American Noodle Bar

I would tell everyone to Suck A Noodle because this place has awesome noodle bowls!!! Man Hail Yea!!! ^_^v

I absolutely love American Noodle bar. Even after the recent change in chef, I still think the food here is delicious.
The basic concept here is to pick a type of noodle, pair it with a sauce or broth, add vegetables, and the meat of your choice. There are so many delicious varieties to choose from and a ton of different combinations to try. It’s almost impossible for you to get tired of American Noodle Bar because the menu lends itself to coming up with new ideas.
For appetizer I always get the cheeseburger dumplings. These are little fried pieces of heaven. The meat is super tasty and the mustard based dipping sauce is delicious!
With regards to the noodle bowls you cant go wrong with any of the noodles. I ordered ramen last time and loved it. My two favorite sauces are the sriracha and the smokey lobster. I usually add lobster, scallops, shrimp, or oxtail. I don’t usually add too many vegetables to it but I did try the egg once which was great.
For dessert, please get the carrot cake. It is one of the best I’ve ever had. It’s topped with pecan brittle which is a delicious and unique touch.
If you are in the area, definitely give this place a shot!

I’ve been wanting to go here since it opened and caught on to all the hype surrounding the place. That’s definitely died down in time but I was still curious. While I had a ton of combinations in mind, in the end, I went with the whole wheat noodles and shrimp in bacon broth with bok choy.
After dousing it in lots of Sriacha for an extra little kick, I’d lie if I said I finished every last thing in the piping hot bowl. I liked the bacon broth and thought it went well with the shrimp but the shrimp were really small and while there were lots of them, it just reminded me of something you’d find in a cafeteria. The whole wheat noodles (a new addition on the menu) kind of broke apart as they got soggier.
I left full but what I like about noodles is that you never feel sick to your stomach full, just content. I’m curious about the cheeseburger dumplings but not sure if I’d make the trip back just to try them out. On the plus side, the service was friendly and I like the overall feel of the place. I guess if you’re feeling creative and want to try out an inventive noodle combination, it’s not an awful place to come to test out an idea.

I love noodles more than rice and I usually have 6 or 8 varieties of noodles, Asian and Italian, at home to prepare a noodle dish whenever my craving comes. So I was very excited to hear about this place.
Now, for a restaurant with that name, I would expect it to offer a few varieties of noodles to pick from. Some dishes just go better with one noodle than another. Otherwise, the Italians, the Chinese, the Japanese won’t be making so many varieties. There is a reason. So first off I was rather disappointed that there was no choice at all.
Okay, if you only offer one type of noodles, that should be some pretty awesome noodle. So Not. It’s one of the worst I had, not much better than the average chop suey place. It lacks a bouncy, al dente texture.
Also, the girl at the register was not very knowledgeable about the menu. It was my first time so I took some time deciding what I want asked her if the basil sauce is more like a pesto sauce, or clear broth with basil (think Vietnamese) her description was off. Better training needed. I like the broth okay, I like other food okay, but please, the noodles need serious improvement!
I love the idea of a noodle place, especially one that opens late, and we so need them here. But Stir Moon down south is much better for a fast bowl of noodles.

Ok, been dying to try this place cause, I miss my noodle bowl place in LA… Kouraku
Anyway, cashier, was nice! and they help you by suggesting a noodle bowl of the day…
Everything is A LA CARTE so add ons make your bowl.
I went with ginger beef broth noodle bowl with skinless chicken thighs and asian cabbage.
YUMMY, have a cold and it brought me back to life.
I wish it had a little bit more broth, got a little salty and thick at the end and maybe I should have asked.
Anyway, it’s a tad small and has limited seating: but a friendly family size table makes it homey inside.
plenty of outdoor seating but it was a bit dark.
free parking next to hotel (limited also).
Specialty bottle beers nice touch!

