Mike’s Noodle House

Was looking for Dim Sum but they all had a 30 min wait. So next best thing, noodles! Mike’s has great ratings on Unilocal so off I go. BINGO! a table in 5 minutes.
Chinese donuts, and beef brisket noodle soup… I was so happy. This is a soup I used to have as a child. Yum, yum, yum.
The only issue was we had to share a tight table with one other person. AND CASH ONLY!

Even before tasting the broth at Mikes Noodle’s you get a good sense of the salient fish broth taste from the aroma pervading the street. An exhaust fan hangs over the door spewing fumes that are not to pleasant in the airstream but somehow develop into a supremely satisfying soup. Could this be magic?
This is a place where you should order noodles, in particular there house made fresh, Sui Kai, noodles. In a soup with wontons or brisket– or with a variety of meats and fish. I like there menu because it offers variety and reliability; what they do is excellent Cantonese comfort dishes. With my first meal, wonton noodle soup, I know u will return for this exact same feeling of finishing a bowl of steaming noodles and will look forward to sampling there congees.
Why I love this restaurant–
First, the food. Attention put on the simple details of sourcing quality meat, produce and condiments. The wontons are handmade – next to me was a cool assembling them before dinner hours. Ginger, ginger onions and ground pork compliment the whole shrimp wrapped in a thin wonton skin. Delicious!
My friend whom I was eating was instantly transported to the meals he had in Hong Kong – vivid memories returned to him from decades ago living there. That speaks to the potential flavors, meals have in particular to stir forgotten memories, overwhelming feelings.
Secondly, Mike’s is orchestrated by a efficient, kind, and professional team of woman as servers and in the kitchen. A large window creates a spectacle of the kitchen where elder woman slice, stir, splash and prepare each dish with deliberate confidence and ease – how many years have they been doing this? The smooth jazz being played, the steamy windows, this dining room is an oasis amid a gray city.
Served with warm tea.
Cash only.

When it comes to Chinese restaurants, I have pretty high expectations for food and low expectations for service. It’s cash only, but I’m used to that. With that said, Mike’s ranks 2 stars in my book. The food was just okay and although I don’t expect superb service, the service was so terrible that it really killed my dining experience.
We walk in and of course, there’s a wait. They took our order while waiting for a table. My boyfriend and I were the first ones waiting in line and 2 large groups came in 15 minutes after us. What really ticked me off was how long we waited and how they accommodated those groups first. They rushed cleaning our table and left strands of noodles on the table.
The congee with cod was good. It was thick and surprisingly came with a generous amount of cod. The beef brisket wonton soup was just okay – a bit salty to my liking, but the beef was tender. The wontons were okay too. The worst thing we had was the Chinese donut. Not only was it cold, but hard and stale. When I bit into it, a bunch of oil just oozed out. The donut was literally two hard layers, nothing in between. The check came and when the waitress returned with our change, she immediately took our bowls without asking if we were done. There was still a lot of cod and congee in my bowl and there was a wonton and brisket along with lots of soup in his bowl. She started stacking everything. My boyfriend clearly stated we weren’t finished, but she still walked away with it.
All in all, when businesses rush everything, they lose attention to detail and it can really ruin your experience. If you’re from California, New York, or the Motherland, you should probably omit Chinatown food. Stick with what Seattle’s famous for: oysters, salmon, and chowder.

They’re cash only! I came here on a Saturday night a few hours before closing. I’ve never seen it this empty before! We were quickly seated and had our food ordered in no time. I guess I lucked out this time. I ordered their steamed liver, tripe, and kidney appetizer which was absolutely amazing. Everything was steamed to perfection and the chili soy sauce was what made the dish. It tasted like there was toasted sesame infused in it which I’m a sucker for. I also ordered the pork and century egg congee. The congee was very creamy compared to other congees that I’ve had. My one gripe would be there wasn’t enough of the century egg or pork. I would get the congee again if I was in the mood but I would probably stick to their wonton/​suikao noodle soup instead.

I’ve been coming back to Mike’s Noodle whenever I’m in the area. I’ve got my usual order wanton noodles with fish and congee. Perfect meals on a rainy day. Highly recommended for quick stop. You will be in and out with happy belly.

I’ve been coming to Mike’s for years, and they remain as good as ever. Their congee is extraordinary. It’s thick and creamy, with a subtle flavor by itself, hinting at the hours of cooking to render rice and water into the perfect texture. I usually get the congee with cod (generous chunks of soft white fish), with Chinese donut for dipping. It’s the best comfort food any Chinese-​born American can ask for.
Their wonton or dumpling noodle soups are excellent as well, but the broth has a seafood flavor that some might find too strong.

