MonGa Cafe
14603 NE 20th St,Ste 4-2, Bellevue, WA, 98007
MonGa Cafe Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Bellevue for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bellevue for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
14603 NE 20th St,Ste 4-2
Bellevue, WA, 98007 - Phone (425) 643-2295
- Website https://www.mongacafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Suzanne P.
I come to MonGa Cafe when I have a craving for Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup -- I get a mix of their beef and tendon and it is "melt in your mouth" tender. The noodles I think are made fresh and they are nice and chewy. Broth is very flavorful and you have the choice of getting it spicy or not. I'm also a fan of their - sliced spicy pig ear. Really takes me back to my childhood and I must say this is the best version of the side dish I've had in a LONG time. Unfortunately those are the only things I get at MonGa Cafe - the crispy chicken I can get better at Tapioca express; the spiced pork stew over rice while a BARGAIN, I can get better at Facing east; the crispy pork chop needed more flavor. Serving size was also small for the price. - one time we had the pork belly over rice and I think we only got 2-3 pieces of the pork belly. On a good note: service was friendly and fast and parking is always easy to find in the shopping mall. Will be back for my next beef noodle soup craving.
(3)Amos Y.
Went there for dinner. Place seemed fairly new and wasn't too crowded. Service was good. Got the beef noodle soup with shank, tendon, and tripe for $9. Tasted great. Broth had a nice rich beefy taste. You can also get a combo with two appetizers for $3 more. But I found the single bowl was enough to fill me. Also tried the shaved ice, which is pretty good. Flan topping is delicious (it's like a custard).
(3)Rosenna T.
Really awesome customer service, clean and modern decor and good legit Taiwanese food and drinks! Have been here three times now and the quality and quantity had been increasing every time i visit! Personal favorites: Popcorn chicken You know how some restaurants gave you this chicken with so much flour that you had to look for the chicken? Not here! The popcorn chicken were perfectly deep fried with just the right amount of flour! Beef noodle soup I didn't enjoy my beef noodle soup when I first visited, didn't think that the soup had enough taste to it and didn't like the noodles. But i can happily say that they totally upgraded both the soup and the noodles! The soup had a strong beef taste to it and the noodles were smooth and cooked perfectly! Shaved ice!!!!! Okay, you just have to have their shaved ice! They make their own red bean paste and flan! Cannot find that else where! Smoothie All their smoothies were made with fresh fruits! I talked to the owner and she said that she wants her customers to stay healthy ;) how sweet of her! Will totally come back!
(4)Orcas O.
This place might be good for Taiwanese comfort food, but do not order their drinks! The drinks are insanely expensive, and not much better than Regents or Tapioca Express on the east side. They don't even fill it up the top of the cup. So essentially you're getting 1/2 cup of tea that cost $4.00!
(1)Sandy L.
I can only order popcorn chicken to go for today as they don't have tea for any bubble tea beverage? The price is more expensive than their major competitor within 5 mins drive and tastes worse. You can say they may use less MSG or something, but food is bad and it is never healthy to eat out anyway. Even I stop by for grocery I will drive to Tapioca Express instead.
(2)Alice C.
As a Taiwanese person who hasn't been back to the island in six years, I was super psyched to see more little Taiwanese restaurants popping up around the Eastside. I came here with my family on Saturday for lunch. The place was pretty busy; all the tables full but the wait was only about 10 minutes. The place is very nicely decorated, with a modern design and not cramped at all. Service is good, but it took a while for our ordered food to arrive. We ordered: Popcorn chicken - one of the better I've had in Seattle! They don't skimp on the basil and the seasoning is perfect. Beef noodle soup - pretty good, but a tad salty. The soup base flavor is pretty legit. Beef tendon soup - my personal preference over beef noodle soup. Beef tendons are super yummy! Pork belly over rice - didn't get a taste of this because my brother scarfed it down so fast! Must be an indication of tastiness... Will definitely go back to try more of the menu!
(4)Ellie W.
I have been here three times so far. The food is not bad in general. I have ordered their Braised Pork over Rice with some side dishes, Fried Chicken Steak with Rice, and Rice noodle. All of them were OK. Once I went with a friend, who ordered their Beef Noodle with soup. My friend asked for 5 out of 5 spicy scale, and got a bowl of spices. I tried a bite, and couldn't tell the flavor. I couldn't tell what soup it was, but spices. Honestly, I think even if a customer asks for a very spicy scale they should still keep the original flavor. Tasting only spices was not what we had expected. Therefore, I would warn you if you are going to order the same thing with high spicy scale. Anything lower than 3 out of 5 spicy scale is probably safer. Other than food, the customer service was good. Everyone there was friendly and courteous. I am not a super fan, but probably will go back again.
(3)Thuy D.
Another Taiwanese joint in Bellevue. I thought the interior decor was quite cute and cozy. The staffs was attentive at first, but after we got all our food, it took them quite a while to get us our check then a much longer time for them to come pick up our credit card. Food was decent, we enjoyed our cold appetizers. However the main dish which was the beef noodle soup was a huge disappointment. The noodle was under cook, as much as I like my noodle to be a bit al dente, it could've been cook 30 sec more. The broth was very bland and needed much more seasoning. My favorite part of the evening was the shave ice, it was not overly sweet and I like the flan and mango topping the most.
(3)Ri B.
We stopped here for a quick snack. The food was spicy and tasty. Decor was simple. Service was good. Try their pork burger from their snack section.
(4)Laura F.
I've eaten here five times now and have gotten some mixed results. The quality does not seem to be consistent. For example, the first time couple times I ordered the Lu Rou Fan (braised pork over rice) and it was delicious, perfectly comforting and warming for a cold day. Next time I order it, the "pork" was all fat! How could they just chop up pork fat and expect that to be eaten? Sooo disappointing. Similar issue when eating the Niu Rou Mian (Beef Noodle Soup). One day the beef was tender and came right off, the next time it was tough. I really enjoy Taiwanese food but I'm afraid to come back here because I never know what I'll get!
(3)Ada L.
Food is very fresh and you definitely have to try their shaved ice!!!!!! Loved GAVE only 4 stars because the place is very small and can't really accommodate large party....
(4)Dayna C.
This place overall is ok; food is ok, interior is fine, prices are acceptable. Not bad but not great. Still, I had to give a review for the STAFF! Oh man! I ordered wonton (pork dumplings) with noodles in clear broth. There aren't enough veggies but about 4-5 wontons and a huge bowl of noodles to keep you going. Dude, when they say humble soup... they aren't kidding. It's almost bland but tastes more homemade than the usual restaurant msg soups, which is nice. You can always ask for their spicy condiment which comes in a tiny dish-- it's got pickled garlic and salted, chili oil which is perfect if you need a kick to your dishes! The price is maybe just a tad higher than I'd like it to be ($1-2 less and it would be nice). But whatever. I come here because it's conveniently located close to work and the place itself is nice and clean. The waiters have always been friendly and quick. The second time I came in during odd hours I was having a terrible day. I guess one of the waitresses noticed so she asked if I was ok. She was very sincere and kind. When I lifted my head off the table, she left me some chocolate pocky and told me to take care :) SO NICE. Extra star for her (think her name was Lee? Li?) :):) Thanks for saving the day.
(4)Matthijs D.
