Old Gui Lin — Restaurant in Sacramento

This place was good. It's like Asian comfort food. The older gentleman working the register doesn't speak English, only Chinese, but it wasn't hard to communicate. He was very pleasant. He can understand your English fine when you order off the numbers on the wall.

I highly recommend getting an egg, it's a side order, and well worth the extra dollar. I also recommend adding lots of bamboo. It gives a nice crunch and cuts the oiliness. The pepper and the chili oil are not spicy for those who are wary, and for those who love spice you can be a little generous.

I tried the Braised Pork Over Rice. There's a lot of rice. So come hungry. I personally could not finish it, and if you add lots of condiments, it's a huge meal. Two people can share a bowl of you're watching your rice intake. The seasoning is pretty perfect. It's not salty, so if you love salt, it will be bland for you on that end, but the flavors are there and they are good! Remember, salt doesn't equal flavor. The pork melted in my mouth.

The boba milk tea was just ok. I got a large. The boba could be more softer, but that's just my personal preference.

I loved that there is no tip. It's so refreshing to not be prompted to add a tip at the register. You pay for what you ordered, wait a few minutes for your food, and that's it.

After you finish eating, you take your tray up to the containers at the front or back for them to collect later. I'm not sure how sanitary that process will continue to be, but I hope that they can change it where you can just leave it at the counter and the workers there will just take it instead of leaving the dirty and used dishes out. I will go again to try other dishes out.

They have Chinese signs up, but no English, but you can Google Translate it. The songs they play are on repeat, and sound like old Chinese songs, and it adds to the atmosphere of you're dining in.

Parking is a bit of a challenge because of the location. When I came by, I hade to circle the block once before finding a spot. And some people just...

The cashier doesn't speak much english however he does understand a lot. When you order he will use a long stick to point to the items on the menu to confirm he's understanding correctly. I thought that was cute since hes such a nice and older gentleman, possibly the owner. It's also really clean inside and has just the right amount of space. It is open seating, so you order at the register & sit where you'd like, very similar to a cafeteria. They have a self serving water station with ice water, cold water, & room temperature to choose from. A complimentary self serve condiments bar with garnishes like peanuts, chili oil, pickled bamboo, cilantro etc is located next to the counter where you pick up your dish from and there's a bathroom if you need to use it. The dishes were affordable and the atmosphere was so enjoyable. I never seen this place before, & it's definitely like a mom and pops hole in the wall resturant you shouldn't miss. I ordered the shaved ice dessert, super big and affordable and sweet as well, and I can't wait to go again and buy food next time. They were hospitable and sweet, all of them! The other dish pictured is my cousins, no...

When Old Gui Lin opened in Freeport Blvd a few months ago, I rushed in to try them out. They were overloaded at the time due to too many people wanting to try a new restaurant. They're much more enjoyable now!

They don't offer table service. It is more like a fast-food restaurant. Pay and order your food and drinks at the cashier counter. You receive a pager. You can find where to sit and wait for your food to be ready. They have a self-service topping add-on station. You can add Sauerkraut, Peanuts, Green Onion, etc., on top of your noodle with no additional charge. By the way, they have normal-size spoons at the station now instead of mini-size spoons when they first opened.

Almost all the noodles and rice in their main dish menu are very delicious. The appetizers are very yummy. I have the A3. Beef Brisket Rice Noodle, B5. Red Cooked Chicken Feet, and C5. Fresh Soy Milk today. All three items were delicious.

The dining room is not the most comfortable. It is designed for a quick meal fast turnaround. That's why I just ordered to go...