- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
927 Race StPhiladelphia, PA 19107
Neighborhood: Chinatown
(215) 923-1550
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
About This Business:
Nan Zhou Noodle House and Cantonese Chinese Cuisine. We are also a BYOB
371 reviews for Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
Review Highlights
"Super cheap but awesome beef brisket soup."
(in 22 reviews)
"On the positive- the broth was super flavorful."
(in 107 reviews)
"Pork Soy Sauce Noodles are also delish."
(in 14 reviews)
Loading...
371 reviews in English
-
Review from Christine L.
Market East, Philadelphia, PA
1/24/2012
I don't know if this place is overrated.
I don't know if it's *reallyreallyreally* the most authentic Chinese beef noodle soup.
But I love Nan Zhou hand drawn noodles and that is enough for me to know.
The broth is really satisfying and that the noodles are extra springy since you can watch them being made. Anytime I ask for the first thing on the menu - which would traditionally be the 'simplest' of all menu items - I receive a good, delicious portion of all these cuts of beef. Sharing tables with other customers, the Chinese TV in the background, sitting on generic furniture, and being hunched over my bowl makes me think I'm actually at a small storefront in Asia. I gladly give NanZhou five stars any day because it's authentic enough for me. -
Review from Kyle M.
Hanover, MD
I came here based on the positive yelp reviews. We were walking through Chinatown and decided it was a good time to grab lunch.
We had the peanut noodles with hand drawn noodles and beef brisket, and the shaved noodle soup also with brisket. Such simple food can sometimes be the best. You can watch the guy in the back making the noodles from the dining room, so you know they're fresh. The noodles were springy and soft, the broth very flavorful, and the beef tender (though very fatty). A dash of black vinegar and a spoonful of the chili paste on the table brought the soup to life.
Best of all, two noodle dishes and a can of coke came out to $12. A perfect meal on a cold day! -
Review from Brian C.
Philadelphia, PA
2/1/2012
For a long time, this was probably the best hand drawn noodle place in Philadelphia. I think it's because it was the only one. It's pretty awesome that the noodle chef is working on the noodles in the back and you hear him whipping them about and drawing them out. I actually prefer the shaved noodles here because they're a little thicker and more chewy, but the hand drawn noodles are great too. Freshly made noodles just taste great.
The problem I have with Nan Zhou is the broth. The noodles are a critical part of the equation, and they're made very well here, but the broth is also just as important! In beef noodle soup, the beef is supposed to be lovingly braised, and the broth rich and flavorful, a sign that the beef has been stewing for a long time. I have a feeling that the beef has just not been braising long enough because the broth is still running clear. The flavors in the broth just haven't had the time to develop. I also love to add marinated egg to my noodles, and those too, have not been marinating long enough. They should be a nice creamy brown color, not beige or white with brown spots.
This place only accepts cash, but chances are you won't be running a terribly high bill. -
Review from Carrie C.
Philadelphia, PA
2/1/2012
I was so excited to try this place on a cold Philly night, and I was NOT disappointed. So far, I have tried the noodle soups with brisket and with meatball, and both were delicious. As a carb person, the part I care about the most is the noodles, which are soft and tender with just the write amount of chewiness. And you can watch them make it, which is always awesome to watch.
It's not the cleanest and most romantic place in the world, but it's definitely not a dive hole-in-the-wall.
Overall, fast, cheap, flavorful, delicious food that will more than satisfy you with a warm soup belly. Highly recommend! -
Review from mindy y.
Glendale, CA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Delicious noodles on a freezing day. Compares very well to the noodle houses in LA. We were surprised how authentic Chinese food was in Phili! Definitely will be back. Broth was clean not oily and tasty. Noodles are made as you order, literally. It was awesome. They should actually raise their prices for the quality and the freshness. awesome. we tipped them well for the taste of home cooking and fast service.
-
Review from Nancy S.
San Francisco, CA
Cheap, fast and delicious food! Never had nan zhou hand drawn noodle before, but they did not disappoint at all!
