Tao Noodle Bar Cafe

What a great place to eat. Tao Noodle bar has been around for a long time and I’d say there is a good reason for that. I was in it years ago and loved it and then again last night. They have an extensive menu with lots of choices, including a healthy options section.
So last night (before a vegan talk) I ordered stir fried pak choi with oyster sauce (Yes I know that’s not vegan) and some soft noodles. Wow was it good, perfectly cooked and seasoned and more than enough to fill me up. I tried some of the salt chilli tofu as well which was pretty amazing too.
The service is great and its a popular spot which I always think speaks volumes. (It was busy on a Tuesday night before payday!) My only downside is the décor which is bright and clean but a little dated. With a few very small touches I’d up this to a 5 star in no time.
Oh and did I mention, its Bring your own! Definitely go try it if you haven’t.

I’ve passed Tao Noodle Bar numerous times, yet never called in despite having heard good reports. However, I popped in last night (a Tuesday) for the first time to grab some food while en route to an event and had a very, very enjoyable meal. It’s really only a take away with a small amount of seating. More of a café than a restaurant and nothing impressive visually. Nonetheless the food was delicious, menu good and service friendly and speedy. I especially liked the great range of vegetarian options; all the noodle dishes can be served with vegetables instead of meat. Also bean curd (tofu) and aubergines appear on the menu, which is fabulous to see. Additionally Tao have a BYOB policy, so I plan to return with friends and some wine to try more dishes. Whilst there I noticed a lot of people calling in and ordering take away food plus a couple of small groups waiting on tables to free up so they could be seated. Hence it seems to be quite a busy Noodle Bar — might therefore be best to ring ahead and book a table or arrive early if you plan to visit.

Fantastic food. Horrible service. No indication outside that it is BYOB. Possibly something sketchy going on in the back – just saying, about 15 guys in suits came out from there with big smiles, thanking their server 1000 times and then after it sounded like there was intense rearranging of furniture going on. But I regress…
I got one of the chilli sauce dishes with vegetables and rice and my friend got spicy chicken and noodles and rice. I had to say my order at least 5 times for her to understand that I wanted the vegetable offering from the chili sauce dishes – there are several sauces all with different meats and veggies under them so I was not sure how else to order it and was pointing and she didn’t seem to get it. The rice came about 5 minutes after my food and was cold. I couldn’t really eat my dish without it, and didn’t really want to with it.
However, the flavours in it were amazing. My friend agreed and I don’t know the last time I saw him eat so much. In mine though, there were parts that were cooked really well (mushrooms and tofu) and parts that were not at all (the bell peppers were still hard as if they were raw) which was confusing.
Had to ask for refills of water every time (as well as where my rice was because nothing was said when the vegetables were brought over) and ask for the check after waiting for 10 minutes without eating.
I’d get take away next time.

Wonderful small restaurant on Dublin Road. Great for a quick meal before or after visiting the nearby cinema. B.Y.O policy makes it great value for money.

This place takes the term ‘fast food’ to an uncomfortable extreme. They seem frustrated by you when you arrive as if they have far too much to be getting on with and you are somehow in their way. The food is ok, but it arrives so quickly I am giving the impression that not much care and attention has been put into it.
It is difficult to ever really enjoy a place when you are being rushed by the staff. I understand that turnover is important in a restaurant as small as this, but it really felt like they did not appreciate my custom

Tao is my favourite noodle bar in Belfast, based on the ever popular Dublin road which makes it popular and really busy! We always ring for a takeout, though I have sat in before too, where I found the service great and the food just as good as always! If We’re getting ready for a night out Tao is pretty much on speed dial and as a Beef Chow Mein costs a 5er its a bargain and leave more money on your pocket for the night ahead. The portions are really big and the food always comes hot and delicious– the standards never slip! I would definitely recommend Tao to any noodle lovers out there as you really cant get better for the price you pay here!

I sampled this branch of the noodle chain second, so knew what to expect. In my opinion, it’s not as good as it’s sister in the Art College.
I felt really rushed in the place, which given that I had met someone for lunch and had to back in the office in an hour is saying something!
The food is grand. Exactly the same as the other branch in that it’s not quite as greasy as a take-​out, but not as nice as a sit-​down restaurant.
Not bad to sit and have lunch in, and the big tables are great for sitting in a big group, but this one doesn’t really do it for me.

I’ve said before I’m not a big Chinese food fan. But I still always manage to find myself in a chinese food restaurant. Tao Noodle bar was a whole new experience in my adventures in not liking Chinese
food. First off, I learnt that I’m not noodles biggest fan either, but you gotta try of you’ll never know I suppose! Just like previous experiences at the Red Panda, Tao Noodle bar isn’t the type of place where you can sit and enjoy your food. When we given the food and no sooner had a placed down my fork, they had taken the plate away and handed me the bill; I hate when a place does that! It really puts me off and gives the place a really unfriendly atmosphere! I don’t think I’ll be back.

On our way to an event one night, we popped in here for some dinner beforehand. It’s a café/​restaurant, but definitely leans more towards café. They don’t have a bar, so it’s bring your own — although there is a £2.00 charge per wine bottle and a £1.00 charge per beer bottle so be wary.
There are pros and cons to this place, the service is efficient and pleasant, and the atmosphere is nice, with the busy Dublin Road outside. What I didn’t like was that the telly was on quite loudly on the wall, so it gave the feeling of being in someones living room or the waiting room in the doctors. My starter was not nice at all — chicken satay, it had obviously been sitting out for a while and was tough and chewy. Mum got ribs but they had a pathetic amount of meat on them.
The mains were like they had come from a different kitchen — honey chilli chicken (for me) and plum duck (for mum) absolutely gorgeous, and generous portions too. So it totally saved the day and I’m going to write the chicken satay off as a one off! Reasonable prices too, when you see the portions.

Excellent location on the Dublin Road, this is a really welcoming little restaurant.
Free prawn crackers on arrival is a nice touch. The food I had was just average which is why I wouldn’t give it higher score but still the restaurant has a nice laid back feel.

Great little place to eat, especially with a ‘bring your own’ bottle policy and right across the road from Tescos Express with its own off license
I keep going back for the boneless salted chilli chicken wings — a speciality with them which I’m hooked on