I’ve been trying to get my significant other to come here since American Noodle Bar opened, but the idea of «noodles» isn’t really his thing when he’s strictly meat, potatoes, and chocolate. But by the grace of cooler temperatures and no drink specials at Balan’s across the street, he finally wavered.
We dined inside on the big long table in the middle of the restaurant which we shared with several other customers. The clerk who took our order was friendly and the wait time is fairly quick. To start we shared the cheeseburger puff bites, which are really addicting. I’m not sure which sauce exactly comes with it, but it’s a greenish color and it tastes good, so no complaints. For my noodle bowl I ordered the duck broth with Chinese sausage. It was pretty good but I felt it lacked a little something — probably should have added some vegetables in ($ 1 extra for each add-​on). My boyfriend ordered the lemongrass broth with pork meatballs and he was a big fan.
Since then, my S.O. has ordered take out 3 times in 2 weeks — only one time in which I’ve had another take from their menu. The most recent noodle bowl I’ve had was lemongrass broth with shrimp, baby bok choy and broccoli (could you tell I was trying to lighten it up a bit?) Well, I must say, this bowl was deeeeelicious!
I had yet to write my review until earlier this evening my S.O. informed me that his infatuation with American Noodle Bar has caused him to think we should have it become our weekly «thing» (ritual, if you will) where we order from there once a week.
So why the 3 stars? I’m torn between giving it a 4 because each time I think about it I think I’d rather enjoy a bowl of phở instead. That’s strictly a personal preference though. American Noodle Bar is a solid place and since it seems I’ll be dining here on a regular basis at least I’ll get to try out a variety of noodle combinations.
3.5 stars

I’m still a bit high (and soy-​bloated) from my lunch today at American Noodle Bar, having had a very satisfying, tasty, and hearty bowl of noodles with ginger beef broth, garlicky meat balls, snow peas, and a deep-​fried, soft-​boiled egg. (Yup, a deep-​friend, soft-​boiled egg!) Yum-​tastic!
The choices on the menu abound, and a control-​freak like me likes to be able to choose what shows up in his bowl. The friendly staff and minimal, cool décor only added to my experience. Plus, a little vintage Jackie Chan (with a hair-​do that would have made Farrah jealous) on the flat-​screen provided some additional visual stimulation to supplement that found in my bowl.
What keeps me from giving American Noodle Bar five stars? Firstly, I reserve that for the transcendental experiences, and while this was very, very close, I would have liked a few more meat balls, and perhaps some fresh herbs added as garnish and a light note to my bowl. As I read what I just wrote, I want to add a half-​star to the rating. Yes: 4.5 stars it is!

No me gusta.
Their burger dumplings were creative and tasty and the service was friendly, but what the hell is going on with those noodles?!
My friend and I both ordered the Basil Sauce with Chicken or Chinese Sausage and were not fans at all. The little flavor that did exist in the sauce was stuck pooling at the bottom of the bowl and required a whole lot of ungainly chopstick mixing to distribute semi-​evenly.
I managed to eat about half of the $ 7 noodle bowl before giving up and ordering some tasty fries. I ate the rest of it the next day for lunch and still deeply regret that decision. After the bowl bounced around in my car all morning, the sauce was thoroughly mix and distributed, it was also very greasy — as in, my tongue felt slick afterwards (think oil spill slick, not «cool» slick).
Probably not coming back.

Dear American Noodle bar,
Im officially OBSESSED with you guys!!! Please open another one in Ft. Lauderdale to save me the drive!!!

After reading several of my fellow Unilocalers’ reviews on ANB, I felt like I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, and I was right… erm, you Unilocalers were right!
Yes, it’s in a motel and it’s tiny, but it’s quaint and clean. It’s a hipster lover’s paradise, with unique beer selections and fast service.
An array of food was ordered at my table so I’ll run down my feelings quickly. Skip the wings and opt for the giant egg roll instead. The cheeseburger dumplings were lacking cheese — ground beef in a deep fried nugget, how can you taste bad? You don’t, but nor did you wow me.
My noodle bowl with pork broth was slurpy goodness! The duck and mushroom add-​ins were well prepared and decedant, but I do wish they were more plentiful. Note the difference between the «sauce» and «broth» for your bowl. The sauces are just that; don’t expect soupy. Like others, I would love to have soba or other noodles as an option.
Friendly, fast service completed my experience here, but I was left wanting something more. Yes, it’s pretty cheap, but my total for two people came to $ 45 with tax, drinks, and tip. I’ll go back if I’m in the neighborhood.
Bottom Line: ANB brings better than bar food but lacks that wow factor.