Ordered the popular beef stew noodle soup, pork minced noodle and spicy pig ears. Everything was astounding and spicy pig ears were not too spicy, but yet really tasty!
Beef stew noodle soup was delicious, and they had vegetables in there that I've never tried before, so it was really a mixture of different flavors. The pork minced noodles were a bit salty, but still good.
Perfect meal for the cold weather that definitely hit the spot! -
Review from Alicia J.
Cambridge, MA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
We showed up to Nan Zhou for a late lunch around 2:00, and there was a moderately short line. Since they still haven't moved to their new location, the place is a little small for the amount of business their cheap and plentiful noodle bowls bring in.
During this visit, the spicy pork ear appetizer, the beef tendon noodle bowl and the lamb noodle bowl were consumed.
The spicy pork ear appetizer was actually the best thing we sampled. It is prepared very traditionally, thinly sliced and not unlike carpaccio. The meat in both of our bowls was well cooked, having certainly stewed for a long time, and the lamb was easy to remove from the bones. Noodles (both shaved and drawn -- try them both!) were tasty. I prefer the shaved noodles because they are thicker and thusly more chewy. The broths themselves could have been more delicious. They were relatively watery and don't especially make you want to drink them, which a broth in an ideal world would always achieve!
The service was just fine. The meal came out quickly, water was refilled in a timely manner, and we had ample tea during the meal. Even though the broth is weak, there is a delicious chili oil to toss in. For a low price, you can get a supernatural serving of pretty-darn-good noodles. -
Review from Frank R.
Ithaca, NY
1/6/2012
Extremely fast, cheap, authentic and amazing noodles, but I have had much better bowls.
I went here for lunch with a bunch of friends and we ordered the duck, seafood, beef brisket, and oxtail bowls. The duck and oxtail dishes had much more bone than meat and were not tender enough to fall off the bone. The brisket had a lot of fat and gristle. The seafood was a bit bland and chewy. The fish balls weren't very good.
While the meats were questionable, I do have to say the noodles were excellent. They had a perfect texture, density and a nuttiness that I couldn't exactly pin point. If I go back again, I will order just the noodles and broth. The broth was OK but not very complex.
I will probably go back here for a quick cheap lunch and order more noodles with my dish. Its definitely good, but not 5 stars by any means. -
Review from Tenley G.
Newtown, PA
2/4/2012
I ordered the beef soup. The noodles have a great texture and I think that is what most of the draw is about. The location is best described as hole in the wall and the service is fine. Go for the unique noodles. Bring a bubble tea from across the street.
-
Review from Rebecca Y.
Washington, DC
1/3/2012
Beef brisket soup with fried egg. Delish!
Lamb soup not as good. Lamb seemed frozen and it was tough with lots of big bones and less meat than the beef brisket.
A huge bowl of delicious hand-cut noodle soup for only $5-$6, I don't think you can find a better deal in the city! The decor is very bare and school cafeteria-like, but that doesn't matter when the food is so cheap and delicious! I'll definitely be back! -
Review from Saloni M.
New York, NY
1/16/2012
Been here twice now - love. Brought the coworkers here. Seriously cheap and seriously good. What more could you want on a cold winter night than delicious noodle soup. They prepare two types of noodles: hand drawn, which are very long and skinny and shaved, which are wide. I prefer the shaved noodle.
If you're kosher/vegetarian, they can serve you a clear broth. Oh and don't forget to add an egg to your soup. So worth the extra fifty cents! -
Review from Mei-ye J.
Rockville, MD
12/30/2011
Noodle soup on a winter day? Hand-made in house?!
I got the vegetable and egg (fried egg with slightly runny yoke, mmm mmm good) hand made noodle soup. Two of my friends got the duck (5 little pieces) hand made noodle soup and one other friend got a beef brisket noodle soup. The veggie and egg noodle soup was $5.00. All the others were $5.75. All the noodles include pickled mustard, cilantro, scallions, + whatever you order with the noodles.
