The Most Delicious Taiwanese in Newark

I Heart Bento

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (124) • $

"This is one of those places I wish was better, but I regretfully have to give it a middling review.The concept is very good - simple bento box, prepared quickly, with a nice amount of food in each box. Also a local business run by mom&pop, something that is really dying out here in the bay.I got the salmon and chicken teriyaki bento plus a California roll side.Honestly, the California roll was surprisingly good - very freshly made and carefully wrapped. Superb for the price really.The bento on the other hand was just average. The salad was good, nice variety of vegetables and had edamame which I like. But the chicken was fairly dry and didn't have a lot of flavor. The salmon had a decent crunch, but I wish it was more seasoned, although the texture was a high point.Additionally, the price is quite high for the taste quality. ~$20 for a bento is not competitive and makes it hard for me to want to come back with so many options that have a larger impact on each bite.If I had to give a pointer/feedback, I'd say the best thing would be to reduce the amount of items on the menu. Focus on just a few different bentos and bring their taste up. Right now, the stock to upkeep the variety has probably too high overhead, driving cost up. So, I'd suggest doing what places like Hironori do. Less than 5 variations, but top notch quality."

Queen House

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (917) • $$

"Definitely Taiwanese comfort food! I've been coming here since two previous owners and I was basically in a high chair (so about since 20 years ago). We'd get take out at home and I have memories of being fed the Taiwanese beef noodle soup while my dad calls the noodles "Rapunzel" because of how long they are. Over the years the noodle soup has changed from having less dried chili, having less fatty beef shank pieces, and also changing the bok choy to spinach. However, I still believe this Taiwanese beef noodle soup is the best you can get in the area. Its charm is definitely the Szechuan beef noodle soup! However, if you're interested in family style rice and sides, my favorite is general tofu, San bei ji (three cup chicken), and xiao dou miao."

Good To Eat

★★★★☆ 4.4 (251) • $$

"Started with the "Two Hares" sake, gentle sweet rice notes with crisp finish. Slightly sweet, almost like a melon bar flavor.The dish I wanted to try most was the poached yam leaves with house garlic soy paste. They told us towards the end of the meal that they were out of it so we replaced it with their veggie of the day which was a type of bok choy stir fried in minced garlic. We will need to come back for the yam leaves to try next time!Ooooooh the "Pepper Numbing" Chicken Cutlet was sooooo goood. The fried layer was crisp and had a nice crunch and the meat inside was fairly thick for a cutlet. Highly recommend this cutlet.The eggplant noodle that was soy-glazed with GTE chili crunch was also tasty for the eggplant part. That eggplant was steamed or boiled and also pan fried. The eggplant is amazing, but the noodles underneath was mediocre at best.The whole squid "yi-ye-gan" was delicious and came with lightly pickled veggies that paired well together.I bit pricey for what I got, but would definitely try Good To Eat again for Taiwanese Tapas!"

Ding's Kitchen

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (81)

"The dumplings and the beef pancakes are my favorite. My first go to place when I am just lazy and don't want to cook!"

O2 Valley

★★★★☆ 4.4 (563) • $$

"A nice bento place where the food comes out quickly and has all the fixings for your taiwanese cravings.I like how their do their sausage here and their crispy popcorn chicken has generous portions. I think I actually like the chicken cutlet more than the popcorn chicken just based on the flavor but you really can't go wrong.I'm also just impressed with their packaging because its so easy for me to take away and picnic at a nearby park."

Lounge Chinatown 唐人街

★★★★☆ 4.1 (185) • $$

"Two of my sisters and I dined here yesterday for a birthday lunch. I always order the same menu item, ma po tofu over steamed rice. Other items ordered were fried chicken bento box, pork belly bento box, fried green beans and beef tongue. The beef tongue is good, but the beef tendon is better.We do miss Jessica who was our server in the past. It is taking us time to get used to the new server. He is okay. Conversation is in Mandarin, which I don't speak much of in that dialect.Since we come here quite often when we get together for lunch in Oakland Chinatown, I have decided to raise the restaurant to a five star.Definitely there will be more visits to Lounge Chinatown in the future."

