Red 88 Noodle Bar

The atmosphere was cool, but it took nearly an hour to get our food. When we did get it, it seemed like they were rushing us. If you are going to come here, come before 7!

The best chicken chow mein hot sauce and drink specials in Davis you gotta try for your self

This place is always my to go place for drinks. The bartenders are always aware of your presence when you want to order a drink and they are extremely friendly. Conversations with them are the best and it can make your night even better. They are very efficient and quick to make your drink and won’t leave you hanging. They always play the right music! After a few drinks I enjoy chilling around this place and just talk with my friends with their awesome music.
I have also eaten at this place for lunch and dinner. Their food is always very flavorful and taste very delicious. Service is wonderful and they always check on you if you need anything else.
The only problem I have is that they only have one bathroom shared between both genders. During hectic hours (after 11pm), the line for the bathroom can get pretty long and it’s frustrating. He food and drinks can also get pretty pricey so I recommend going during happy hour.
Overall I would definitely come to this place again for drinks or food.

The food has gone down, based on the most recent time I went and ordered entrees at Red 88.
Everything I said before still applies; go for the appetizers, and the drinks (I’ve had The FML and the Pacific Rim, and I recommend the Pacific Rim) but exercise caution on their entrees.
My group of four friends went a month ago, and we all got different dishes, and out of the four of us, only one of us liked what they got — the Spicy Mac and Cheese, and even then that was, «okay».
My go-​to used to be the Muyang, which was a marinated pork bbq rice plate, but now it’s just overly marinated pork in a peanut sauce (which is the sauce prevalent for most of their other dishes)

Was visiting Davis with a few friends and ended up here on a Friday night. So this review is for the «nightlife» here.
…it was very questionable…
So this place is definitely a noodle restaurant… Not a bar… Not a club… Not poppin’… Not sure what this place was going for, but it definitely wasn’t working. This place is basically a restaurant that decided to stay open a bit longer and hired a security guard. We waited in the line out front and quickly realized the security guard just wasn’t letting people in. There were some people inside but it was not packed or busy at all. However, the security guard still kept us waiting outside. Literally just so he could create this pathetic line.
Then when we finally got in we saw how some people were just sitting around. Then we went up to the bar and still had to wait to order drinks… even though there was no one else at the bar!
Basically, not super fun or crowded. No interesting people. Somewhat slow service. Annoying line out front.
No cover though…

I don’t know about you all but I had a great first experience here. Came here to get some drinks on a Sunday around 10pm. This place had a decent amount of people for it being a Sunday. They have a good selection of cocktails. I’m more of a beer person but I was intrigued by their Hot Lips which is their version of a gummy bear. My boyfriend got their Happy Ending. Both very fruity and sweet and you could hardly taste the alcohol. These drinks are creepers though, I was feeling a little happy towards the middle of my drink.
This place is perfect if you have the drunchies or want a decent meal. Had tons of noodle and soup dishes. I didn’t get to try any but I’ll be back for their duck egg noodle soup soon. I did order their drunken pig fries and man oh man those were tasty. Nice crispy french fries topped with their pulled pork, bacon, jalapeño sauce, ranch, and other goodness that I’m forgetting. Definitely try the pig fries.
The service was awesome here. Maybe because it was slow but our server Jun (spelling?) was hella friendly and accommodating. Since it was my first time, I asked a bunch of questions and he was very patient.
I really enjoyed my first time here. I guess it can be a hit or miss judging by other reviews but I’ll be back!

Not sure why all the so-​so reviews. I loved this place. It was slow when we arrived, but the service was great. Our servers were very friendly and attentive. One even liked my new tattoo. Food was great and unique. Asian style fries with ground lamb over wide rice noodles. Great happy hour deals on select days as well. We were in and out quickly as well.

Food here is not the best authentic Asian cuisine in Davis. There are far better places around the town if one wants to get legit Asian food. Red 88 is also known for their drinks and the staff here are genuinely friendly. Security on the other hand can be quite strict in terms of «outside food». My suggestion is to just hide your food if you do choose to bring it inside. I ended up eating tacos from underneath the table lol
Drinks here are decent and this is a popular spot for those going out. Beware of the super FML and don’t be afraid to ask a bigger glass to get water.

I LOVE RED 88, that’s all I really have to say. I came here for my birthday dinner, and our server, John, gave us a really good experience. He handled a party of 10 like no problem. He also allowed me to upgrade my spin-​the-​wheel drink to an FML!
I’ve never had a bad experience at Red. The food has always been amaze-​balls. Tonight I got the spicy stir-​fried ramen with BBQ pork, which was absolutely delicious. I like more spice, so I was happy to use their selection of chili sauces to make it just to my liking.
I’ve been coming here ever since I was able to go to the bars – whether it’s just a dinner spot or a Trinity night, Red 88 never fails to please the customer.