As for taste I'd give this place 3 stars. * * *
As for the price I'd give this place 4 stars. * * * *
As for how long it took for our orders to be taken and delivered 5 stars. * * * * *
As for portion size this place gets 4 stars. * * * *
Hence my 4 star rating, which also = Yay! I'm a fan.
Seating is limited, but the wait isn't usually long from what I saw. It took us about 6 minutes to get our seats.
By the way CASH-ONLY! -
Review from Winnie F.
Philadelphia, PA
1/23/2012 1 photo
Cheap and authentic - noodle broth was the perfect thing to warm up to on a wintry day and it wasn't too salty/msg-filled. Big portions! More than enough noodles to fill you up. Wish the seafood kind had more pieces of seafood in it - only got one clam, a couple shrimps, and two seafood balls.
-
Review from Ying Z.
Philadelphia, PA
1/14/2012
The name should be LanZhou~~~
Strongly recommend~Wonderful noodles~ -
Review from Erik s.
1/16/2012
Reminds me of the noodle houses that were rampant in NYC chinatown when I was a lad. Not the cleanest & crowded, but cheap and super fast. Want to have a private conversation w/ your dinner friend? You picked the wrong restaurant kiddo. At this price point though it's a pretty damn good bowl of hot soup, noodles & protein, especially since Mother Nature has been a chilly bitch lately. Skip the non noodle dishes nothing special.
-
Review from Darcy G.
Philadelphia, PA
1/7/2012
Quick as a wink service. I got noodles with pig ear. It came with a small cup of some sort of weak broth. Basically, was a big plate of lo mein with pig ear slices. Interesting to taste. My friend got bowl of soup with noodles and duck meat. She had a tough time getting the meat off the bone even with a fork. Interesting menu, I would like to try, but sounds better than the bland taste. I would love to go back and try to spicy pig ear dish.
Clean bathroom. -
Review from Ty B.
Milwaukee, WI
1/26/2012
This place is legit. Went here with a fairly large group of people on Saturday night. The hostess was very friendly from the beginning and we were seated almost immediately despite the fact that the restaurant was very busy. We shared three appetizers and all were great but I would suggest the spicy pig ears which were by far the best. I had the ox stomach noodle soup and my only complaint was that I couldn't eat the whole thing because the portion was so big! Last, but not least, the price was phenomenal. I think it maybe cost us each $10 including a generous tip for our servers (who were more than deserving of it)! Will definitely be going here the next time I'm in town.
-
Review from Michael L.
Decatur, GA
12/4/2011
Came here for lunch, and ordered the Beef Tendon noodles.
Broth was rich enough in flavor, the tendons were premarinated, flavorful and soft, and the noodles were pulled thin, and had the perfect texture.
Excellent. My only slight complaint was that my first bite of the tendon was actually slightly cold on the inside. I just let the tendon sit in the hot broth for a while longer. But yea, gotta get that tendon thawed and cooked all the way through.
Solid spot. -
Review from Brian N.
Philadelphia, PA
12/19/2011
I've been here a gazillion times. This place is amazing. You really can't go wrong with any noodle dish on the menu here. The waitresses are no-nonsense. I think one of my favorite memories was a time when a group of us went during prime dinner hours and there were no seats. The waitresses started to promptly kick diners out of the restaurant by forcing them to pay quickly to seat us. Talk about maximizing economic opportunity! A quoted wait time of 45 minutes quickly dwindled down to 5 minutes.
Love you, Nan Zhou! -
Review from Chloe B.
Los Angeles, CA
12/23/2011
Every time we come to Philadelphia to visit family, we make sure to visit Nan Shou...
Authentic and made right in front of you (which is half the fun), these are the best noodles in the city and arguably, some of the best I have ever had! My favorite is the duck soup with thick knife-cut noodles... Simply amazing, and even better on a cold day! Also definitely worth a try are the spicy pig's ears, which have the perfect amount of crunch and spice.
There's another hand drawn noodle place a few streets down from this place, but don't even bother with that one, Nan Zhou is where it's at! -
Review from Yufan W.