ZongZi House

★★★★★ 4.7 (31)

"4.5 STARSFriend: "Hey, I'll take 4 duung".Me: "WTF is duung?!"Friend: "That rice thingy you talked about."Me: "You mean, joong?!"Friend: "It's duung; I'm country like that!"Me: "Ok, coming from someone who stabs their XLB with a fork..."Whatever you call it: 粽子, joong, zongzi, or duung...These Chinese sticky rice tamales are one of my fav Chinese comfort food full of savory, carby deliciousness. While typically eaten during Dragon Boat Festival (June 3, 2022), I'll gladly eat these babies year round...if I can find a good one. IMO, the ones sold at AZN grocery stores or Chinese delis aren't the same quality and who knows how long they have been sitting there. Last week, a yelper gave me a heads up that Eng's Zongzi is back in business (Thanks, GC!). Eng's was a small mom and pop operation that began in the owners' home. Demand skyrocketed so they found a storefront in a tiny strip plaza in Mountain View to sell their zongzi/joong (opened right before the pandemic hit). Due to reconstruction of the plaza, they had to close shop in 2021. The owners have since found a new location in SJ and reopened as Zongzi House last month. L O C A T I O N1505 Kitchen Space (shared commercial kitchen).M E N U* Zongzi/Joong: Chinese sticky rice tamales; vegetarian, Shanghai, or Cantonese-style. They're made fresh the morning of your pick-up day. Sold in pairs only - two pieces are $10-$12.* Frozen dumplings & egg rolls: $12-$23.No MSG. O R D E R I N G P R O C E S S***PRE-ORDERS ONLY***Although it states, to call or text in your order, I highly recommend calling in your order, not texting.There was some confusion and miscommunication so my order via text wasn't received so I had to make two trips to SJ to pick up my full order. Also, pre-orders for pick-up require a 2-3 day notice. This wasn't specified anywhere. Suggestions to the owner: For your yelp main business photo, kindly consider posting a pic detailing the pre-ordering process. P I C K U PCall when you're outside the commercial kitchen or ring the doorbell. P A Y M E N TCash, Venmo, or Cc (3% surcharge).I couldn't get a connection (verizon) outside to pay via Venmo so bring cash just in case. S T O R I N GIf you can't eat the joong the same day, you can store them in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. R E H E A T I N G Boil thawed joong for 10-15 minutes. You can also microwave it for 2-3 minutes with a wet paper towel but I find some of the rice hardens so this is not my preferred method. F O O D* Shanghai Pork Belly Zongzi (2 pc - $10): https://bit.ly/3ap0JZnThese were my fav ones at their old MV location. Maybe I'm tripping but they seem smaller now with less filling so it was more of a snack versus a full meal. Taste was still good though - the pork fat melts into the soy seasoned sticky rice adding a delicious, porky richness. * Cantonese Pork Joong (2 pc - $12): https://bit.ly/3wUUwMpA newer addition to the menu, I didn't get to try their Cantonese-style joong before their MV location closed shop. My NEW fav one! Not only are these joong larger than the Shanghai-style but they're packed with more protein and goodies so they're more filling. It's not stated on the menu but these joong are filled with pork belly, two pieces of Chinese sausage, half a salted duck egg yolk, one shiitake mushroom, one whole chestnut, and plenty of mildly sweet, nutty mung beans. The sticky rice is less seasoned than the Shanghai-style but still flavorful especially with the saltiness from the salted egg yolk. Also, purchased some Shanghai Pork Belly Zongzi w/ salted duck egg yolk (2 pc - $11) for a friend who said, it was good. S E R V I C EVery kind couple; true mom and pop operation. P A R K I N GShared parking lot in mini strip plaza. Overall, I'm happy to see Eng's Zongzi reopen as Zongzi House. Zongzi/Joong are the perfect Chinese comfort meal to reheat and enjoy all year round, on WFH or lazy days. Support this mom and pop business and stock up your freezer with 'em!"

