. If you're in the area trying to pinpoint where to grab some Chinese, Spice C is where it's at.

Stopped in on a Saturday and luckily found a table. They do turn quickly, so waiting doesn't appear to be long. I had the hand drawn noodles and sliced beef in a Szechwan broth with baby bok Choiand other veggies. Pure flavor. The beef is lean and ample. The broth is spicy but just right. I like spicy so this is good for me Burt might be spicy for others. Servers were on it...I didn't know how to order but we figured it out with the server! Try this place!

Wasn't expecting this place to be SO GOOD. The bowls were huge (~$12) loaded with meat and the shaved noodles had the perfect al dente texture. You can't go wrong with ordering any beef based noodle on the menu. Service was friendly and spoke mandarin & English. Ambiance was traditional Chinese with a modern twist. Ac was on, music was playing pop hits, will be back next time.

Menu is primarily noodle bowls and they are very tasty. Also enjoyed the dumplings. Everything is well seasoned and you can tell is made with fresh ingredients.

If you're looking for amazing hand drawn noodles, don't want to spend a lot of money, and a low-key place to eat, then this is the place for you. I was in the area and came here to catch up with a friend. We both got the house special beef noodle soup with the hand drawn noodles. I love spicy food but wasn't in the mood to have to constantly sip water throughout my meal, so I chickened out and went for a mild spice level on their Sezchuan spicy soup base. Honestly I should've gotten the medium but nonetheless, get this soup base and not the regular! The portion was a great size, perfect beef to noodle ratio, and I probably ate almost all the broth because it was so flavorful. Service is super quick and it honestly is a bit of a whole in the wall type place which if you know, this is where you find the best food! Other earlier reviews mention that it is cash/venmo only, but I came here back in August 2023 and was able to pay with a credit card.

Good noodle place with different styles of dishes. Many classic options as well, and a few specialty noodle soup or plates. Hand drawn noodle done well also the other dishes too. Gyoza filled very nicely. Presentation not extravagant but very tasty food so not a problem. Price matches quality, nice spot inside to sit and eat meal. Thanks

5 of us had dinner here on a Friday night. They have a larger round table that seats 6 that opened up right after we arrived, so only had to wait about 5 minutes for our table. Our food came out quickly and everyone enjoyed their items - we had the spicy wings appetizer, the mushrooms in vinegar, Singapore noodles, noodle soup with beef and even a Gen Tao's chicken. Serving sizes were generous. We would absolutely come back here again!!

Grew up coming to this spot, I still request for my family to eat here when I come back to Philly. The food here is phenomenal for the price and you can taste how different hand pulled noodles are. They texture and bounce of the noodles will make you never want to eat instant ramen again. I always get the noodle with pork soy sauce and add the pickled cabbage they have on the table. It's salty, meaty, and little bit sweet (like Chinese pasta sauce)! This is probably one of the cheaper noodles on the menu but is still my favorite. Portions are large, service is fast, and the restaurant is clean.

Great soup broth, springy chewy hand drawn noodles, fast nice service. Prices are very reasonable too, as of 2024 it's around $13-15 a bowl.

Best hand drawn noodle soup in Philly. We crave this place and have been coming here for 2 years. I would eat here once a week in a perfect world. The cold veggie platter in chinese black vinegar is a perfect starter followed by the main event, Hand drawn noodle soup - spicy szechaun base (I order extra spicy) with roast pork and wontons. This soup has INCREDIBLE flavor and the perfect amount of heat. Order it, you will love it. Bring cash and a bottle of wine.

Been coming here for a few years now usually after getting my haircut in Chinatown. Always get the same thing, the house special handrawn noodle with Szechuan spicy (medium spice level now since my old man body can't handle the heat anymore). Medium though still has a kick though. Noodles are always perfectly cooked and the brisket are well cooked as well. The best part is the broth. So full of flavors that each bite you take is infused with the wonderful flavors of the broth. Service is okay, when busy they can be a bit rude but overall this place is worth it. Note that this is a cash only place! (They did take venmo during covid but may have moved away from it now).

We love this place! We find ourselves coming here often, and I don't think you can get a better herbal soup. All of the servers are very nice and super attentive. It's a low-key and quiet place. We've included a few dishes we've had recently, and something that is important to us is that taste and quality are consistent, which they exceed expectations with. Highly recommend.

The hand drawn noodles were amazing. The spices and meat were great too. The wonton soup was a bit flavorless but the soup was great. Service was very fast and friendly. They had a ton of vegan/veggie options too! I'd defiantly go back!

The mapo tofu gave me diarrhea. Very greasy, didn't have much flavor. Service was alright.

Don't tell anyone but these are the best noodles in the city. Veggies are also always worth getting on the side.

Came here on a cold day with friends and really loved it! The food came out fast and hot. The 5 of us ordered 2 beef potstickers to share and a noodle soup each. I wish I had gotten a picture of the potstickers because they were really delicious, and I'm not a huge dumpling person. The sliced beef noodle soup I ordered with mild Szechuan spice and shaved noodles. The noodles were cooked just as a like them - with a little bit of a bite. I liked the spice level and even felt like I probably could have gone up to a medium Szechuan and still enjoyed it. The broth itself was flavorful and full of cilantro. The soup was pretty big and I had a hard time finishing it along with the potstickers I ate. Would definitely come back here again!

Good spot in Chinatown with tasty noodles and appetizers, among other things. We got the wonton bowl and a noodle plate along with crab rangoons and dumplings -- all were excellent. The service was quick, attentive, and kind. Super affordable prices. Honestly just a really really good option in Chinatown despite unassuming exterior and minimal fanfare inside. 4/5 stars for strong food and service!

In town for a convention and decided to give this place a try. It's very small on the inside but not crowded. I decided to go with the beef brisket and hand pulled noodles with the spicy Szechuan broth. The server said the chef has their own recipe that has more spices and depth than most noodle places. The bowl was nicely sized and the spice mix was amazing. I could order a cup of this broth to sip and it would be enjoyable without any solids in it. Noodles were made to perfection and the brisket was excellent. I gave a thought about coming back here and trying something else my last night in town but opted to try something else in Chinatown. That was a mistake. This is one of those places where you keep coming back because the food is so good.