On my way home from this shopping plaza I thought I'd get some food to go. This place looked interesting. So I ordered some braised pork on rice. Pretty standard meal that should be tasty, no? The staff was nice enough and I got my food surprisingly quickly. However once I got home I was quickly disappointed. The food was suspiciously neatly laid out in a plastic bowl. It looked like a microwave meal. It was also not warm. So I warmed it up in my microwave. And then I noticed that the pork consisted of three strips of lard with microscopic strands of lean meat in between. Really, really gross. The other ingredients also looked unappetizing. I binned it and went out again to get something edible. There's lots of decent asian food places around here. This ain't one of them.
(1)A C.
5 stars for the delicious shaved ice!! Ok, their beef over rice is delicious too!
(5)Hai L.
Clean place and very good service. The food might be authentic, but the flavor is definitely on the plain side. Their red bean soup dessert is definitely NOT worth trying
(3)Flora C.
This is an authentic Taiwanese restaurant. That does not translate to automatic good food. The environment is clean and friendly. The overall food experience is good with an average food quality. Here is why: Taiwanese famous beef noodle does not live here. The broth is lack of character and flavor. The beef texture was tender but strangely no flavor. I am sure I am looking at a piece of beef but it does not taste like anything. The noodle was nothing special either. The fried chicken cuttlet and rice was good. The skin was crispy and tasty with balanced salt and pepper seasoning. The short grain rice selection was perfect. It is the kind of fluffy and semi transparent rice that is very eazy to eat bowl after bowl. Pricing wise, it is not expensive for this enviornment. Overall, this is a good to have restaurant around town without the wow factor. It is just fine for Greater Seattle. Tips: This is an extra friendly place for someone who has a lighter taste pallet.
(3)Tom C.
As a Taiwanese I hold these food sacred, so my standards might be too high for those who just wants some Chop Suey. I thought the pork dish was average to below average. (nothing fancy) and the pork chop, wow... can it get any thinner? Can't taste the meat. Overall, another Average to below average Taiwanese place similar to 101 down the street.
(3)Lucia h.
Good food , friendly service. what else can one expect from a neighborhood cafe. I was happy with items that were ordered. Hopefully they'll be consistent with the quality. Larger portion would have been better!
(4)Henry K.
The service and food we got here was horrible. The food when served was only lukewarm, the vegetable was a little sour. We suspect the food was spoiled. The staff that served us was unfriendly and have no idea about the menu items they have. That night after going back home, I spent almost 30 mins in the bathroom. I would not recommend anyone to this restaurant.
(1)Jo L.
Wow, this placed sucked in the service department. Cool, simple, IKEA style decor which was good because it felt clean. The food was fine, but not mind blowing. Portions were fine but could be slightly larger. I'm rating this place lower simply because the service. You can tell they are new at this and it really spoiled the experience. The food came at different times and our server didn't even remember what we ordered when she brought them out. There was only two of us...not that difficult! We also waited quite a while even when there were seats available which was quite annoying. Return? Probably not. I'll go to Facing East.
(3)Jacob W.
How exciting! More and more Taiwanese food places are opening around the Seattle area. Monga is located in a plaza that contains the Asian Food Center and now a few new restaurants including Swish Swish (shabu shabu place) and Smatcha (nice tea place) both of which I hope to try soon, but I digress as this review is about Monga! On a Sunday lunch shortly after opening they were about half full but by the time we were eating our food the restaurant had filled up almost completely. I had been told that the menu was a little limited, but was pleasantly surprised at the number of items that they had. It is true that they are limited to mostly rice and noodle dishes plus some appetizers so it is a fantastic for a quick lunch or a casual meal, but not for nice sit down dinner. They also have a selection of blended drinks and bubble tea! I was also pleased to see they have shaved ice, but no snow. Snow is ubiquitous in Taiwanese food places in Southern California but there is only one restaurant that serves it in Seattle as of now so not a big deal. The service and kitchen is efficient and on point, especially for just opening, and we were quickly seated, presented with menus and water, and they quickly came back to take our order. Now on to the food: Beef Noodle Soup with Shank/Tendon - The noodles and meat were cooked well in this dish, perfect amount of chew and exceeding tenderness respectively. Some reviews have stated that the broth isn't quite deep enough in flavor and/or richness. When the dish first hit the table I was ready to agree with the reviews as the color of the broth was quite light and didn't look like it would have the flavor or richness that makes beef noodle soup so good. However, after tasting it I found the broth to be very flavorful and a good amount of beefy richness (almost like it could be a pho broth but without the southeast Asian flavor profile). After a quick friendly chat with the owner regarding this dish I was informed that most restaurants used a soy sauce based broth when braising their beef, but this broth was different. Maybe it misses a bit of the umami flavors that soy would impart or maybe our eyes and mind tells us beef noodle soup has to be dark and brown to be good, but in my opinion this broth was good enough to convince me that it was OK. I'm sure eating more bowls will convince me even further! Note: This is not to be confused with the beef noodle soup in CLEAR broth which is a different dish and has a different flavor profile. I will have to try that next to see what the difference is! Wontons in spicy sauce - The wontons themselves were well made with tasty filling and the chili oil and seasonings are balanced well but the interesting twist is, peanut sauce! The peanut sauce is a nice foil to the more intense flavors of the chili oil and green onion garnish, with a resulting creaminess and slight sweetness that I enjoyed. Lu Rou Fan (Pork over Rice) - Great flavor, a little too oily but what can you do, it's pork belly! Wish it came with a little bit more meat for a better ratio of rice to meat. Also, would have been nice to have some pickled daikon or other vegetable in addition to the cilantro garnish. I think it would have been able to contrast with and mitigate the heaviness of pork belly. Overall, a fantastic start and I look forward to trying more! Four stars for now!
(4)Jessica W.
Yay! a cheaper version of Facing East = I'm a happy camper. The first time we went, I got the ru rou fan combo - comes with rice and pork, 2 sides that you can pick from (I really like the bamboo and the tofu), and soup. Pretty good deal IMO. Second time we came here, I got the beef noodle soup with flank AND tendon. I thought the meat was really tender and delicious but the soup base was pretty bland. Even compared to Tapioca Express's beef noodle soup (which is ok), this was meh at best. However, I also ordered the spicy wontons with peanut sauce, which was delicious!! This consisted of a bowl of yummy wontons drenched in hot chili oil and dipped in peanut sauce. I loved it. Also ordered the shaved ice - omg yum! Got the 3 item combo with taro, mango, and mochi balls. I think they charged extra for the mochi balls for some reason but it was well worth it. We devoured that shaved ice :) If you like taiwanese food, this place is definitely worth a try.
(4)Graydon M.
Well, let me start out that I'm no expert on Taiwanese food. I've eaten quite a bit of it and have even been to Taiwan but I wouldn't call myself an expert. The food here was ok in my experience. Nothing to write home about. I wish I could say more about it. A Taiwanese friend of mine liked the décor because he said it reminded him of his childhood. We had the beef noodle soup and it was alright. The service was slow and I got the impression that if my friend hadn't stopped to ask them about being served in Chinese then I would have probably sat for a while longer before they got around to taking my order. Would I go back - if someone asked me to then I would but not if I had to pick the place. There are plenty of better places around.
(3)Stan L.
service is slow as heck.. but they have a decent beef noodle soup.. there are better places in the ID or in bellevue but this place will do in a pinch.. prices are also very reasonable
(3)Susan C.
service is super slow. food is decent, but nothing spectacular. had to tell the server we were ready to order. appetizer came when we were almost finished both our meals. also had to ask for a check and takeout box for the appetizer which we barely touched. ordered popcorn chicken, pork belly and rice, and pork chop rice. pork chop rice was a bit too salty for my liking. pork belly was average. and popcorn chicken was average as well. also found the food a bit too greasy for my liking.