Bryn Mawr, PA
1/23/2012
This's the place where I spent the last 7 dollars (of cash LOL) in my pocket. Even though i have to share tables for most visits, it's well worth the money.
-
Review from YongFeng S.
Harlem, Manhattan, NY
1/13/2012
Cheap and good beef noodles, the perfect meal for a winter day.
-
Review from Evonne L.
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
wow. loved it. this is one of those jems that i love finding, where you can tell friends that visit philly to go because it is one of a kind and really good. we got the beef tendon noodle soup and it was a huge portion! big bowl for two people easy. the broth was so tasty, noodles were SO FRESH tasting, and the beef was so moist and tender. i am hungry just thinking about that savory, hearty, filling bowl of deliciousness.
-
Review from Sarah S.
Richmond, VA
12/3/2011
I walked seven blocks in the pouring rain, dragging a suitcase behind me, balancing a purse, an umbrella, and a garment bag, just to get a meal here. If that doesn't tell you how good it is, then I don't know what will!
Last time I came here, I got the beef tendon appetizer, which came in a huge portion. It wasn't until I came home with the leftovers that I found the pickled radish hiding under the mound of beef tendon. This is a good appetizer to share, especially with the beef and radish together, but I don't recommend it for a solo diner. I also got the ox tail noodle bowl, but was a little disappointed since I was really in the mood for pho that day.
This time, I did it right and ordered the fish ball soup. The fish balls are incredibly delicious. I'm not sure how they are made, but they taste much better than the frozen kind I get from the store. There is a delicious pork surprise in the middle of every fishball, which made them that much better. The hand-pulled noodles are chewy and plentiful, for you noodle folks. If you're more of a broth person like me, you might want to request a half portion, since it will still be plenty of food for you, and you won't have to fight the noodles to get to the broth. What made the noodles even better was adding some vinegar to the broth, and there is this fishy hot sauce in the jar that added a delicious kick. Totally work the trudge in the rain and the sore arms! -
Review from Hillary V.
Philadelphia, PA
12/20/2011
Very authentic Chinese noodle soups. I lived in China for a year and this brought me right back to northern china comfort food.
Add vinegar and chilis to the soup for the perfect flavor.
Can't say much more, it's fabulous, cheap and worth a major detour! the Knife cut noodles are the way to go! -
Review from San W.
Philadelphia, PA
1/18/2012
A-OK rating.
I came here for a cheap lunch. It was rather a late lunch time and the place was not packed. The place is really small. There are only about 7 tables. I ordered the meatball noodle soup with extra fried egg (extra 50 cents). Service was very quick, the food came out really quick as well. I liked the noodle and the soup broth, but the meatballs were not that good. I have had better pork meatballs. I should have ordered the fried egg to be well done/hard (they served the fried egg medium rare/the yolk was still uncooked completely), but I enjoyed it anyway. Just make sure you order your egg the way you want it. I tend to forget. I added sriracha and a little bit of vinegar to the soup. Delicious! Especially because it was a cold day that day. Hot noodle soup was the best choice. A quick tip: use the small plate on the table for you to mix all the additional spices on the table that you want, for example I added soy sauce, sriracha, vinegar, and hot oil. Mix them. Dip meatballs or egg or duck meat etc to this mix, very good (if you like spicy, though). Overall, I was satisfied with my lunch. -
Review from Sandy H.
Brookline, MA
1/8/2012
Delicious and cheap. That's what good Chinese food should be. We weren't that hungry so we just got the spicy tendons app and the duck noodles. The tendon is sliced paper thin and flavored well...it was a little too salty for my taste, but still good. The heat doesn't get to you until you've had a few bites of it. We got the noodles razor cut and they soaked up most of the soup before we were half way through the bowl. Nevertheless it was still delicious. Next time we'll get the regular hand pulled variety. One thing though...an hour we were so thirsty we both downed a liter of water.
-
Review from Thomas A.