I first had a taste of ANB at the Signature Chefs event where I had the Cheeseburger Dumplings Of all the culinary treats that were available, and there were many, the best and the one i found myself parked next to was ANB’s table I was a bit disappointed to find out that they hadn’t opened up just yet so I had to wait a couple weeks before stuffing my face with these
After having gone here a couple times and getting over the excitement of the cheeseburger dumplings, this place is A-​OK pretty good, but not great
You know you choose the sauce and the topping but what I would like is a choice of noodles IMO, the noodles are to thick and don’t do a good job sucking up the sauce
The price is alright
The setting is pretty cool, being in an old motel on Biscayne and the whole communal table makes it easy for making quick friends
I would suggest this place but not rave about it

After visiting Tutto Ramen in New York, I had cravings for noodles in Miami.
When I heard about American Noodle Bar, I knew I had to try it out. So I ventured out and I was surprised to see a make-​your-​own Ramen menu.
You pick a broth, you pick a topping, and they add the noodles. Simple math, and for $ 7, you get a meal.
I picked duck broth and Chinese sausage. And it was tasty with the noodles. Judging from the other reviews, it seems like it’s hard to go wrong with any combination. And as for the noodles itself, it was good. Not Tutto Ramen great, but good. I would definitely return for them.
Other notes:
— Cheeseburger dumplings were tasty. Good not great. I could order them once in a while.
— HUGE egg roll were a disappointment. Too much of the typical egg roll filling makes it taste bland. They should add pickled veggies or something to add some pizzazz. And I had a hard time tasting the pork in them. I’d skip this one, as even the sauce didn’t even help save this egg roll. But if you DO have to order this, ask for the sauce that comes with the Cheeseburger dumplings — it helps the egg rolls somewhat.

It seemed like forever from the time American Noodle Bar’s sign first appeared at the Biscayne Inn till the time it finally opened its doors, but it was definitely well worth it!
I don’t work in the area anymore, so I don’t get to hit up this place as much as I would like, but it’s good enough to entice me to leave the beach on the weekends, and you know that’s hard to do!
I can’t seem to stray from the bacon sauce, and kudos to American Noodle Bar for coming up with something so deliciously addictive! I’ve had it with both the chicken thigh (delicious and plentiful) and the duck (delicious, but not nearly as plentiful). I’ve also had the cheeseburger dumplings, which are pretty tasty themselves!
Overall, I have yet to not have a delicious and satisfying meal at American Noodle Bar, and for very reasonable prices too! This place is definitely worth a visit (or several!)!

What a unique experience. Stopped in yesterday to finally try their noodle bowls. The location is odd, set inside a small strip hotel. They have one large communal table to sit. It is small inside, décor is plain. As you walk in the menu is written on a big chalk board. This was great to try for the first time on a chilly night.
I ordered the vegetable broth with duck. For the extra dollar definitely get the extra meat, so worth it. I really like duck if it is properly prepared. When the very nice cashier explained to me that it is shredded duck I had to try. Hubby ordered meatballs in a soy broth I believe. And we shared a Big Mama’s eggroll. Oh wow my favorite was the Lychee Green Tea, oh this was so good.
Our order came out in no time. For the price you get a huge bowl of food. First bite and yes the duck was superb, the broth very tasty, my only thought was how I wished the noodles were not so thick. They were like a thick spaghetti noodle. More of a chow mein noddle would be better IMO.
The dish other than the noodles was very good. Highly recommend the duck, so good. Who can finish this entire bowl? Wow, good size.
The big mama eggroll was so big, it was comical, split in half filled with vegetables and sprouts, very good as well. The sauce they give you was to strange for me, did not care for it. If they offered sweet and sour sauce oh I would have devoured this eggroll. Again the very nice cashier came over to check on us and she brought over another type of sauce for me. Again, was not crazy about it.
Service and friendliness five star all the way, excellent! Food, three and a half, only because of the texture of the noodles. I will visit again because I did enjoy. It will just have to be one of those days where I will have to be in the mood for a heavier type pasta noodle.
Prices, reasonable.

It’s not that I don’t like American Noodle Bar, it’s just that something is missing. Obviously I like it enough to keep re-​visiting it on nights when I get home late from work and don’t feel like taking a longer drive to grab dinner but I’m still waiting for that element of surprise and excitement that has yet to come.
Yes, the noodle bowls are very satisfying and the assortment of broths are all good (the duck add-​on is my favorite) but that’s where it ends. Despite all the broth and meat combinations, you get tired of the same noodles pretty quickly (at least one or two more types would be great). The hush puppies are too dense, dry and not very flavorful (unless you soak them in the rich, creamy garlicky sauce that comes on the side), the peanut dressing on the salad (which is more like a small side salad) is overpowered by vinegar, the cheese burger dumplings good only because anything fried and dipped in a creamy sauce is good.
On the other hand, the vibe inside is great (gotta love the communal table, the glass drop chandelier and the simple yet cool décor) and sitting outside also has it charms (watching the ‘working girls” of Biscayne saunter by makes for great conversation).
In all fairness, ANB hasn’t been open for very long and menus take time to perfect which is why I keep going back. I hope that the day will come when I leave this place not only full and satisfied but also wowed.