(2)Thom K.
Wow! Incredible broth. Try the signature Beef Noodle Soup. And for the brave, Pigs Ear and Seaweed sides. Surprisingly good.
(4)Vivian C.
If you like Facing East, you will like this place. I especially enjoy their package deals. The size of their pork sauce over rice (ru-ro fan) is only $2.99 and comes small. It's perfect size for my daughter. I also enjoy their shaved ice and stuffed jalapeño!.
(4)S C.
Great casual Taiwanese restaurant. My family enjoys going here when we're in the area (when we go grocery shopping at the Asian Food Center across the plaza). Their menu is simple, not overwhelming. We love getting the combos, which are probably the best value on the menu; we love choosing from the variety of side dishes. And you can swap out any of the beef noodle soups (tendon bns, for example) for the beef noodle soup combo. Avocado smoothie was really good - but later realized I could make them at home, and they're easy to make. The place is brightly lit and clean, which is a big plus for me. Service is a bit slow, but the staff are very considerate. The last time we went, we brought our two year old goddaughter. She accidentally spilled her water and started crying, so the manager brought over a wafer cookie for her. Another time, when we had gone there 2x in one week, they remembered us, and remembered our order....
(4)K B.
First impression, sign was made very fancy compared to other ones relatively close to it. The team members inside were nice, greeted me very simply. Ordered some to go and the food was delicious, it didn't have very much taste, but it was not as oily as other Taiwanese restaurants. The prices are quite low compared to other Bellevue stores so you can buy a bit more than other restaurants.
(4)Annabel L.
Their noodles are fantastic! I am also a huge fan of their boba milk tea! definitely worth trying!
(4)Maple C.
Based on what the family and I ordered the other day, the food and drinks fell into two categories: good and probably not going to order that dish again! I got the pork belly over rice, and that was pretty darn good. The bowl you get is huge - even larger than what I use at home, which is fine by me because I freaking love rice, and I would die without carbs. The shaved ice dessert is good too. We got it with the rice balls, taro and flan. It can get a little sweet, so beware! I didn't get to try the pork feet or the pork ears, but my family seemed to like it just fine. :) I did not particularly care for the duck feet - it didn't really taste like anything even though it looked like it was covered in a tasty looking sauce. Also, from what my brother in law said, the soup you can get as a side for one of the combos wasn't that great either. The soup was scalding hot from all of the oil in the broth, but the actual contents of the soup was lukewarm. That's kind of weird, huh? The name of the drink my husband order escapes me at the moment, but it had pineapple and banana in it. Please don't order that unless you happen to like baby food, because that's what the consistency of the drink was like. It was like banana flavored, apple sauce looking baby food. .....yummy.....? We actually had pretty decent service, although they did forget the two drinks initially. Besides that, everyone was pretty attentive, and it was easy to get help. I think I'll go back because I want to try the pork trotters (it takes HOURS to make yourself), but we'll see when I actually make it back here again.
(3)Carolyn T.
This place is pretty good. I went here for lunch and ordered the beef noodles. It was slightly salty and not as flavorful as what i'm used to at other places. Their popcorn chicken is very delicious and their "small" shaved ice is huge! Would definitely come back for those two things!
(4)Cindy C.
To start off, I would rate my experience with their shaved ice alone as 5 stars. It's the best shaved ice i've had so far in Seattle - better than Din tai fung, and Facing east. They put so much care into making it - layering in sweetened condensed milk into soft packed ice and packing in the toppings so every surface area is covered - they definitely do not skimp you on the toppings. They typically have a seasonal fruit, tang yuan, boba, peanut, red bean, etc. Good enough that my friend and I are coming in winter to eat this. You can also order it for take out - they have a bowl that makes it travel very well if you live within 10 min of MonGa. As for their food - I would give it 4 stars because it's food that reminds me of home. It's yummy food that is well flavored without being too rich. Things that you'd like when you want something simple, when you're cold, or when you just want something that feels like home. I've had their beef noodle, liu xio fan, zen noodles, bean noodles, etc. The liu xio fan is still better at facing east, but MonGa's is better than little taipei and taipioca express. Best part, IMO, is when you get a combo and get 2 sides with it. My favs are the tofu stripes that are marinaded in soysauce and garlic, as well as the pigs ear. There not many places around seattle that have pigs ear, and this place does it very well. I also really like the service here. It might not always be the fastest, but they put care and respect in what they do. They'll serve my friends and I when we come in 10 min before close for shaved ice. They'll serve you your water with two hands - small things, plus good food, like this make me really hope they succeed
(5)Carl L.
The food is ok, not the greatest. The only thing that shines at this place is the appetizer. Return: maybe
(3)Daisy J.
This is an authentic Taiwanese restaurant, great Yang-Chun noodle soup, crispy 5 spices pork chops, and the braised fried tofu makes me miss Taiwan's street food. Definitely will come back and try more dishes. Great waiter and services!!!
(4)Eleanor S.
I've been here twice and service was decent. I ordered the vegetarian combo the first time. The side dishes were very good but the soupy noodles were too plain. We mentioned it so next time that may be improved. The second time I ordered pig trotters which was veeeeery good: portion was big and it was tasty. Glad to have one more Chinese option in Bellevue that is easy to find parking when compared with Facing East.
(4)James C.
Friendly and quick service, especially for someplace that just opened. The framed pictures on the wall from Taiwan are fantastic. Now food: The Good: Stewed pork over rice was authentic in size and taste. A slight bit more oily than I like, but good. A dash more pork per serving would make it better. Stuffed peppers: very tasty and unique. Side dishes: the bamboo shoots and the stewed tofu were good and tasty. The beef plate is also very good. The so so: Pork chop rice. $9 for a small rice, and a small pork chop. The flavor is OK, but I rather goto Cafe Ori or Facing East for it. The pork chop bento at Tapioca express is a much better deal. The beef noodle soup was a bit of a disappointment. The soup was not quite rich enough. Facing East or DTF is better. Pork Burger: flavor profile was there, but the cut of pork was really fat. Again, Facing east has the edge. Summary, this place has promise, but needs a bit more work. The side dishes were great and unique, but I do hope that the rice plates and noodles gets a bit more love, or just get MORE.
(3)Kevin P.
The food is decent and a decent price. I still like facing east better when i compare the stewed pork over rice.
(3)Steve Y.
Service was notably slow - plenty of vacant tables, but waitstaff didn't move quickly to seat more people. Once seated, ~25 minute wait for 2 bowls of mediocre noodles. Broth was oily and flavorless. Meat was good but overly seasoned. Noodles had a good texture but were also somewhat flavorless. Poor value at $11 a bowl, esp. considering the relatively small portions.
(2)Steven L.
Clean, decor OK. But sub-standard food, both 排骨飯 and åŠç‰›åŠç‹éºµ not flavorful. No é¯è‚‰ in the 排骨飯. Would not recommend.
(1)seb t.
We can never have too many restaurants in Bellevue. The more the merrier! Several friends all agree that so far the portion is small for the price you pay. Like others have said, the Beef Noodle Soup is a downer. Fried Chicken over Rice - chicken tastes good but leaves lots of grease on the bottom of the plate. Still room for improvement but a good start. One issue: We went there on 7/22 Monday and it was closed for no reason.
(3)Amy L.