Attempting to ravenously satisfy our delicious wonton broth cravings, my mother and I swiftly headed to Mike’s Noodle House for a little mother daughter time. Mike’s Noodle House has been in the same area/​spot for over more than a few decades now and still delivers the same authentic Hong Kong style broth to table.
There is no private lot so parking will be quite a challenge if you aren’t used to street parking. Mike’s Noodle House is a relatively small restaurant but has a sort of homey and clean feel to it. The easy-​going waitresses were all polite but a little reserved as with all Asian family owned restaurants.
I had the Sui Kao Noodle Soup and my mother, the Pei Dan (Century Old/​Thousand Year Old Egg) Congee along with a side of fried Chinese Donut. The Sui Kao (came with 5 pieces) was delightfully delicious, plump and oh so voluptuous in its’ bursting flavor and spices! It was absolutely wonderful, especially pairing the tasty Sui Kao with a clear and subtle broth; it was a very comforting compliment to the dish as a whole. The Pei Dan Congee (not pictured) was also very scrumptious! The freshly shredded ginger on top with crispy green onions are always staples to what constitutes a great Congee dish.
In terms of satisfying the craving I had, I’ll gladly say that my experience at Mike’s Noodle House undoubtedly smashed all of it. Their prices were inexpensive as well! Our bill came out to be a total of only $ 16.65! It was a great time listening to how my mother used to frequent this little noddle restaurant as well! Definitely give it a go when you’re feeling sick or just need a little comfort in your belly.

My mom, for reasons unknown to me, loves Mike’s Noodle House. While I think their noodle soup and congee are good, I don’t think they’re that mindblowingly good that I want to run down the street to get some cash from the ATM (they’re cash only) and wait in line here very often. They also sell out of things quite fast, especially the Chinese donuts.
Good for: cheap eats, comforting bowl of congee that would snap you out of any cold fast, and meals with Chinese moms.
Not good for: people who hate carrying cash and waiting in line, meals with your white boyfriend.

My parents are regulars here but I surprisingly only ate here twice before writing this review (because they only like to go when I’m busy with something else -.-). This place is perfect for the cold weather! Right when you walk in, you can smell the deliciousness of the noodles and broth mixed with the different kinds of meat! The restaurant isn’t that big but luckily they weren’t really busy the two times I have went. It’s cute that they give you tea in a regular hard plastic cup and it surprisingly isn’t too hot, just perfect to hold.
I ordered the regular sized beef brisket noodle soup both times, first time with wontons in it and second time I substituted the regular thin noodles with the thick ones. Both times were really delicious! I think I prefer the thick noodles more than the regular ones, though they’re pretty much the same thing but the thicker ones seemed a bit more chewy to me. I would probably get the mix of wonton and beef brisket, it doesn’t cost too much extra. The second time we went, we ordered Chinese donut and congee. The donut by itself is still pretty good but adding it to the congee added more pizzazz to the flavor! That was a pretty good appetizer but definitely didn’t want to eat too much of it before the main course.
Overall I really enjoyed my food and left the place full and satisfied. Most of the dishes there were under $ 10 so it’s a pretty affordable place to go to. I probably won’t come here that often since I do not live near Chinatown but I’d like for my friends to try it out. And of course I’ll come here with my parents if they are craving it.

Best bowl of wonton noodle soup in Seattle: D. My family and I love coming here every winter break when we’re all back in town and craving piping hot soupy noodles! As soon as you round the corner of Maynard, your nose will meet the familiar scent of tantalizing wontons, a welcome respite from the cold Seattle air.
My favorite bowl is the sui kau wonton noodle soup. Each sui kau is generously filled with juicy pieces of shrimp, pork, and mushrooms. Each sui kau is quite large, usually requiring 2 – 3 bites to eat the whole thing. The sui kau sit atop a bed of slightly chewy, traditional Chinese thin noodles, while thin slivers of green onion float in a savory and refreshing broth.
Other favorites include: beef brisket noodle soup, thousand year old egg and pork congee, and the «dry» versions of the noodle soups mentioned earlier. Note that «dry» means that noodles and meat are on a separate plate from the bowl of soup on the side.
Cash only; most dishes are under $ 10! Service is quick and efficient, although there is often a line because it is a small establishment and quite popular among locals and tourists a like. Tea is complimentary.

Feeling sick, cold, tired, or just have a hankering for some good noodle soup? Mike’s has you covered. Best suited for smaller groups (it’s not a huge space), this place makes everything from scratch. It is fairly common to walk in here and see an employee making wontons by hand at one of the far tables – the great thing is that you know that a few of these fresh creations will probably find their way into your soup very shortly! The wonton noodle soup is the only thing I’ve had here, and I really have no reason to ever stray from this standard order – the broth is very flavourful and not overly salty, the wontons are delicious, and the noodles have the perfect consistency for me. However, everything else that I’ve seen at other tables also looks delicious, so you’re probably safe even if you order something totally random and new off the menu each time you come here.
Note that the restaurant takes cash only, and parking in the ID can be tight. I usually just park at Uwajimaya and walk over since I can buy some groceries (that I always need anyway) to get my parking validated for free.

