The Red Star Noodle Bar, Cowley, Oxford

This place does fantastic food, real tasty and quite a range. It also serves Sake which although costly is a must have.

The service is not always of the nicest nature but you will always get your food quickly which makes up for it greatly.

It is always busy so make sure you go early or during lunch. And make sure you have somewhere to go after as you cant really spend very long here without eating/drinking.

All this may put you off but there is a reason the place is always packed. Its cheap and its tasty, and its something new.

The food is great and reasonably priced but I can stand the feeling that you are in the way as soon as you have ordered. There is always a queue and i prefer to feel i can take my time over my meal. There is also a minimum spend so don’t sit down if you aren’t hungry. You will also end up cramped up next to strangers on the school dinner style benches so one meal I had was ruined by the stench of body odor coming from the random fat man sat next to me (not my boyfriend I hasten to clarify).

As other reviewers have indicated, this is a mixed bag.

Top survival tips:
- Try the Chilli Chicken Ramen soup 30 minute challenge. Finish it in 30 minutes and get your photo taken and put in the gallery of fame on the wall. (I think they still do this)
- Try going at lunch time and eat for around £5-£7. Everything tastes better when you’ve paid less for it.
- Chicken chow mein - much better than most takeaways.
- Egg fried rice - a simple dish but surprisingly tasty here.
- Don’t expect things to taste the same each time you go.
- Don’t expect fantastic service from the staff - that way you can only be pleasantly surprised!

I have to disagree with the other reviewers about the service… every time I have been there (at both busy and not so busy times) the waitresses have been unfailingly rude! ... The food makes up for that, but friendlier staff would make this place truly great.

Red Star is good for a quick or impromptu meal. Food is cooked to order and is very tasty.

Typical oriental interior - with objects on the shelfs next to the tables that leave you with a feeling of … “why?”...

The staff are very friendly and prices good.

Enjoy!

This place is great but it is ALWAYS busy meaning sometimes there is no table or at least you need to wait for one. But this is also a good think as its a sign of being popular! Me and my pals have eaten here time and time again. It is quick and easy.
The staff are nice and friendly enough, the place is clean and the food is good. Very authentic.
My favourite is sweet and sour and the noodles are to die for. They taste so fresh and eggy.
Really good - though perhaps not for a proper sit down meal.