I have been to this place for several times. Generally both the taste and presentation of food is good, people are nice and friendly and the restaurant is always kept clean and tidy. If you're looking for simple and traditional Taiwanese food this is the place. I'm not sure how old this business is but they seem to have trouble dealing with busy hours on weekends. The service was very slow during busy hours, which didn't make sense to me as it's not a big restaurant and they have a pretty straight forward menu. So I avoid visiting in busy hours especially on weekends.
(3)Tom W.
What I like: -Pork chop rice. The minced pork gravy was very tasty. Pork chop is good. My favorite dish so far. -Shaved ice. Ice is shaved well and the toppings are great - especially the rice balls. It is also cheaper than Facing East. -Friendly service Stuff that are so-so: -Braised beef noodle. The flavor isn't as good as Chef Hungs. -The dry noodle with pork. Again flavor isn't as good as Chef Hungs.
(4)Leon C.
Good location, comfortable interior, underwhelming food. Tried the Taiwanese beef noodle soup and the fried chicken steak over rice. For the noodle soup, the broth lacked flavor besides saltiness. No taste of beef in the soup whatsoever. The beef itself had little consistency in terms of chewiness. Some pieces were extremely tender while others were overcooked and difficult to chew. Sadly, the extremely tender pieces no longer retained their original beefy flavor. Also, where were the veggies that typically go with the noodle soup? The fried chicken steak over rice was a slightly better experience than the noodle soup. Chicken (breast) was fried evenly, not too oily. Quality of rice was good; cooked well. The only complaint here is the lack of the marinated soft-boiled egg that typically comes with this chicken/rice dish. The egg was replaced by salad, not as "special" in my opinion. With other Taiwanese places in Bellevue, this is one that I would not prioritize. Try the others first!
(2)Charity D.
What can I said about this place : cozy, clean, professional waitress, delightful food. The Price is good & reasonable ! I do not see over price on the menu. I discovered this place by accident . My ordered - combo pork over rice, there two side dishes and soup comes with it. wonderful. I will go back to try more dishes !
(4)Feiya S.
Really disappointing. The food is very very mediocre, service not particularly friendly or experienced, a bit overpriced. Its just not particularly anything. The decor of the restaurant is pretty nice though.
(2)Jen W.
My favorite place for Taiwanese shaved ice. From the flan to strawberries to the condensed milk and sugar syrup and all the other different usual toppings. Delish! Other food is pretty good too, on par with other Taiwanese restaurants in the area, although Facing East still has a leg up. Service is very nice. They are not the fastest but they are really sweet even if you come in during their busier times just for shaved ice. Be warned it does take time to create the shaved ice dessert that is like a work of art, so have patience.
(5)Joey L.
Can't get anymore Taiwanese with the food they have! A good place to go if you want a true taste of Taiwanese dish
(4)Austin T.
This is a really solid little Taiwanese restaurant. They have all the classics like 滷肉飯(Lu-Rou Fan), 排骨飯 (Fried pork chop with rice), 牛肉麵 (Beef noodle soup), and many more entrees and appetizers. They also have shaved ice -- which is always a favorite. I always get the Monga combo, which is lu-rou fan with two appetizers and meatball soup (貢丸湯). I love their pig ear appetizer -- it has the perfect amount of spice and is sliced nice and thin. The lu-rou fan is excellent. It has quite a bit of fatty meat, but it tastes really authentic. The shaved ice can be really sweet, but I usually ask for less condensed milk which makes it a lot less of a sugar overload. Their food seems to be a little oily, but most Chinese dishes are. The prices are definitely not what you'd find in Taiwan, but are pretty on-par with other restaurants on the east side.
(4)Connie O.
This place has amazing, authentic Taiwanese food. It reminds me of some of the stuff my mom used to make for me when I was a kid. Highly recommend the beef noodle soup! The combo is even better since you get two side dishes. If you're feeling adventurous, try the pig ear! It has an interesting texture, but it's a great contrast to the soup flavors, making it a great combo. You also can't go wrong with the shaved ice! It's amazing. 3 toppings is good enough, if you get 5, you just get 2x more ice, and a variety of toppings. With 3 toppings the ice and toppings are proportional so you don't have anything left over.
(5)Liane L.
Average. It's a hit or miss when it comes to their menu. - Pork burger: 5 stars. Juicy pork belly, a heap of pickled vegetables and crushed peanuts (ask for no nuts if you're allergic!) - Beef noodle soup: 3 stars. Nothing spectacular, but I was disappointed to find only beef brisket when I specifically ordered tendon and tripe. - Pork chop noodle soup: 4 stars for the pork chop, 2 stars for the noodle. The pork chop is breaded with a flavorful crust and to my surprise, very juicy. As for the noodle soup, there is absolutely no flavor. - Hot oil wonton: 0 stars. This dish is made with a boatload of peanut sauce! I would've known better than to order it if the menu had stated it contained peanuts! - Shaved ice: 4 stars. I always choose an order of the homemade flan, red bean and rice balls! It doesn't come with enough condensed milk, so I always order extra for 50 cents. - Milk tea w/boba: 1 star. Not sweet and definitely not worth $4.95. I'll be back for the pork burger and shaved ice, but not for their lunch or dinner items.
(3)Cathy P.
Wonderful service! Delicious food. And modern decor. Love the photos on the wall too. I had the popcorn chicken which came with veggies, an egg and pork and rice. Loved it! My non-Asian friend who came with me - enjoyed her food very much as well! Will definitely come back.
(5)Elizabeth L.
Essentially a cozier, understated cousin to Facing East - MonGa has the shortlist of Taiwanese classic eats: - TW beef noodle soup (niu rou mien): classic hong shao with a little kick (not too spicy per standard TW palate) - veggie yang chun noodle with clear broth: a simple yet flavorful noodle soup, if you're craving a lighter option - beef rice (lou rou fan): this is all about the sauce (zi), and MonGa does no wrong The entrees are great, but MonGa apps almost steal the show - simple dishes done well: - pickled cucumbers (hsiao huang gua): marinated in vinegar/ - bean curd: so good!! delicate and not too hard, well-seasoned - pig feet (zu jiao): comfort food at its finest, protein heaven - pig ear: a tasty snack - other veggie sides are also spot-on: seaweed salad, braised napa, bean sprouts A great standby on the East side! Recommend checking it out :)
(4)Delfina G.
All I gotta say is that shaved ice is to die for. The flan on top is one of the best flan I have ever tasted, so smooth and creamy. I would just go to MonGa for shaved ice, this is going to be a hit spot for me to go to in the coming warmer days that's for sure. The service is great as well. Very friendly and clean place.
(4)Bert V.
I come here for one specific dish: Braised Pork Stew over rice with a braised egg. Truly comfort food, Taiwanese-style. Delicious fatty & meaty slices of pork belly on a bed of rice with veggies. Mmmmm it melts in your mouth and makes you forget about all your problems. This dish is consistently good everyone I come here. Ask for a bit of chili sauce on the side and you're golden. Decent service and the food always comes out quick so it's great if you're in a rush for a quick bite.
(4)Kim L.
I would give this 3 stars. Their shaved ice in my previous review was bomb, but I came here to get some milk tea. To add boba/tapioca, it costs $1.00!! I was like what?! And it comes in a much smaller cup like 16 oz I believe, not your average 20 oz size. So 4 stars for shaved ice, 2 stars for their milk tea. I still haven't tried any of their food yet.
(3)Kennly A.