Solid authentic Cantonese congee and beef brisket noodle place. We ordered the pork and preserved egg congee as well as the fish congee. Both were flavorful and authentic. We also ordered the Chinese donut and the beef brisket with thin noodles. Definitely will be coming back again. This is my kind of comfort food!

Tiny noodle joint in the middle of Seattle Chinatown is a solid pick for the tourist or local hoping to warm up from the Washington cold.
Congee, noodles with all of the regular fixins (pork, Sui-​kau, beef brisket), plus appetizers (steamed slice beef, tripe, Chinese broccoli, Chinese donuts) — all available and quickly too. The way to eat here is open the menu to a random page, point and go.

I’ve been meaning to come here for a while. I’ve grown up eating a lot of noodles (my dad makes a mean beef brisket noodle soup), and so I wanted to venture out and see how others would taste. With that being said, I ordered the beef brisket and wonton noodle soup with thin noodles. To my dismay, the dish was completely lacking. The broth was flavorless and bland, and the beef was incredibly chewy… Almost undercooked. I added a bunch of pepper and chili oil in attempt to give it some oomph, but naw. The saving grace of this dish were the wontons. They were absolutely delicious! Give me a bowl of just those and I would have been content.
I’m wondering if I ordered the wrong thing? My boyfriend got the Sui Kau and beef ball noodle soup, and it was really good! The broth was FULL of flavor, and although I didn’t try to Sui Kau, he said that they were yummy.
The restaurant is clean, and the service is standard as far as Asian restaurants go. Nothing to write home about there.
I’n not quite ready to write this place off quite yet. I’ll be going for their congee and Sui Kau noodles next time.

Great stop for pumpkin congee and Chinese donut. The donuts taste great dipped in the congee. Chinese broccoli and buck choy are great vegetable add ons too

I really enjoyed this place.
Simple, Cheap and full of flavor. It is all a winning combination to me.
This place is fairly small. There isn’t much room for large parties. For lunch the line gets really long and the wait can be pretty chunky.
If you have time go during off hours.
I had about 4 different soups. All the broths taste very nice and clean. The beef was delicious and the noodles were very fresh.
Order the large if you a hefty eater because you will leave feeling alittle hungry.

My mom and I wanted to see what the Chinatown was like, so we walked on over here from Pioneer Square. Wasn’t much going on, so I opened Unilocal to see what was happening, and then, of course, my mom and I haaaad to get lunch here. We walked over to Mike’s and damn, smelled like a legit Hong Kong/​Canton-​style noodle house right thuuur. So we enter and are promptly seated. We ordered the pork and preserved egg congee, wonton soup, bok choy w/​oyster sauce, and chinese donut. While we waited for our food, I totally couldn’t get over how small the bowls were! The regular sizes were so small! I mean, it’s a good thing, because we all overeat, but it’s so unusual for a restaurant in the US to serve that portion.
The food comes, and the congee is delicious. Wonton soup was also good, but I wasn’t super into the noodles my mom had ordered — super thin, angel-​hair like egg noodles. Broth was rich and clean. Sadly, chinese donut was cold and thus, not at all something we’d order again.
Environment was super clean and servers speak English well. Also, the hot sauce! Oh the hot sauce! So good! I couldn’t tell if there was scallop in it — certainly tasted like there was something in it but I couldn’t see it. So delicious I bought some to bring back to NorCal, ha!
Price wise, this is high for this type of food. Congee was over $ 6 — and remember it’s liquidy rice. Food was good, definitely, but price point was higher than standard.

I love Mike’s Noodle House! I’ve been here countless times with friends and family. It’s basically my go-​to place if I’m craving a bowl of hot Cantonese noodle soup.
This place is not too big but still has a good amount of tables and the wait usually goes by pretty fast if there is one. When I come here I usually order the wonton noodle soup or the beef brisket noodle soup. Both very delicious! I’ve also had their black egg with pork congee which is also really good if you like congee.
Delicious food with good prices. Only thing is that they’re cash only, so don’t forget!