Duan's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (140) • $$

"the noodle is pretty tender and the tomato soup is really dense and tasty.also the beef stew is really found that is fully cooked with all flavor in it."

I Dumpling

★★★★☆ 3.8 (897) • $$

"Basic home style food with no frills ambiance, hole in the wall, family business. Stumbled upon this place as we wanted a quick snack at 3 in the afternoon. Reasonably priced, limited menu, fresh ingredients. Flavor could be more intense, however adding the chili + soy sauce works. Will be back to try a few more dishes. Note, parking is a challenge and the cost is $1/hr with metering hours from 8-8."

Ocha Tea Café & Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (637) • $$

"A tiny Taiwan restaurant that I go almost very week. They have great pine apple fried rice (with secret hot sauce) and perfect Crispy Salted Chicken. The waitress quiet and friendly. Just enjoy everything!"

Duan’s Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.9 (290) • $$

"Came by for lunch the other day and it was a tasty experience. Called ahead for take-out and my order was ready within 10-15 minutes. Parking is plentiful in the private lot.The restaurant takes credit cards and the restaurant has been remodeled since the Vietnamese noodle shop closed down a few years ago. Dining is indoors exclusively.Started off with the beef and tendon flat noodle soup and it was tasty. The broth was very fragrant and the beef and tendons were very tender. This was packaged to perfection with the plastic container filtering the noodles and the soup.The fried pork chop over fried rice was also tasty. The fried pork chop was fragrant and fried to perfection.The spicy wontons were delicious. The wontons were fragrant in the hot sauce.The popcorn chicken didn't look as good as the oil may need to be changed. The chicken was fresh and the flavor was on point.$25/head after tax for takeout with plenty of leftovers."

Boba Queen

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (207) • $

"I know the other reviews said that it took forever but it only took 10 minute for me. Ordered the original black tea and Thai tea with boba. I would definitely be back for sure."

Bento Pro

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"If you're looking to get your Taiwanese bento craving fix, this is the place to order from. It's a low key casual spot to get it to go or order from Uber eats DoorDash. I had the fried pork chop over rice and the pork chop was coated with just very thin layer of flour to make it crispy. The bento comes with a drizzle of braised minced pork over rice, egg, braised tofu, spring roll and a side of veggies. Will highly recommend for a quick and easy weekday lunch or dinner. They have some dine in tables available at the San Jose downtown food hall."

Seapot Hot Pot & KBBQ

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"This place was amazing. First the decor and ambiance:Vibrant BeautifulCleanThe service was above outstanding. Very attentive, especially for an all you can eat buffet style. The booths have the induction for the hot pot as well as the pan for bbq. I've never in my life seen a conveyor right next to the table with so many assortments of small plates you grab to add to your hot pot. It's like a sushi boat bar but better. You can take whatever you want and there is no limit on these plates. The assortment of choices was incredible. Veggies, meats and fish. The food was delicious. Great flavor and spice. The food was fresh. I will definitely be going back. Great for groups!!!!!They also have a full bar!!!"

L'epi D'or Bakery

★★★★☆ 3.6 (365) • $

"This small shop has a great variety of products, but what I like are the cakes. They've mastered making their cakes not too sweet. The cakes are all very light, decorated well and can feed a lot of people. Full cakes are $48 each."

Hanlin Tea Room - Cupertino

★★★★☆ 3.8 (151) • $$

"Very kind workers and excellent service.The noodles in the ground pork dish were a little soggy, and the ratio of meat to noodles left me with a bunch of noodles left over (could have used about double the ground pork). However, the meat is tasty, and the egg on top was also good.I also had the orange green tea. They recommended 50% sweet, and I'm glad I took their advice! It was just right and a very refreshing drink.Bonus - walking distance from the Cupertino Library."