I'd really like to give this 3.5 stars, but will round down since they messed up my order and didn't seem to care. This is located next to a hot pot place (Swish Swish) and also next to a tea place. We initially went in to try the shaved ice, but decided to stay and have dinner first. We ordered the vegetarian special which came with sesame noodles, seaweed salad, and braised tofu. We also got the zeitgeist combo. Not sure why a Taiwanese restaurant is using a German name, but ok. The best dish for me was their sesame noodles, although it was a one note kind of dish and didn't have the same complex flavors as the one at din tai fung. The other 2 dishes were ok. Service was ok, and at times a little surly. I had asked for no ice in my $3 soda since it was freezing outside and we would get hit with a gust of wind each time the door opened, but of course they still put ice in my drink. I really wish they would have more bubble tea options. My sister had to order a $5 smoothie and then pay an extra $1 to get boba inside. I'd come back here for their shaved ice, which I thought was pretty good - mochi, boba, and some kind of jelly were all delicious. I'd go somewhere else for dinner, though. Parking is really easy since it's in a strip mall with other restaurants and markets.
(3)Anh L.
We walked out...terrible service due to very disorganized staff. They should learn how to do a service....appetizers actually comes out first....
(1)Jessica C.
I love this little gem in Bellevue. I've had their shaved ice twice and each time it's been awesome! I had a few side appetizers and they are really flavorful. I'm totally looking forward to returning for more food. The service is really fast and pleasant too. Phewww!
(5)Janet Y.
We only came for dessert, but I wouldn't be opposed to coming back for food! The place was super cute and reminded me of authentic Taiwanese cafes you find in California. I was really craving shaved ice, and MonGa Cafe's didn't disappoint. Plus, I thought the $6.99 price tag was fair. We got a small order (enough for 2-3 to share) and 3 toppings. Te mochi ball, red bean, and flan made for a dynamic combo. We initially ordered fresh fruit, but they had run out. The server suggested flan, and I'm glad she did-- it was really delicious!
(4)Serena Y.
Rating the desserts only** It's Mother's Day! Well, it was yesterday. After dinner, the fambam decided to come here for their shaved ice dessert. First things first, parking is great! There is a huge private lot for the nearby stores as well! It's pretty good! We ordered the shaved ice with grass jelly with strawberry pieces as well as a shaved ice with mango and taro (not pictures). It wasn't too sweet and it hit the spot! A great conclusion to this special celebrated day for mothers:)
(4)Chrystina S.
I came to try their Beef noodle soup. I was not impressed. I chose spicy level 3 and I'm glad the waitress warned me of the spiciness before she placed my order because it was perfect, any spicier I would have died. I was expecting a bold beef flavor but unfortunately, the soup was really bland. All I could taste was the bitter chili seeds and barely any beefy flavor. The portion was also very small for $10/bowl, the beef flank was tender and moist, but again, only 2-3 pieces of meat :( You can create your own noodle soup bowl with different flavor broth and ingredients. Noodles were very good. The noodles were thin wheat noodles, it was very smooth, definitely store bought and not hand made. It tasted almost like Japanese ramen to me. I added a flavor egg to my soup, gotta have an egg. As an appetizer, I had the fried pork chop, 1 piece of fried pork chop slithered into bite size pieces. The breaded panko crispy and crunchy, not too thick or greasy. Meat was tender and juicy. Lastly, I had their milk green tea. It's freshly brewed hand shaken milk tea, so smooth and refreshing on any day. Next time I'll come back to try other dishes and their shaved ice dessert.
(3)Jack P.
Horrendous service. Have given this place two chances, and on each they have failed to deliver.
(2)Chih-Yun H.
We ordered a bunch of their small cold dishes - bean sprouts, braised duck wings, sliced pig ears, cucumbers, and the bean curd with fungus and carrots. For food we ordered the lu rou rice, pig trotters and noodles with bean sauce. All the dishes had a good flavor that reminded me of Taiwan - not exactly like Taiwan (nothing comes close), but close and was comforting to my Taiwanese soul. The shaved ice wasn't bad either.
(4)Elizabeth Q.
This is pretty much my go to place when I'm in the area now. It's a cute restaurant that has a modern yet family orientated feel with the photos on the wall. I'm still bringing first timer friends and they're always surprised that such a cute restaurant is tucked away here! Amazing food and excellent service. The staff are very sweet and accommodating. I'm still exploring the rest of the menu but my favorites are the lu-rou (r1), pork burger (s1), popcorn chicken (s3) and the wontons in spicy oil (s7). Above all the shaved ice is easily my favorite thing on the menu. I wish this place was closer to my place so I can eat there more!
(5)Eneri S.
Had the pork sandwich, tendon noodle soup and their featured noodle soup (can't look up the name, their website is under construction). All were spot on. For dessert, we had the shaved ice and it was so flavorful. We ordered the large with 5 toppings and flan. Waitress was very upbeat and helpful as it was our first time there.
(5)Charlene L.
I love the fact that more Taiwanese places are popping up! Although this is not where you'll find the ever tasty juicy pork dumpling, you will find favorites such as fried chicken, stewed pork over rice, and beef noodle soup. Compared to Facing East, their prices are MUCH MUCH lower than F.E. Smaller crowd (but then again still new so that could change), cheaper prices, and fried chicken that's BETTER than FE!! However, one thing that I wasn't fond of was their stewed pork over rice.. FE wins there! Looking for some tasty shaved ice after dinner? Check! MonGa has it and I love the fact that they have mochi as a topping too! Huge parking, low prices, and just enough to keep me coming back. 3.5 stars in my book! :)
(3)Lawrence L.
The shank is having consistency issues. My first bite was too chewy.
(2)Millie T.
It's really delicious and very Taiwanese! I'd say that's authentic! Every time I go to Seattle, I'll visit their restaurant where is my wonderland and home town!
(5)Abdullah A.
Great pork burger with very tender, succulent pork. Rivals the benchmark set by Facing East. Good popcorn chicken too. My friend brought takeout over and it took her almost 40 minutes due to traffic, however the chicken was still crispy.
(4)KC C.
It has a smaller menu than Facing East but the food is good and no wait. If I crave for Taiwanese food or shave ice, it will be my first stop.
(4)Jenn N.
Great little Taiwanese eatery. This is my go to place when I need some Taiwanese in Bellevue. The people are always friendly and so accommodating. They have all the Taiwanese classics, and I have a soft spot for their lou rou fan and popcorn chicken. Love their shaved ice for dessert! They also have the sweet soup options for dessert and would be great during the winter time. If Facing East is too crowded and the wait is too long, you really should have come here in the first place. It's comfort food at its best.
(5)jana h.
This place reminds me most of flushing, NYbecause the small Taiwanese dishes are so flavorful and delicious. Very warm hosts and owners. My father introduced me to this place on my first day moving here. Great Yums. My son and the international students from Asia who are staying with us love the food too. We're fans!!!
(5)Quyen Q.
Pretty good Taiwanese food. Like a cheaper version of Facing East. Not as good as Facing East, but when we don't want to wait 1hr for a table, we go here. There's still a wait some nights, but much quicker. All the noodles and rice dishes are good, especially the Ro-Fan (stewed pork rice). Love the popcorn chicken. Cold appetizers are OK. Shaved Ice is great. Service is usually pretty good.
(4)Steve C.
Been there three times. Most dishes are 70% authentic/good.
(3)Bob H.