Noodly goodness! Nothing gets me excited like a place that offers «Make-​your-​own» anything, so I love American Noodle Bar purely for the pick & choose aspect. They have tons of mix-​ins and sauces to choose from.
This time around, I went with tofu and brown sugar soy sauce. The noodles were terrific, but the sauce was a little on the heavy side for me, so I couldn’t come close to finishing my bowl. Also, there wasn’t a whole lot of tofu, I had to scavenge for it. We also sampled the scallion hushpuppies, which were tasty, but could probably have used a little more scallion, IMO.
The décor & atmosphere here were outstanding! Loved the stark, mod surroundings, and the staff was super nice. I’ll definitely be back to try some other options, and hopefully boost my star count a bit.

Another great example of how glowing five star reviews can lead you astray. I’m starting to wonder if my fellow Unilocalers are writing about the food or just the concept?
I wanted to like this place, really, I did.
I was so disappointed that I actually waited to write this review, after making a few suggestions to the chef on what needs improvement, so that I can get feedback from others to see if they listened.
Apparently not it seems.
I ordered a bowl of pork balls in honey shallot sauce, and a side of hush puppies.
The hush puppies were alright, but really really tiny. $ 4 for 8 little balls of cornmeal and edamame? Maybe if they were twice the size of the ones I had.
The noodle bowl was a whole new level of disappointment.
The noodles lacked any flavor, the garlicky pork meatballs were ok, the broth was pretty weak. It was way too thin and nothing stuck to the noodles. It was pretty lame.
I suggested to the chef, who passed by and asked me how everything was. I was honest with him and told him what I found wrong.
He was very cool about it, and seemed open to what I was telling him.
I don’t consider myself to be an amazing chef, but I do know what I am talking about most of the time!
So from what I’ve heard recently, it’s possible their answer is to add salt!
Adding more salt is not the simple answer, it just makes it salty.
I’ll wait for more input from those who know food and ignore all the flavor of the month reviews this place seems to be getting a lot of.
Maybe it was just what I ordered. but that’s no excuse, everything should be tasty not just one or two items.
Wake up people, just because a place is cool or cute, doesn’t mean it’s good.

I’ve been back a few times to try other combinations. I still love the atmosphere, and the staff has been so nice every time I’ve gone in.
I tried the sriracha and lemongrass sauces since my last review as well as the duck and pork shoulder. The sriracha sauce is so good. It tastes like the kind of sauce you get with hot buffalo wings. I loved it. The pork was better than the duck, and the lemongrass sauce is too mild. It was lacking flavor.
I will agree with some of the mixed reviews. There’s very little meat, too large of a portion of the noodles, and the sauce sinks to the bottom of the bowl. Maybe making the sauces just a little thicker in consistency would help it stick to the noodles. I’d also recommend they cut down the portion size of the noodles, and maybe add more veggies or meat to make up for it. In the meantime, I’m just ordering double meat for an $ 8 bowl rather than $ 7.
I want this place to work because overall, I think everything is pretty good. Every new place needs a few tweaks, that’s what us Unilocalers are here for!

I had to go back today for a second time to be sure — American Noodle Bar is hit or miss. I’m going to add-​on to previous reviews instead of being redundant. It seems like people either love this place or hate it.
The first time, I wasn’t a fan. It was a soupy brothy phở noodle bowl: Honey Shallot with shrimp bowl. The honey shallot sauce is bland and no signs of «honey» or «shallot» anywhere. I tasted the Lobster sauce, which had the same taste and lack of «lobster» flavor but was a tad better. It was when I taste-​tested another friend’s bowl and discovered the amazing Brown Sugar Soy sauce. No wonder she was slurping it down! Besides her, the rest of the table was ho-​hum and not really blown away at all.
So today I decided to try again and ordered the Brown Sugar Soy sauce with BBQ tofu. Did I mention the shrimp are extra pequeno salad shrimp? As someone who doesn’t really like tofu and the rubbery consistency, this place has tofu perfected! And with the sauce combination, its a great meal for $ 7!
The Scallion hushpuppies are okay to add some crunch while eating soft noodles but aren’t anything extraordinary. My hopes are that ANB reads our reviews and ditches some sauces and adds some new ones.
PS Why is it called American when it has an Asian flair?