A noodle dining experience in 20 sentences or less.
I only had take out from Mike’s. During a weekday lunch. I placed my order by phone:
Lady on other end of phone: Hello, Mike’s Noodle House!
Me: I want to order take out.
Lady: OK. What’s your order?
Me: Beef brisket with noodles and wonton noodle soup.
Lady: OK. Thank you. Bye bye.
**Click**
(No, What’s your number, Ready in xx minutes, Can I have your name.)
At the noodle house 10 minutes later, standing at the kitchen, which doubles as the take out window:
Me: I’m here to pick up an order.
Lady: OK. What’s your order?
Me: Beef brisket with noodles and wonton noodle soup.
Lady: OK. (Something in Cantonese to the cook, who just begins to prepare the order)
*Two minutes later*
Lady: Here’s your order. That’s $ 14.xx.
Verdict:
Beef brisket very tender and plentiful, shrimp wonton’s just OK. Very Cantonese style with the shrimp powder in broth and the tougher egg noodles, which some might find off-​putting. Would be a three-​star if it weren’t for the quality of the brisket.
OK. Thank you. Bye bye.

Came here for some congee to warm up before the Hawks game. I’ve been here a few times for wonton noodle, but haven’t been back for a few years. There’s usually a line outside the restaurant, but I luckily came in as someone was leaving.
I went with the pork congee and donut. I wasn’t a big fan of the pork meat (hard to explain, too soft?), but the congee was excellent. You can get the congee with all sorts of meat and innards (if you’re into that stuff). The donut didn’t taste fresh, but once you dip in the congee you don’t notice at all.
Clean with fast service (in and out within 30 mins). Tasty & filling meal for under $ 10 with tip. Cash only. Don’t get caught without it.

Small place, don’t bring your squad.
Pretty inexpensive and good. If youre in the area and need some broth, hit this place up.

I have to say that International District’s Chinese food is impressive. And Mike’s Noodle House is one of the few places that I’ve had the chance to try so far. The Seattle weather calls for Chinese comfort food and Mike’s might become my go-​to for congee.
The restaurant is very much like a lot of the restaurants in International District as its a tiny place, sandwiched in between other tiny restaurants. The place isn’t the fanciest, but its not the dirtiest.
The service was nice. I came in with a friend and we had the good fortune of having a courteous waitress. She seemed pretty enthusiastic and even wore a qipao-​kinda-​looking top. She occasionally checked on up and refilled our free tea drinks whenever we ran low.
The food was great. Very legit. I had ordered the beef and preserved vegetable congee (6.55), my friend ordered the wonton and kau sui noodle soup (7.15) and we shared an order of Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (7ish). The order of Chinese broccoli was pretty large. I was a little disappointed that it came out a little cold. The wonton and kau sui noodle soup was nice. It wasn’t overwhelming. The broth was light and they really packed it with the right amount of noodles and dumplings. –The congee was also very tasty. I was surprised that there was so much more beef than expected and the pickled vegetables really helped give that extra kick. What was great about this place was how the dishes were so perfectly portioned. I wasn’t grossly stuffed but I was full by the end of the meal.
For its price, I think Mike’s is worth to try out and keep going. I’m for sure definitely going to visit again!

Note: Cash only and few tables
This place was recommended by a friend for the wonton noodle soup. I came in had my mine set on trying the wonton noodle soup, but then saw all the congee (porridge/​rice soup) options and couldn’t resist the pork liver and kidney congee. Best choice ever! It was a perfect bowl of congee. The liver and kidney tasted fresh. I wanted more after I finished. The bowl is not enough to fill you up if it were your dinner, more like a light lunch. There are many other choices for toppings in the the congee (beef/​fish balls, etc.) My sister got the fish ball congee and she liked it as well.
I did get the wonton noodle soup also to try it. The wontons were great, fresh. As far as the soup, I was warned it was salty, and it was. I ate all the wontons and the egg noodles, left the soup because it was too salty for me.
This place is quite small and it smells from the outside. there are approx 6 – 7 tables. You can see the ladies through a window to the room where they prepare the food. Service is quick, the waitresses are nice. Prices are fair for a cash only place.

Finally had the opportunity to try Mike’s after hearing many great things, and I’m convinced! Has to be my new favorite soupy/​noodley spot in International District. The 2 times I came in, I guess I lucked out because there was hardly anyone there! No wait at all.
I tried the beef brisket and wonton noodle soup with Chinese donut (as everyone on Unilocal has suggested) and was not let down. Noodles were nicely cooked, wontons were ok, but my favorite part was the beef brisket! So tender and savory! And the Chinese donut was the cherry on top and added a unique texture to the noodle soup.
My next visit I got one of the congees with fish and cabbage. Amazing! However, I feel like it’s hard to screw up congee, it’s a pretty simple dish but the fillets of fish in it were perfectly cooked and there was a HUGE helping of fish. I almost couldn’t finish it all!
And unlike other restaurants in Chinatown, the servers here are actually so nice and attentive! Kudos to you guys. I’ll be back, definitely!