Wife and I were in the area after a Circus Solie show. We decided on an early dinner at this place after reading reviews on Yelp. Overall impression is 2.5 Star if in Los Angeles. For the Seattle area, I'm generously giving them a 3. Not Bad, but nothing to Yelp about. Not in the same class as Facing East. There is a reason why no lines here and always a wait at FE. We ordered the beef shank and tendon noodle soup combo with our choice of pig's ear and bamboo shoots. We also ordered pork belly bun, spicy won-ton, and finished with shaved ice. The soup flavoring was ok. Disappointed with the noodles. All of the Taiwan noodle houses in LA and Vancouver/Richmond offered differed choices of noodles. Not here. Very bland basic noodle. For the price charged, I was expecting hands torn noodles. The pork bun was Ok. However, not as good as FE. The won-ton was not so good. It was in a gooy peanut based sauce which masked the flavor of the wontons if they had any to start with. Texture was bad. Seemed over cooked or the sauce made it mushy. Another bad tasting item was the bamboo shoot as a side dish. It still had that tinny canned hint to it. Seem not much effort to rising prior to seasoning them. We made a point to save room for the shaved ice. From comments and photos by other reviewers, this should be the highlight of our meal. Unfortunately, not. We ordered the "small". It came in a good sized bowl filled with shaved ice. For sure enough for two. However, at $6.99, one should get more than couple of teaspoons of red beans, taro, and a miserly drizzle of sweeten condense milk. The flan was ok, but the taro was a disappointment. Both the red beans and taro were under cooked and lacked "seasoning" (Surgar and Spices). The service was good and the waitress gave us good recommendations and was attentive to our dining needs. Unfortunately the kitchen just fell short of expectations. Lastly the prices seemed high and the portions small. For lower prices, we had far superior Taiwanese food in LA, Richmond, and Brooklyn. Not likely to return until we tried Little Taipei or even the East Indian place and the Hunan place in the same mall.
(3)Gabriel C.
Let's clarify, this is shaved ICE not snow. Shaved ice is more similar to the ice used in hawaiian shaved ice, while shaved snow is shavings off an ice block. Came with a group of 8 and the large shaved ice (~$10) sufficed for a small post meal snack. The toppings we ordered were taro (4/5), grass jelly (3/5), mango (2/5), flan (4/5), and red bean (3/5). Would definitely say as a whole the toppings were delicious, but it seemed that the condensed milk was lacking.
(3)Kevin Y.
The service was fantastic even in a busy day. The menu was easy to read with reasonable price. The store is super clean unlike other asian restaurant! We ordered the popcorn chicken, beef noddles soup and fried chicken meal. It was more than satisfying. The noodle soup and meal was great. The pop corn chicken wasn't out of the world... But overall very great experience. Would come back again!
(5)Dan L.
We had a bunch of dishes and ate it all, family style. The shaved ice desert was the best finish. I don't know what is the beef broth from the soup we ordered, but it was the most flavorful broth I have had in a while. I am now a big fan of Taiwanese food.
(4)Monica C.
Taiwanese food is one of my favorites! I was very excited to try this place out because it has all the dishes I fell in love with; pork burgers, braised pork over rice and even shaved iced! I stopped by here the other day to try it out, pricing and portions are fair but I think the flavors are lacking which is why it's a three star spot as opposed to a four star. I've been here twice and both times, I sampled off of other people's dishes to get a feel of what's available so I think I kind of have a good overview of the dishes here. I did the lunch combination which came with pork over rice, meatball soup and two side dishes. I chose pork ears and shoyu eggs as my side dishes, there's a handful of items to choose from including seaweed, pickled cabbage, etc. I was actually pretty full and was happy with the amount of food for the money. However, I was expecting the pork over rice to be more savory, it was bland and wasn't very flavorful. It definitely was cooked down to a great consistency but was lacking which was why I was a bit disappointed. The meatball soup is very standard, the broth was light but again, not very satisfying. It tasted a bit too watered down, the meatball wasn't very tender. They looked homemade though so that's a plus. I did really like the side dishes - I LOVED the braised pig ears which was my favorite thing. I got through the entire thing, it was tender and spicy. I kept going back to it -if there is one thing you get here, try this! I don't know what the refill policy is but this is a MUST TRY. It had heat and a touch of sesame oil and I liked eating it with rice. Plain and simple! The second time I stopped by I had the braised beef noodle soup w/ pig ears and picked cucumbers. Again with the pig ears... I know lolol. Although the beef was tender, I didn't think the broth it was served in, did it any justice. Which made me very sad considering I am a sucker for a good bowl of noodle soup. The noodles were an udon-like consistency, there was a lot of noodles but the flavors did not deliver. I guess it's meant to be a more plain bowl of noodles - it literally just had noodles, two pieces of beef, and green onions. Don't get me wrong, the bowl looks extremely appetizing BUT the broth was a complete let down because there was no hints of beefy-goodness. This would be great if there were more seasonings, but the beef flavor was very very faint, and the aroma wasn't as enticing as you might think considering this dish was labeled as such where it's cooked for hours. I sampled a piece of popcorn chicken from my friend, it wasn't as good as some other places where I've had this snack. Lightly seasoned with salt, with barely any five spice powder. I SO want to give this place a better review because it's definitely cute and popular but I have to stick with it and be honest about the food. I didn't get to try the drinks but at $5 for milk teas/iced teas I thought this was stunningly expensive because I believe this excludes toppings? I'll keep an eye out on this place, I might give it another go some other time!
(3)Stephanie Y.
I love Taiwanese food and this place is definitely good! I've been getting the monga combo recently cause it comes with the perfect amount of food: a big bowl of stewed pork over rice, meatball soup and two appetizers of your choice. I do with their menu had a bit more selection but overall this is a great place to visit for a quick meal.
(4)Sourcer M.
This is facing east on a budget... if anything, it's got better service than facing east
(5)Hana L.
Randomly decided to come in after doing some shopping nearby with my mom. We were pleasantly surprised by the great food, even greater service, and overall had a wonder experience. The interior is modern yet has this historical touch with all these old photos on the walls. It was very cute! We ordered the beef noodle soup, duck/chicken feet appetizer, and braised pork on rice to share. First of all, I don't usually eat chicken feet....I...I just can't. -___- but the smell and flavor from this version was quite enticing! Tried it and it was surprisingly delicious! Ate a couple more but let my mom have the rest (it was HER dish). The beef noodle soup was perfectly spiced and had a delicious, rich, beefy flavor. Noodles were perfectly cooked and chewy. We made ours pretty spicy and it really hit the spot! The braised pork on rice was decent. Also very flavorful was very cheap for a hearty size bowl (I believe it was $3?). Could have used more pork but I understand that it's just the nature of the dish. Overall, it was yummy and my mom and I spent some good, quality mommy-daughter bonding time! ^^
(4)Ratish K.
First visit to Vietnamese cuisine and they were very welcoming. Great hospitality in explaining us the menu, serving us by mixing the food as well! Taiwanese cuisine is different and mainly dry. Popcorn chicken was the best we ever had.crispy chicken with excellent home made sauce. We ordered both of the vegetarian noodles, the one with the peanut sauce did not suit us well.the second one was really good. The waiter mixed the red chili sauce too! The entree chicken drumstick was good with chicken being crispy.
(3)Christina K.