Welcome to the neighborhood American Noodle Bar! I love how the Upper East Side keeps churning out new and interesting businesses.
They’re located directly across the street from Balans and next door to Kingdom. The signage is a little hard to notice when you’re crusing down Biscanye at warp speed, so you kinda have to take your foot off the pedal for bit, please.
Like Red Light further up the street, American N.B. occupies a small front wing of an existing MiMO motel.
You can order a bowl of noodles and then pick a main ingredient and then choose from a selection of sauces.
They also have a nice selection of appetizers. I’ll definitely come back for more.

Like many of you, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of American Noodle Bar. I’ve always been a fan of Asian cuisine, and I feel Sakaya Kitchen has helped pave the way for a new generation of Asian street food in Miami. American Noodle Bar is one of its brothers.
The interior is «flying kick you in the head» badass. Literally, there is a graffiti of Bruce Lee on one of the walls. If that didn’t get you pumped, the communal table will, as you and random strangers make plans to take over poor farming villages behind a wall decorated with a bamboo forest.
But enough about day dreaming: on to the food.
They have something called bacon sauce. I’m drinking it. If I could, I’d take a whole bowl full of the sauce. Oh yeah, the bacon sauce is on the noodles, as well as Chinese sausage (which also deserves to go on everything) and the pork meat balls. Other sauces that piqued my non-​bacon interests: smoked lobster sauce (I’ll try with shrimp), brown sugar ginger (with pulled chicken) and… sriracha butter? I know what I’m doing when I get home…
There are other items on their chalkboard menu (hey, did you steal this from Sakaya?). I went with the cheeseburger dumplings because what part of that doesn’t sound great? The dumplings are bite sized, so a great group apetizer. Also the chopped cucumber and tomatoes that come on the side are great. Also on this side menu are a footlong corn dog, pork egg roll, edamame hushpuppies, Banh-​Mi sammich and a lot of other stuff. I was not expecting this variety from a noodle bar.
They also have fresh brewed white peach tea. Its good.
I took a break to shove another chopstick full of noodles, sausage and balls in my mouth. Yeah, I went there, and if you want some good food on the cheap, you’ll go here.
Update: I couldn’t finish the whole bowl yesterday. And like most pasta + sauce leftovers, it was better the second day. I can see myself getting two bowls, and using one instantly for leftovers.

Maybe it was the free parking, perhaps it was the communal table with diners out of a Benneton ad, or the Lau Kar-​Leung kung fu movie «Dirty Ho» playing on the plasma, but I was instantly enamored with American Noodle Bar.
Hong Kong Cinema was my first exposure to Chinese cuisine. They always showed fighters eating hearty meals of baozi (steamed buns), jiozi (dumplings), and bottomless bowls of la mian (hand pulled noodles). It seemed obvious to me as a 6 year-​old, if I wanted to grow up to be an ass kicker, I had to eat Chinese food.
Now it’s 2010 and my ass kicking career hasn’t really taken off yet, but I still love the food. For 25 years I’ve been eating it all over the world, and just like being married that long, it gets old. No worries ANB to the rescue like a Shaolin fighting monk! They’ve taken Southeast Asian noodle culture, and given it a Southern comfort flair ala Gigi in Midtown. The concept is simple;
Pick a sauce like, Brown Sugar Soy, Ox-​tail Broth, Spicy Sriracha Butter, Sweet Honey Shallot, and Basil Butter.
Pick an add-​on like, Chinese Sausage, Pulled Pork, Tempura Soft-​Boiled Egg, Garlic Meatballs, and veggie friendly options like BBQ Tofu.
Hand over your 7 bucks and that’s it! There is currently only one type of noodle, so that’s the kind you’ll be having.
I chose Edamame Hushpuppies (off the chain!) with Curry Mayo as an appetizer, and Roast Duck + Bacon sauce over noodles. A note about the bacon sauce before we move on;
I have high cholesterol and blood pressure, and I know sauce made from rendered bacon fat is bad news, but I couldn’t t let it go to waste. Unilocaler Dong O. and I looked at each other for reassurance, and greedily gulped down the remainder of the broth. That’s right, I braved death to finish it.
Next time I’m taking a Peach Green Iced Tea, Cheeseburger Dumplings, and the Bánh Mì (Vietnamese style sub) to the face, and whoever tries to stop me is going to get a one inch punch to the groin.
I usually leave noodle restaurants bloated like a PMSing middle-​aged mom, but this time I left satisfied. Bar none the best noodles in Miami. Now it’s your turn to use your Noodle and buy American.