Northern Cafe

Always wanted to try Northern Cafe but didn't get chance earlier. Recently, a friend in my pickleball group recommended this place so I stopped by for a quick lunch. Service was quick and efficient - I didn't have to wait in spite of dropping in during a busy lunch hour. Started off with Spicy Pork Wonton Dumplings which were very good. Also ordered Kung Pao Shrimp & steamed rice on our server's recommendation and it was awesome. Portions were too much for 1 person but good enough for 2 to share. This was a really good one for a quick lunch and I bet I will be back here a lot many times in future !

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Northern Cafe in Cerritos, and it’s quickly become a new favorite! The food was absolutely delicious—flavorful, authentic, and well-prepared. The portion sizes were huge, perfect for a family meal, and everything we ordered was spot-on. The service was also top-notch, with friendly and attentive staff that made the experience even better. Highly recommend this place if you're in the area and looking for great Chinese food. Definitely coming back!

Arrived there close to 1 pm on Monday, and we ordered a variety of items for the two of us so we had a plenty of food to go afterwards. I am told that they changed the ownership so I wasn’t sure about the quality/flavors, and I was very happy to find that all the food tasted great!!

Ordered fresh noodles, got reused slop. Staff didn’t seem to care. We ordered three bowls of noodles and a side of dumplings. Two of the noodle dishes were supposed to come with flat noodles. What arrived looked off, but we assumed it was just overcooked. Looking at it again, looked like it came out of someone's mouth. I tried eating it, but with every bite, it looked and tasted worse. My wife’s bowl was the same with noodles falling apart into small mushy pieces every time we picked them up with chopsticks. Then I noticed a long noodle in my bowl, white on one end, dark and discolored on the other. That’s when it hit me: these were reused noodles, boiled twice, possibly from another table or even the night before. We didn’t want to make a scene. I quietly showed the waitress what was wrong and the pieces that had soaked up soy sauce unevenly. She didn’t apologize. Instead, she started taking photos of the bowl and said very little. Eventually, she said she’d take my dish off the bill, but not my wife’s, even though her bowl had the exact same issue. I even pointed out a big clump of stuck-together noodles, but can't loose too much money right? It felt like she knew what happened, but didn’t want to admit it. No apology. Just silence and a partial refund. I didn't even argue. I felt disgusted by the food and staff and just wanted to leave. hope I don’t get sick from eating leftover food. Don’t let bad decisions ruin your reputation.

Green onion pancakes are crispy, flaky, and fragrant. Dry crispy pork spare ribs with spices, amped up with chopped garlic and jalapenos. My favorite every time mala spicy prime beef noodle soup, tasty sauté of mushroom medly with Chinese celery - a perfect accompaniment to spicy dishes and their house special Spicy noodles for those of us who like it hot! I'm so glad they have good service and consistently delicious dishes!

This spot is a love letter to bold northern Chinese flavors, especially if your heart belongs to stir-fried noodles and cumin lamb done without compromise. The noodles come out gloriously chewy and blistered from the wok, tangled with cabbage, scallions, and just enough oil to make every bite addictive without crossing into greasy regret, delivering that elusive wok hei that separates the serious from the forgettable. Then there’s the cumin lamb, fragrant, savory, and unapologetically punchy, with tender slices of meat coated in toasted cumin, chili, and aromatics that hit your nose before they hit the table and linger long after the plate is cleared. It’s hearty, assertive food that doesn’t water itself down or apologize, the kind of meal that makes you eat faster than intended, slow down for the last bite, and immediately start plotting when you can come back for another round.

First timer to this local chain of restaurants with several in SoCal. Very popular reviews with taste, quantity, and value. We ordered based upon recommendations of reviews and were not disappointed overall. The noodle bowls were well assembled and flavorfull. The dumplings were quite descent as a side to noodle bowls. The green onion pancakes were insufficiently onion sprinkled and lacked flavor. Service was efficient and fast. Complete a paper check box order sheet with reference to a pictured menu and not much needed for a waiter person. Overall, Northern Cafe is worthy of return visit. The Cafe was busy with a cue outside for dinner.