[Dine-In] Drink your water sparingly if you have to because your cup of water may take a while to be refilled. Otherwise, the service was great -- I enjoyed the decor and ambiance. However, if you're not a fan of kids crying and screaming in the background, I would recommend going here at non-busy hours. Based on my own preference, I like places where I can slurp my noodles without a 2 year old having an emotional breakdown and parents running around in crisis mode. The food was OK but I felt that there was something missing. Maybe a pinch of salt? I just can't put my finger on it. On the other hand, their side dishes are great and flavorful and pairs well with the main dishes. I also ordered the spicy wontons which had a unique spin. I discovered that they used a peanut sauce with the chili oil. It was unexpected and threw my taste buds for a loop. However, it wasn't bad nor great. My personal preference would probably be Din Tai Fung's spicy wontons. Dishes ordered: Beef noodle soup with pig ear and mini cucumber side dishes, spicy wontons
(3)Jonathan A.
I almost always get the beef noodle soup here. My personal preference is for the clear broth, but the original and spicy broths are also tasty. They don't skimp on the meat and the noodles have a great consistency. MonGa offers a wide selection of side dishes, most of which are available as part of their combos. My go-to is the "Zeitgeist" (beef noodle soup combo) with pig ears and seaweed salad. Pro-tip: With the Zeitgeist combo, you can sub in any of the beef noodle soup variants on the menu.
(4)Kim M.
My kids are very picky and my kids love their noodles soup. I recommend their fried chicken drum stick with noodles soup.
(4)Tony L.
If I could, I would rate MonGa as 3 1/2 stars. We stopped by on a Friday night, and the place wasn't very busy. The decor looks pretty new, and the wait staff was very friendly. Since we just wanted something quick and easy, we just oredered a few dishes: Combo set B?: Beef noodle soup with two side dishes. This dish was pretty good, and it came with two cold side dishes. Good way to warm up from a cold night. Popcorn chicken: I always love fried chicken with fried basil leaves. They add a little spice to the chicken as well. Lu Rou Fan (braised pork over rice): This dish was pretty good at only $2.99. Eaten wih the popcorn chicken, it makes a relatively cheap meal. Overall, I would come back if I was in the area. My standard for Taiwanese food on the Eastside is Din Tai Fung or Facing East, but MonGa is a good alternative if you don't want to wait in line.
(3)Vanna P.
My husband and I went to try this place on Valentine's Day. I called the day before to make reservations just in case it was going to be busy. When we arrived, we arrived right when they opened and were the first ones, so it wasn't that necessary to make the reservations, but better safe than sorry! We ordered the pig ear and bean curd wrap for appetizer which were delicious! I liked both of them. The pig ear was thinly sliced and had good spicy flavor and the bean curd wrap was refreshing. Then, we ordered the pork burger, popcorn chicken with rice, and the Taiwanese beef noodle soup. Out of all of them, I would say the popcorn chicken was my favorite! Mmmm...we also had the Beautiful Mermaid (taro) smoothie, which was just okay for me. It was more icier than I would have liked. Then, to end with dessert, we ordered the small combo shaved iced. The small combo came with 3 choice toppings. We got red bean, mochi, and boba. OMG YUM! It was SO good. The mochi balls were the best! I am definitely coming back to try different foods and definitely getting the shaved ice again!!
(4)Nathasha S.
Okay, so I'm such a fatty. I came here for a quick lunch break, ordered their popcorn chicken with noodle soup (they actually just substituted it - $9.99). But I have to say that their portions are HUUGEEEE. The noodle soup came in this huge bowl with lots of soup, some vegetables & a different kind of noodle than you would buy at a store so I was happy with it. Then there was a big plate of popcorn chicken with pickled cucumbers & carrots, half an egg and some bok choy. It is definitely enough food to share between 2 people but I guess I was just super duper hungary. lol I would come back again to try other things though! A little pricey, but the portions make up for it. As of now, I'm a fan. :)
(4)Kay N.
We came here randomly and thought we should give this place a try. I didn't know Taiwanese food was located in this shopping center! Overall, everything was really good. I had the pork bun as an appetizer to share. The meat was tender and flavorful. It is also a little sweet. I believe they add a touch of sugar on top with the peanuts. I ordered their specialty beef soup as an entree. It was pretty flavorful and again the meat was tender. I would order this one again. I also had green milk tea which was pretty tasty and refreshing. For dessert, we ordered the shaved ice dish. They put a big flan on top of it which I really enjoyed. I love the cute family photos on the wall too. Nice family restaurant.
(4)Duke T.
I don't want to write this review as i love this little hidden spot and don't want to have to struggle to find tables when i go here but for the betterment of the yelp community i will sacrifice. This little spot tucked into the strip mall is a poor man's Facing East. Don't take that as a negative though, although the food isn't quite as good as Facing East on a whole, for the price it is definitely a great place to go if you're feeling like a Taiwanese kick. The pig ears are delicious here! The multiple times i've gone with family and friends people who didn't even like pig ears found themselves unable to stop eating them. The service is impeccable and there is someone always attentive to you; which i've found at a majority of asian places to be hard to find. The beef noodle soup is just okay and avoid the spicy wontons as it's hardly worth it. The popcorn chicken and pork cutlet however are great! spicy and crispy yet still moist. Definitely a must have. When you're done with all the food, do yourself a favor and try out the shaved ice!
(4)Suie C.
I like this place a lot. It's a casual Taiwanese cafe. We ordered the beef noodle soup (half beef/half tripe), popcorn chicken, pig ear appetizer, spicy wontons, and a gua boa (pork burger). The pork burger was tasty, but not the best I've had. The pig ear appetizer brought me back to when I was a kid and my parents would always bring it home. Theirs was sliced very thinly so it wasn't too chewy and nicely spiced. The spicy wontons were good and the popcorn chicken came out hot and seasoned. The beef noodle soup was quite good. The meat in the soup was incredibly tender w/ thin noodles and the broth was satisfying. Will be back.
(4)Vyjayanthi R.
I visited here for dinner on a whim because the decor of this restaurant looked really cute and there were some very interesting vegetarian options on the menu. Unfortunately, this was one of my whims that didn't quite pan out. I was underwhelmed by the food. The braised peanuts appetizer was only mildly flavoured and jarringly cold - somehow I expected it to be warmed. While the vegetarian meat over rice entree tasted great (especially the "meat"), the proportion was completely off - it was barely 4 spoons of the meat with an entire bowl of rice, not very satisfying. The one item I actually did enjoy was my dessert of taro with rice ball soup although this could be hit or miss depending on whether you like taro. Prices are reasonable here and our server was nice and friendly. I just wish she had been able to answer my questions about the cuisine , as I am a complete novice when it comes to Taiwanese food. I'll consider trying this place again - perhaps order completely different things and see if I have better luck.
(3)Scott L.
We ordered beef noodle and pork rib rice, as well as two appetizers. Appetizers are delicious!! Pork ear and seaweed are both amazing! I'd like to have them everyday. However, noodle and rice are not. Rice is dry, pork is dry. Noodle is juicy, but they didn't precook the onion and garlic well so that there's not enough smell to it. Only taste of sauce, which is a little plain. Overall, it's okay. Not gonna come again for entree, but only for seaweed, maybe.
(3)Patrick L.
This place has been around awhile, yet another addition to the countless (ok...dozen or so?) Taiwanese joints popping up on the Eastside. I never had much interest, thinking it was just a simple bubble tea cafe, until I finally realized it actually serves a relatively smaller but good menu with the traditional cafe fare you'd want. Reminds me of places like Hardwok in Chinatown, although not as good, and of the now shuttered 101Yess. It's not fancy, but good prices, clean, very friendly service and timely food prep. Oh, the food is pretty good too, albeit smallish portions, like the guabao and pork chop rice. Great place for what it is, so will definitely be back when I need a quick fix.