Taiwan Porridge - Cupertino

★★★★☆ 4 (500) • $$

"Taiwan Porridge is tucked away in strip plaza, this humble porridge spot feels like a cozy embrace from the past--offering the kind of comfort food you'd expect from a home-cooked meal if your mom were in the kitchen. As soon as you're seated, you're greeted with a bowl of porridge and a cup of hot water. I wish the porridge arrived a bit hotter, as it tends to cool off quickly before you have a chance to dig in.The ordering process is a bit different here; after settling in, you're invited to head to the front to choose from an array of cold dishes. While many guests might be drawn to these options, I usually opt for the heartier menu items that come freshly cooked and delivered to your table. The steamed fish is tender and flavorful, and the a choy veggies come in a huge portion. The omelet is always the table's favorite, very simple but done well.I visited this spot recently when I was feeling under the weather. Whether you're craving something warm and soothing or just a taste of home, Taiwan porridge delivers a no frill comforting experience."

Full House Dumpling

★★★★☆ 3.7 (321) • $$

"The dumplings are the best in the Bay Area. Other dishes are consistently coming out tasty and portions are good. Will keep returning."

Chef Cho

★★★★☆ 4.1 (220) • $$

"Been here over many years and I always try to come here when I am in the Bay. This is strictly for Taiwanese people and those who are willing to try variety of authentic Taiwanese cuisine with open mind. Also definitely be ready for the smell of stinky tofu. I prefer to call it pungent tofu so maybe it's more appetizing? I had it today after 39 years being Taiwanese and I don't get it. Can't say I didn't give it a try! They offer a vast array of Taiwanese food that I grew up with and the boss lady is also as authentically Taiwanese as can be. I spoke to her before candidly and she said their goal with the restaurant was to provide the community with Taiwanese cuisine that is losing its footing in the community and I truly appreciate the vast selection to bring me back to memories of my childhood in Taiwan. For those that came to visit in the Bay Area and otherwise live in Taiwan majority of the time, the food is considered mediocre... according to my father. To me and my mother who are permanent residents and haven't been back to Taiwan for over a decade, everything is amazing. While some food flavor is perhaps missing, the aroma of "pungent tofu", the sea of Taiwanese customers and the sass of the boss lady speaking Taiwanese and cracking jokes, there is no other experience like this I know of. I think this place is a great starting point to learning Taiwanese foods before actually traveling to Taiwan so you can have the initial exposure to it."

Chick & Tea Taiwanese Soul Food

★★★★☆ 3.6 (370) • $$

"I have been a customer here three times. I had the popcorn chicken twice and a bento box once. The basil popcorn chicken is my favorite; it is delicious, affordable, and filling. The bento box was decent, but not amazing. The pricing was great for the variety of food you get though. The place is designed for to-go because of its affordable prices and convenient packaging (every already packaged as to-go). Even if you get the food to eat there, it's self-serve. The inside is small and can get crowded though. I only dined in once during a hot evening and the one running fan was not cutting it for us. I noticed there was outside seating, but it was even hotter outside. In conclusion, the place has good prices and convenient packaging that is perfect for to-go orders. Don't expect too much for a dine-in experience though."

Duan's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (140) • $$

"the noodle is pretty tender and the tomato soup is really dense and tasty.also the beef stew is really found that is fully cooked with all flavor in it."