I remember my friend recommending this place to me last year when i went to Philly for the 1/2 marathon. I finally got to check it out again this year when I went back to participate in the 1/2 marathon. I went at an odd time of 5:30 PM. The place is small; there are only a few tables. The menu is basic, it is less than 1 page long. I ordered the lamb noodle soup with the thin hand pulled noodles, instead of the thick flat noodles.
The soup dish came out almost instantly. They also provide hot tea. They give you a lot of noodles in the soup. The bowl is pretty massive and they also had a good amount of lamb meat. The broth was sooo good. I don't know what kind of soup base it was, but it was so clean and refreshing. It even had a hint of lamb from the lamb bones and lamb meat. The lamb was tender and fatty. The noodles were pliable and had a great chew to them. The herbs were fresh. Wow the soup was just warm and hearty, and my only wish was that it was spicy. However, i just used the hot sauce that they leave on the table to make the broth spicy. This dish was cheap too!
Great bang for your buck. I wish they had this place in NYC Chinatown. Def need to go back next year to carbo load. -
Review from Ryu S.
Philadelphia, PA
11/15/2011
The noodles were fine, it's just that there wasn't many of them. Pretty much every dish is a salty soup dish with a few handfuls of noodles, some veggies and your choice of meat. Interior is nothing fancy, and the service could be improved. Had a the roast duck version (~$6) and I wasn't expecting the loads of bone that I got. Other than that it is pretty cheap meal, but don't expect to leave full on it.
Food Quality/Taste = 3 Stars
Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars
Price = 3 Stars
Service = 2 Stars
Experience with Staff = 2 Stars
Decor = 2 Stars -
Review from Timothy D.
Philadelphia, PA
11/15/2011
Wow. Beef tendons? Don't mind if I do. Brisket soup with a marinated egg? I'd better. Slapping hand drawn noodles in the back? Sure, give it a little smack. Feeding 4 people for $39 and leaving satisfied? Darn right. We will be back.
Also, there's a very funny video on YouTube of Martha Stewart making noodles like these guys.
If you like Han Dynasty, you'll like this place. Get the spicy beef tendons, no really. -
Review from Michael G.
Philadelphia, PA
12/6/2011
Awesome place. Quick, cheap noodle soup, nice appetizers. (Mmm, pig ears.) Don't go for the ambiance!
If the only noodle soup you've had is pho, then this is a rather different experience. Pho is a Keith Haring painting---bright, exciting, festive; hand-drawn noodles are a Mark Rothko painting---deep, brooding, and subtly full of texture. Give it a shot.
NB not much in the way of vegetarian fare, though the noodles with peanut sauce with a fried egg certainly do the trick. -
Review from Judd L.
10/12/2011 4 photos
NOODLES MADE WITH TENDER BROTHERLY LOVE...
Do you have any idea how good this place is ? Obviously there's a whole lot of people who knows this is the place for noodles and more. Not quite the place "round eyes" come to appreciate. But those who do are just as keen diners as the natives. Frankly... I could eat there for all three meals today.
It's chaotic but orderly. A little eye contact and a smile to those waiting will assure your place in the cue. Unfortunately we sat in front of the door and the waiting crowd that was attempting to move into the aisle made it very uncomfortable for our other two dining friends.
I had ordered roasted duck noodle for myself and wonton noodles for the rest of us. We all took a deep breath and dove into our bowls of most aromatic fragrance, tender fresh noodles one can imagine. The roasted duck was mature, fatty, flavorful and tender. I don't like them lean and tough like an old bird. I couldn't help but notice the bowl of beef stew and tendons on the next table. It looked so yummy. That particular table knew how to order.
HINT: While you're waiting, look at the menu and decide. The server is most anxious to take your order. Our group failed to do that and we waited much longer to get our order in. Also if you don't want to deal with the crowds... come before or after the lunch rush.
This is a killer noodle place which ranks way up there in my books. Too bad it's such a long drive for me. Maybe next Spring I'll make another trek to the City of Brotherly Love especially if the SF Giants are in town.Listed in: Philly and Bethlehem Places to…
-
Review from Danica Q.
Springfield, VA
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome food, amazing value.
-
Review from Josh L.