This is my first time eating here and it’s a good experience over all. The music and ambience (we came on a Tuesday so it wasn’t the Thirsty Thursday madness) was very chill. The unlimited thai teas is something that I was most happy about. Though be warned because the size of the large bao is as big as my hand! So it’s probably something to share if you get it. The chicken fingers my friend got were met with approval. She also really enjoyed her chicken fried rice. The moo yang is pretty
. The seasonal lamb yang is flavorful so get it while you can! The spicy ramen with bbq pork was good as well. I got the duck fried rice and it’s very delicious!

Red 88 is what I would call the quintessential college restaurant and bar, and quite frankly I think it’s one of the best ones in Davis.
Parking for lunch and dinner can get really hectic. G street is difficult to find a spot, even with the parking lot across at ACE Hardware. When it comes to its nightlife, it’s a lot better to grab a spot. Stay safe driving!
The food is mostly different types of Asian rice and noodle dishes. I usually only get one thing, and it never fails me: the Red 88 Fried Rice with Thai sausage. Quick and easy fried rice for an affordable price and an egg on top. What more could you ask for? It’s tasty to me drunk and sober.
I always feel like nightlife is a very difficult thing to rate. 5 years of school at Davis + coming back here often after graduating, this place is often what people call «the last stop of the night». Typically because Red 88 is the end of the trinity. I wholeheartedly believe Red 88 is one of the best bars at Davis in terms of their customer service, and they really do their best to accommodate to every single person at night. There have been long waits, but I’ve never had an issue with a waiter or bartender at this restaurant. Some of the nicest in town. I can’t say the same for other places in Davis.
My suggestion? If you want to experience the bar scene, I would suggest grabbing dinner here first and saving a table for the night. A Davis bar to try out at least once.

I love this place! I come here pretty much every Thursday night to grab a drink, and they give you a free voucher to get into Ket Mo Ree across the street, which usually charges a $ 3-​$ 7 cover. This place is the home of the FML drink, which also happens to be the last drink on the Davis trinity check list. I recently tried the AMFML (AMF + FML), and for $ 13 I was good for the whole night and was able to dance my ass off at Ket for free. Can’t go wrong there!
Don’t forget about their food! They have awesome dishes. I personally love the spicy Mac and cheese. You have to try it! I heard their drunken fries and soups are bomb too.

Not bad for a college town restaurant. Came on a slow Sat evening. Was craving soup so I got the ramen bbq pork soup, which was a bit spicy, but just enough that I could handle it. The broth is SO SALTY, so I didn’t drink too much of it, but I still enjoyed it. The noodles were more similar to instant ramen– maybe a little better (which I actually love), so I really enjoyed my soup.
The beer tower gave us about 7 full glasses– not bad for $ 21. This place is definitely for college kids– cheap, munchies type of food, but overall pretty good!

What to get: Duck fried rice. Thai fries. FML. AMFML. Pacific Rim. Crispy rad nar.
What not to get: any of their soup dishes because it’s bland and effortless, basically just combined stock broth and noodles, not seasoned or garnished right.
Don’t come here to eat on a Thursday night if you don’t like crowded drunk college students being belligerent and obnoxious. Most likely empty during the afternoon, so dine in during the day.
Purchases over $ 10 gets you one free Ket pass.

This is honestly my favorite bar in Davis! I love coming here on Thursdays or any random week night where you just want to grab a drink and chill with friends.
$ 5 FML on Wednesdays if you’re trying to do a cheap Trinity! AMFML is $ 13 and will literally last you the whole night and you won’t forget a thing! It’s definitely a college town bar and you wouldn’t see anyone over the age of 26 – 27 here unless it was a special occasion. People always come here as the last spot to drink since it’s open till 2am on Thursdays and there’s plenty of booths to chill in and grab food. The fries are the best! And the crab cheese wontons taste especially good when you’re feeling a little tipsy. It’s even good to eat here sober! Just a little pricey but I think it’s worth it. It’s always a party whenever I come so if you’re down to have fun this is the place to be!

Points for their Fried Rice w/​Egg & Chinese sausages! It’s not too oily either. Usually I get weary of eating foods at a place that’s also a bar but surprisingly Red 88 isn’t too bad. They also have bottomless Thai tea :) (I’m only able to drink max 2 cups anyways, but still, it’s UMLIMITED!) Lots of my friends have also raved about their Thai fries (which consist of sour cream, bacon, & green onion)
I agree with some other recent reviews that the staff has definitely gotten better. The waiter we had kept checking on us to make sure everything was good.
If you’re here for a drink, they have happy hour! I can’t remember on the top of my head which days have what but all I know is $ 5 FML WEDNESDAYS! Some other drinks I’ve liked are red rocket, pacific rim, and cosmo!
Be careful coming here to eat on a Thursday/​Friday though as it does get packed!

