I have waited a year to try Ippudo due to the long lines and honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed after my meal this past Sunday. We came at 3PM after a movie and luckily did not have to wait. The space inside is modern and much bigger than it looks on the outside. There are a few communal tables, a private room and various 2-4 person tables. I definitely think if you came as a solo diner you would not need to wait very long during prime times. For some reason, the staff provides each table a canvas box for your belongings rather than putting them on the back of the chair.

A and I ordered the following:

-Pork Bun x 2 ($4 each): These were the highlight of the meal. Quite flavorful and rich. Definitely worth getting, especially because the Ramen is small.
-Akamaru Modern Ramen with medium firm noodles($15): This is what A got and it was good. Rich and bold with a good taste. Not very substantial though due to the amount of meat and veggies.
-Karaka Spicy Ramen with medium firm noodles ($15): This is what I got and it was disappointing. Similar to A's there was not enough meat or veggies but I felt like the broth lacked depth. Spicy is a quality, not a flavor.

Overall, Ippudo is fine, but it isn't worth they hype at all and I think it is expensive for what you get. The plus is that the service was quick and the menu is large enough to keep everyone in a group happy. I would maybe come back but there is better ramen in the city and in the area. I think if you wait for this ramen, you are a sucker.

China Live is one of the places I rave about and always take guests when they are in town. Pitched as a Chinese version of Eataly, China Live has 2 bars, two restaurants, a cafe and a retail shop under one roof. We have so far eaten at the main restaurant and had drinks at the bar upstairs called "Cold Drinks". I would LOVE to go to Eight Tables which is the upscale prix fixe restaurant (hint hint A if you are reading this) that I think has a separate entrance.

We have had dinner here multiple times and definitely recommend doing it family style so that you can try multiple things. Our must-orders:

-Dutch Crunch BBQ Pork Buns - Honestly the most amazing thing you can order. I ALWAYS regret not getting two orders of these, they are that good.
-Working Hands Dumplings - So good, so spicy and so satisfying
-Kung Pao Chicken - This dish is exceptional. We get it every time and are always blown away. Definitely spicy but a nice portion and every guest who tries it loves it.

Aside from those, we usually mix and match and will get some additional dim sum or a noodle dish. Everything we have had here is really good but the menu is so big that some items are better than others.

The service here is also good but some times, the food is staggered weirdly. They bring food out as it is ready which is generally good but we have definitely had some meals with large pauses. Not a big deal, just something to be aware of.

I definitely recommend this place and note that you should make a reservation as you will wait if you don't have one. The menu is large enough that you could come with pickier eaters but the food does tend to skew spicy so may not be great for those who can't handle it. For those who are spice demons like me and A, try their house chili sauce with your food - your live will be changed.

A welcome addition to Noe Valley for sure! A and I stopped in for a light breakfast and were really impressed. I love casual, counter-serve restaurants for breakfast and this place totally fits into Noe Valley and the general family-friendly vibe. We ordered:

-Butter Croissant - A wasn't super hungry so he just got this. I tried it and liked it a lot. Good croissants aren't THAT hard to come by but they definitely had some more interesting pastries such as a Tumeric Monkey Bread that I really wanted to try

-Avocado Toast - This was FANTASTIC. I don't know if it is the bread or the combo of toppings but this may have been one of the best avocado toasts I have ever had. It is definitely expensive but honestly so satisfying that I would not hesitate to get this again. The portion is big AND it is pretty to boot!

-Drip Coffee - They use Intelligentsia (I believe) and it was very good and satisfying. I do wish they would do re-fills for orders staying in the store but I also didn't ask.

Overall, everything was great and the above came out to ~$20 which isn't cheap but also isn't outrageous. This place was really busy on a Sunday morning but we were able to get seats. I highly recommend this place if you are in the area and I really look forward to coming back and trying more of their menu.

This review is hard to write because the food at Cafe Ethiopia is actually pretty good and the prices are totally reasonable but the service is atrocious. A and I have come here a few times since it is walking distance from our apartment and we cannot always head out to the TL or Sunset whenever we want Ethiopian food. It has been fine (maybe 4 stars) on most of our visits with the service always being the low point but tolerable. However, our most recent visit has really sworn me off of this place for a while.

A and I stopped in at ~7:30PM on a Sunday night. The restaurant was pretty busy but we were sat pretty quickly and ordered probably within 5 minutes of sitting down. And then we waited. We waited for over an hour for food. The kitchen stopped turning out ANYONE'S food for an hour. There was no staff member around at all even though there were 2 servers. All of us just kept looking around, not knowing what to do. Everyone finished their water/drinks and there was no one for refills. No one came around to even MENTION the wait let alone explain or apologize. Finally, food does start to roll out but at a very slow point with maybe a table getting food every 10 minutes. Then, it looks like we are next and a group that came in AFTER US by 20 minutes got their food first and I almost had a bird. Luckily, our food came a few minutes after but there was not even an acknowledgement of a wait. No apology. The food was plopped in front of us and the server left. Admittedly, the food was good and the portions were large but truly, I think all of the Ethiopian places I have been in the city are just as good.

To me, this is so unacceptable and rude. I get it, things happen in the kitchen but even just a verbal acknowledgement that there was a back up would have made the situation so much better. Carrying along like this was acceptable just blows my mind. The food is good but honestly, maybe it is worth taking the short trip to go somewhere else where this doesn't happen.