Philadelphia, PA
1/4/2012
The noodle was good. The environment was... well you should know what you are expecting when you go to a Chinatown restaurant. Cheap eat.
-
Review from Aaron C.
Philadelphia, PA
12/18/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Awesome noodle. Only the best in Philadelphia. Don't mix this up with the one called "Yummy Lan Zhou blahblahblah". This is the better of the two.
-
Review from Megan H.
Philadelphia, PA
1/4/2012
If you are ever in Philadelphia, DO NOT skip this place. The noodles in the soup are so fresh and so affordable! Best soup I've ever had and huge portions.
-
Review from Lilli C.
10/6/2011
If you're craving a great bowl of noodle soup (for 6 bucks or less) this is the place to go. The chef amazingly makes the noodles in the back by throwing/pulling a huge glob of dough around into perfectally formed, delicious noodles. I thought the noodles would be thick like udon noodles and taste doughy, but not at all!
My favorite is the 'meatball' noodle soup, which is in fact not meatballs, but more like won tons. Some of the appetizers that are great (esp as an accompanyment to the noodle soup) are: marinated sliced beef., which are thin slices of lean beef marinated in a light soy sauce, and the spicy pig ears, which are thinly shaven and flavorful.
The ambience is typical Chinatown and while I was there the owner's 5yo son was practicing the violin in the back hallway by the bathroom. Although no one really speaks English, the staff is extremly friendly. -
Review from Steve W.
12/13/2011
Best beef tendon and fish ball soup I've ever had! Ok, honestly first time I've never had either of them. Very good. The hand drawn noodles are much more substantial than what you find at a typical Chinese restaurant. Small place, so don't be surprised if you get doubled up at a table with other patrons already seated/eating. Actually adds to the atmosphere. The service is very good as well, you're seated quickly and have your bowl of noodles in minutes. The guy next to us had the seafood noodle bowl with clams, scallops, and I believe mussels. Can't wait to go back and try that one.
-
Review from Jando S.
8/15/2011 9 photos
My theory on certain Chinese food items is they spread in droves across America, with the following key characteristics: simple, cheap, and authentic. This happened with scallion pancakes a few years ago and soup dumplings a little more recently, but maybe hand pulled noodles is the new craze in various parts of the country. Nanzhou is probably Philly's most famous rep for la mian (handpulled noodles), and it has many local accolades to prove it.
Nanzhou does the city of brother love well, giving a chance for tourists (the main clientele here) a chance to sample some cheap Chinese eats. The place is divey for Philly standards and true to it's Chinatown form: it's cramped and difficult for group dining, a bit dodgy at night, and not exactly the cleanest place on the block. Yet it's still among the "places to go" in most Philly tour guide books and luckily for many non-Chinese literate patrons, the menu is in English.
For roughly $6 a bowl, one can have various versions of handpulled noodles (or "handshaved" noodles in the menu) in a simple yet tasty vegetable, meat, or seafood broth. The noodles themselves aren't too starchy, semi-thin like spaghetti, and perfectly smooth for the inevitable "noodle slurp." In terms of toppings / meats, the beef can be a tad tough, but the seafood and fish balls are dynamite almost every time. I always recommend a tea egg with the soup, and take advantage of the vinegar, hot chili condiments at the table for that extra kick. If the regular menu of meats are a bore, definitely go for the atypical choices like tripe, pig ears, or oxtail for a savory alternative.
Service isn't going to be the nicest but they'll always be efficient. They fill glasses of water / tea up quickly and are quick to clean the table for people waiting in line during their rushed dinner service. I do wish they opened later than 9PM each night and if they're going to service tourists, I'm surprised they've stuck to cash only. Perhaps this is the only way to prevent the prices from spiking. Here's hoping they stay afloat by continuing to offer their noodle soups on the cheap.Listed in: City Of Brotherly Love (PHL), Philly Chino City (PHL)
-
Review from Murtaza P.
Andalusia, PA
12/27/2011
Cheap and delicious. Bring a bubble tea from across the street.