Old Taro

★★★★☆ 3.7 (281) • $$

"Old Taro is still a solid 4! We've come by to eat here in-person many times since my last 2021 review for their takeout. FOOD //Our go-to's are:+ Fried vinasse fish filet with rice bento set (4.5/5): the fried fish is nice and crispy on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside. I like that the rice has minced braised pork on top. The cooked Taiwanese cabbage (or sometimes it's edamame) is a good small side. The braised egg and tofu are okay; one time, the braised egg was quite dry inside and looked like it had been braising for a little too long. + Fried Taiwan-style chicken with rice bento set (3.5/5): the fried chicken cutlet was very lean and a bit dry, but okay. Crispy outside. + Pepper Popcorn Chicken with rice bento set (3.5/5): similar to the other fried chicken cutlet bento, this popcorn chicken was also a bit tough/dry, though the outside was a nice crunch. + Wonton soup (5/5): Grandma and I are fans of this one! Soothing warm clear broth, tasty wontons, and veggies for a healthy light meal.+ Braised tofu (4.5/5): this braised tofu has a nice meat-y sauce on it and has more flavor than the one that comes with the bento box. It's a smoother tofu texture as well. Goes well with rice.+ Stewed beef noodle soup (5/5): our parents always get one of the beef noodle soups. Nice and comforting broth with good flavor, not too salty. Beef is tender, and there's a good portion. SERVICE + AMBIANCE //Plenty of seating inside, with space for larger groups. I love the decoration on the walls and around the restaurant - one side has a fun Mario-inspired wall decoration, and another side inspires memories of Taiwanese night markets.Service has been very kind every time we've eaten here."

Orange Square

★★★★☆ 4 (276) • $$

"The food here is always reliable and tasty! I love the braised pork bowl and they give enough food to have leftovers. The smiley face is also a plus! The popcorn chicken is also well seasoned. The watermelon juice is refreshing, but on the sweeter side so I recommend getting less sweet.This is for a take out order so can't speak to the actual service or restaurant ambiance. However the food is still good to go and they package it really conveniently. The food is also prepared pretty quickly from the restaurant."

Flaming Ox

★★★★☆ 4.4 (241) • $$

"After running in the cold for awhile, coming to Flaming Ox was def the move. Parking straight up sucks so good luck finding someone who's leaving. With this plaza so packed with other businesses and a gym... it's just chaos.In the chance you do find parking and manage to get into the restaurant, you'll be impressed at how packed it can get. We went on a Tuesday night and there was a crowd right after we got seated so consider us lucky.Their bowls are quite huge so I do recommend sharing a bowl with another person that way you can also share appetizers. We had gotten the Traditional Beef Noodle with Thin Noodles and Popcorn Chicken.When our bowl arrived, we noticed they had gave us Thick Noodles so we called a server over and he was able to change that out for us which was very appreciated since my girlfriend likes it thin. I don't know what kind of beef they use but one bite into it and it instantly melted in your mouth. Very tender and flavorful, the amount of beef too was generous.POPCORN CHICKEN..... HOLY S#*T, I'm coming back and ordering this FOREVER. SUPER CRISPY, like EVERY SINGLE BITE CRISPY. They even lightly crisp the basil so there's a nice crunch to it. More places need to get on this level."

Bento Express

★★★★☆ 4.4 (345) • $$

"Authentic~ for what it is Taiwanese bento experience. 5% Discount if you pay with cashIt was my first time, but if I were to come again I would get the combination entree and for the 4 sides: tofu strips, eggplant, pig ear, vermicelli noodle"

7 Noodles & Sizzling

★★★★★ 4.5 (67)

"One of my friend introduced this place to me honestly I am not fun of any Asian food:))) But this place is unbelievable!!!! I do not think any food can be more delicious than their foods ! Small family business and great place to be in ! Thank you"

MITK Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 (37)

"Soul satisfying Taiwanese soul food. Will definitely put you in a food coma, but it's not heavy or overly seasoned. I would call it elevated home cooking, But I definitely wouldn't be able to make any of it from my kitchen. I see why this spot is such a gem. Next to the storage lot - don't go into that parking lot like we did. Very busy on a Sunday at noon. Glad I called ahead to place an order yesterday. The number listed on Yelp is good. First time trying stinky tofu and they make that fresh while you wait - smells stinkier than it tastes. Really enjoyed the red pork - comes with fish cake, preserved veggies and corn/ham. Every bento felt like a complete meal. The pork pastry wasn't overly greasy - reminded me of dim sum with pastry dough. Check out their speciality Taiwanese pantry items - pricy but unique and good quality. Accepts cash, check or Zelle. Cc's have 3% charge"

Little Taipei Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (257) • $$

"Run down and grimey place serving Taiwanese/Chinese comfort food (mostly takeout). It didn't used to be like this...20 years ago haha. Pretty sure it has changed ownership many times since then. I am comfortable with my people taking some "liberties" in sanitation - taste is ok - otherwise I wouldn't recommend coming here. There are some baozi/bing laid out on a table uncovered, front door open. There are some plastic bags of rousong in plastic bags set on boxes by the bathroom. Tables are sticky. It's cash only, but you can Venmo the cashier's personal account, which is not shady at all. Next time I'm in the area I'd rather go to Amazing Basil next door!"