2^nd time coming here and the service was always great and the food was just decent.
Decided to come here for a last minute drink & dinner with my BF and his friend. On Wednesdays it’s only $ 5 for a FML. Great deal for a easy buzz to kick in.
Anyways, I ordered the duck fried rice and it was wayyy too greasy for my liking. I didn’t get much of the duck in my dish and I had a couple of bones in the pieces of meat I ate. My BF got the red 88 fried rice which I enjoyed much more because of the green onions and Chinese sausage. Overall though, both dishes left my mouth feeling nasty and greasy. I should have just went with my instincts and ordered the Asian fries. The fries here are super good. Fries are topped with magical ingredients that just mixes so well together (I.e sour cream, bacon, green onion, etc. hehe). Anyways. My bf’s friend ordered the eggplant rice dish which was actually pretty good too. It’s a hit or miss with this place lol. Choose wisely! Our bill total came out to $ 43.
Overall, 3 stars for the friendly service, good drinks, & amazing fries.

I came here when I started my sophomore year at UCD, had pretty good food but got food poisoning from it (duck fried rice). I just chalked it up to coincidence but was afraid to come back for a while. I really hate complaining about a place but I just can’t let this slide.
Fast forward to 7÷22÷15 evening: I was craving noodle soup and decided to give this place another try. Service was amazing and food came out quick. The 2 guys (bartender/​manager?) that were nicely dressed were very attentive and I saw them accommodate a large group really quickly. Literally A+ for service.
I ordered the Thai boat noodle soup and my boyfriend ordered the BBQ pork and shrimp wonton noodle soup. When I first tasted the soup, it was light and not too salty. The beef was strange, thick and very chewy. Something was a little off with it but I brushed it off since I was starving. The veggies in the soup tasted very bitter too. For my boyfriend’s soup, it tasted light too but the wonton was literally a shrimp with the wonton wrapper (shrimp was rubbery). It was nice that the thai tea was unlimited but there was a very bad aftertaste, probably made from powder.
The prices were decent and I thought I could give this place another try. Nope. I went home and puked my guts out for several hours. Just like the last time, I got sick a bit after my meal here, ate nothing else between then and going home. I would’ve ignored it once, but a second time? No way!
Final Thoughts: There’s something in this kitchen that’s not right. My friends have warned me about this place many times before and I should’ve listened to them.

I really want to like you Red 88, I truly do. I’ve been here multiple times for food and for the drinks. My review is based off of my dining experiences, because to be completely honest I don’t remember some of the drinking experiences I’ve had here.
Customer Service: Mediocre every single time. I don’t think the servers care about making tips or maybe I just come at the wrong time, but they don’t seem as attentive to customers as I’d like them to be. The food takes a LONG time to come out. Every single time! I think on average it has taken about 30 – 40 minutes with an average of three parties dining. I don’t understand why it takes so long. Most of the items I order are either vegetarian or contain tofu, so it’s not like they’re cooking meat or anything that would/​should take long to cook.
Food: It’s okay, but I can’t tell if that’s because I’m starving by the time it’s in my face or because I’m hangry and don’t get to enjoy it as I’d like to.
Parking: Plenty of parking in Davis, for your car and your bike too!
Ambiance: It’s always empty when I go. My friends and I talk quieter than we usually do, because it feels a bit awkward talking so loud. I can’t comment on the ambiance during peak business hours.
Overall: The food is ok, service is mediocre and it takes too freaking long for the food to come out. If you have a lot of time on your hands and you don’t care about customer service, this place will fit your needs.

Raw chicken & stingy chefs !
Worst ending to my reminiscence.
I came in here an hour ago hoping I would get a taste of the past and the quality of service from when I was in Davis.
1. Asian style fries — I asked for no onions, and they opted out of both onions AND chilli. I asked for chilli when I couldn’t taste any & the server says he would come right now with it. 10 mins later, none. 20 mins later, none. So I walked up to the counter and asked for them again. Server came out and literally says, «so sorry, they (the chefs) got mad when I asked for some, so here…» Then handed me a sauce plate of 5 dinky pieces of chilli. Are u freaking kidding me? They got mad cause their customer asked for an ingredient they forgot to add in a dish? WOW! Unbelieveble.
2. Thai style wings — it was raw in the inside that we spit it back out. Eff-​imy disgusting ! If I get sick, I know exactly who I’m reporting to FDA.
3. Fried eggs rice — soggy and mushy rice with no favor.
I used to love red 88, and I chose to come back here during my quick visit to Davis simply because I liked it so much. But after this, never again.