(4)Eddie T.
One of my go to Taiwanese places, though I'm mostly just a fan of a few of their dishes: lu rou fan, xian shu ji, chicken thigh bian dang, and kou rou fan. Shaved ice is also delish. I also buy jars of their house hot sauce cuz it's amazing.
(4)Misha M.
I am addicted to this place! Their taro smoothie is amazing and the shaved ice is to die for! The food is good too but the boba is just so good! My family eats here at least once a week. we are not Taiwanese but I think it's authentic cuisine because many Taiwanese people dine here and think so. Yummy amazing food!
(5)Sandy W.
3 stars for the beef noodle soup. I won't recommend the beef noodles since it is not very flavorful and only few slices of meat costs for $9.49. However, the fried chicken leg rice and fried chicken rice both are very good. Will come back to try some other foods for sure.
(4)Lily L.
After looking at the food, I was amazed. The beef noodle soup had three large pieces of beef, none I've seen at any other restaurant here before. The pork knuckle soup also had a very generous amount of pork knuckles and they were so tender the meat fell right off the bone. Taste wise, my dish could have had a little bit more salt, but otherwise was perfect. Portions were quite generous and flavor wise was very Taiwanese. Looking at the beef noodle soup, I had a huge craving for the thin rice vermicelli and think I'll be back there again for another try. I can't wait to taste the spicy wontons.
(4)James L.
My favourite Taiwanese restaurant in this area.
(5)Karen L.
I actually really like this place. We had the spicy wontons, beef noodle soup, and dried noodles (with a pork sauce--we originally wanted the black bean noodles but they were out of it). Everything was delicious. The wontons were really good and came with a spicy oil and peanut sauce. We ordered the beef noodle soup with spicy broth, and it was pretty delicious. Definitely not the best I've had, but I would come back just to order that, especially since this place is near where I live (a plus!). The dried noodles were actually really good, and I liked the pork sauce--it had a nice kick.
(4)Cathy M.
Beef noodle soup is the best I've had in Seattle so far. Side dishes are pretty good, especially the pig ear. Braised pork is very soft and yummy. I love finding good Taiwanese restaurants to eat at. They have IKEA plastic kid's plate, bowl and utensils here to use. So cute and a nice touch.
(4)Paul L.
Disappointing Ambience: 3 Food: 3 Value: 2 Monga is the (other) newly opened Taiwanese style eatery, the small eats style, in the Goodwill/Asian Food Center Plaza, and I must declare; I was disappointed. The portions are small, the food was off (the noodle soup was way too salty and the pork buns were too sour), and the price was high. It was not a good combination.
(2)G G.
Decided to check out this little café since I was in the area. Very nice inside.. I ordered the B1- Niu-Rou Mian Beef noodle soup for $9.49. The soup was delish with lots of tender beef. The noodles were a lil more chewy to my liking but it made it real grubby. Definitely will be coming back to try out some more of the menu.
(5)Juju L.
Food are okay here... Service good... The shave ice are the best to have here... It good for fast and easy lunch or dinner...
(3)Grace G.
I decided to give this place a try since I've heard the rave about their beef noodle soup. To be honest it wasn't that great. The soup had 4 pieces of beef. The broth wasn't very flavorful, I mean at least for me. I did however order their Taro smoothie, and it actually tasted much better than I expected. Some places use a taro powder, but ManGa Cafe doesn't-- or maybe they made it real well so that you can't taste the powder. Anyways, their smoothie also had nice bit size pieces of taro. The only negative thing is the portion size. For $5 I expected the smoothie to fill the entire cup... they only filled it a little over 1/2 of the cup. Very disappointing and deceiving. So, 2/5 stars: - Beef noodle soup wasn't the best. Plus at $8 I expected more pow. - Taro smoothie was delicious, but at $5 I expected at least a Grande Starbucks size worth. - Parking. Need I say more?
(2)Victoria H.
Love the pig ears! Can not stop eating them.
(4)Bill T.
The food is okay. The customer service is slow. They are under staffed. Our drink order took 40 minutes and they forgot to take our main orders.
(3)Ally J.
The Taiwanese food here is great for how much you pay! I had pork trotter noodles, popcorn chicken, and a cold tofu dish. They were delicious. I think this place is an authentic Asian restaurant rather than an American style Asian. I will definitely come back!
(4)Jen L.
I wish this place was better. This is a cute little place that looked promising, but the food was bland and the service could use some work. They charge you $0.99 for about 2 ounces of bland sauce and don't even tell you there is a charge until you see it staring at you on the bill. I suppose they'd charge for soy sauce as well, which is probably why there are no condiments on the table. The MonGa bento was a good price, but I would definitely rather pay extra for flavorful food.
(2)Alice W.
The four stars are based on overall experience. The noodle soups were disappointing. Bad smell and no flavor. Not enough protein or vege. Skip. Starters and beef bun were ok. The beef bun was too saucy for me. Not enough meat. However, the service was very good and interior clean and neat. The shaved ice was good but still has room for improvement. Will try their taro bubble tea next time. It's more like a tea/snack place than a restaurant.
(4)Mark Y.
It's alright.. that's the general impression of the wife and I. the porkchop is kinda dry, not really flavorful. the beef noodle soup was 'ok'.. the noodles could be thicker/chewier.. the broth was a bit bland pork ears - looks like pre-made and left in a fridge.. that's reality though.. super cold and hard.. not well flavored. i think facing east is much much better in comparison..
(2)Linda D.
The best Taiwanese Beef Noodles soup ever in America. Rich beef broth with just right amount of spices. I have tried so many of them in so many different states. This is the best so far. Popcorn chicken was fresh and tasty without too salty. Even the pig ears are well cooked. Finished the meal with a Taiwanese shave ice. Can't wait to visit it again next time when I am in Washington. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. A great dining experience.
(5)Dave B.
Simply the best beef noodle soup I have ever had in my life. I have been to Taiwan several times and never had a broth this beautifully rich and full of flavor. For dessert I had the shaved ice with sweet beans and Mochi balls and it was unbelievable. "Facing East" had a huge line so we decided to come here and I wish I would've come here in the first place and avoided the drive across town. The service is spectacular and the chef really knows what he's doing. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who has to have their beef noodle soup fix!
(5)Sasa T.
We ordered beef noodle soup with beef shank, tender and tripe, deep fried chicken leg and pig feet. Noodle was good. Chicken leg was huge and crispy. Pig feet were tender. Yummy yummy.
(4)Agnes H.
Very friendly and helpful service especially the long hair lady. The fried chicken leg over rice, beef noodles soup, and popcorn chicken are very good! Authentic Taiwanese cuisine.
(5)Hirona F.
Made a quick stop for some Wonton Soup. The soup itself was kind of bland, but the wontons were tasty with good flavor. As other people have mentioned, the service was great. They have a pretty big menu, so I will definitely go back to try some of their other food items.
(3)Annie T.
Another taiwanese joint has opened in Bellevue to compete with ever famous Facing East. I visited Monga a couple of months ago and I walked away feeling like the food was pretty forgettable. We ordered the fried pork chop meal which was good but nothing special. I ordered the noodles with minced pork and it was so incredibly greasy. The noodles were swimming in oil. I walked away feeling really unhealthy and not so good about this place. I may be back to try it sometime, but this new copycat combo of Facing East and Boiling Point at this plaza just doesn't quite do it like the orginal in downtown Bellevue.
(3)