Joyheart Cafe

★★★★★ 4.6 (78) • $$

"Thank you Yelpers. This place is located deep in a business park. No where near regular retail areas but it has the best vegetarian food around. I think it's associated with the temple next door. In either case the food was both filling, delicious and very healthy. I didn't feel run down like I do eating fast food or a quick burrito. The staff is super friendly and it's quiet with plenty of parking. Place is clean, spacious and had a very strong zen feel. Overall, a wonderful find with many more visits to come."

Taiwan Porridge - Milpitas

★★★★☆ 3.8 (457) • $$

"I really like this place. It has been here for a long time. Good dishes to pick to eat with the yam and porridge. Very nice people."

Joy Dumpling

★★★★☆ 4 (216) • $$

"Called ahead for takeout the other day and it was a quick and easy experience. Operator spoke English as I ordered using the English description along with the alpha-numeric menu code.Food was ready upon arrival. Parking is plentiful in the private lot. Dining is available indoors exclusively.Started off with the beef noodle soup and it was tasty. The noodles were fresh and separated from the beef broth with several chunks of tender beef.Moved on to the green beans with salted eggs and it was ok. Some of the green beans were stringy though... The green onion chicken appetizer was decent although the chicken wasn't super fresh.$20/head for lunch. Pay cash. ;)"

Taiwan Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (447) • $$

"This place was recommended by the nice ladies at TECO, and it lived up to its reputation! Very authentic Taiwanese. We just wanted a simple meal and ordered based on the kids' preferences. We had the pork hock vermicelli noodle soup, popcorn chicken and egg fried rice, and it was all so tasty and flavorful! The kids gobbled up the popcorn chicken, it wasn't too spicy. Service was quick and the restaurant very clean."

Cafe Mei

★★★★☆ 4.2 (213) • $$

"Whenever I hear something from Taiwan is opening in the Bay Area you bet I'm excited! I go back to Taiwan every year to visit my grandparents and Taiwanese sandwiches were a staple for me growing up. While it's unclear whether they're part of the Cafe Mei franchise in Taiwan, their sandwiches are still just as good as the ones in Taiwan. The bread is so soft and moist! I've tried the Taro Pork Sung Sandwich and the Togo House Special Sandwich. I love almost anything taro, and the fresh taro complements perfectly with the pork sung. I would also recommend not toasting the Togo House Special Sandwich so you can enjoy the soft bread!I'd recommend ordering ahead or coming early as they're pretty popular especially around mealtimes, and they close at 2 PM. I do wish they were open longer!"

Taiwan Porridge - Fremont

★★★★☆ 3.8 (101) • $$

"This place is amazing. The food tastes great and the price is very reasonable especially if you get their specials. Unlimited porridge if you dine in. To order, just go to the front and pick out what you want along the line then find a seat and they'll bring the food out to you. Pay after you finish.Great for quick casual dinners whether for takeout or dine in."

Red Hot Wok

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"I love this place so much, so it's a shame I don't come here more often ! They have some super yummy Taiwanese food, and the inside of the restaurant has almost a rustic, shed-in-the-mountains kind of vibe, with communal seating. The service is okay, mainly people just trying to do their jobs. As it is a smaller establishment, you might have to wait a little while during peak times (dinners and weekend lunches). After I get a meal from this place, I also love ordering their shaved ice dessert that reminds me of Taiwan as well. Would highly recommend !"