damnlines.comdamnlines.comThe hand-pulled biang-biang noodles born in a Flushing mall basement that grew into a crowd-drawing NYC chain.
Xi'an Famous Foods started in 2005 as a roughly 200-square-foot stall in the basement of Flushing's Golden Shopping Mall, the spot Anthony Bourdain put on the map (Wikipedia). That original basement stall is gone: the Golden Mall food court closed for a phased building renovation, and the chain's current Flushing outpost now sits inside Tangram Mall at 133-33 39th Ave, Level C, open daily 11am to 9pm (xianfoods.com). It runs as counter service, not a sit-down room.
You should expect lines at Xi'an Famous Foods, per The Infatuation, which reviews the Flushing location among a half-dozen NYC outposts. Gothamist calls the operation one that keeps 'serving its famed dishes to the masses.' Part of the draw is watching the biang-biang noodles hand-pulled to order behind the counter; Food Network reports you can see them 'pulled while you wait in line.'
The line usually looks worse than it is. A Chu On This review describes 'a lengthy line up to the counter' during a lunch rush but says the place runs like Chinese fast-casual, with 'no more than five minutes after you place your order to the time you've gotten your food.' The bottleneck is reaching the register, not the kitchen. Reviewers say the longest waits hit the weekday lunch rush and ease off in the late afternoon.
No camera here yet — but these lines are on camera right now:
The Halal Guys · 157 min walkclosedLucinda's · 169 min walkclosedCaffè Panna · 170 min walkclosedIt depends on the location and time of day. The Infatuation tells diners to expect lines. But the line moves fast: a Chu On This review describes the setup as Chinese fast-casual, with food out within about five minutes of ordering. Most of the wait is reaching the counter, not the kitchen. Damnlines has no camera here, so this is drawn from published reviews, not a live count.
Reviewers suggest skipping the weekday lunch rush around noon to 1pm and going in the late afternoon, when lines reportedly thin out.
No. The original stall in the basement of Flushing's Golden Shopping Mall, the spot Anthony Bourdain made famous, closed when the Golden Mall food court shut for a building renovation. The chain's current Flushing location is inside Tangram Mall at 133-33 39th Ave, Level C, open daily 11am to 9pm (xianfoods.com).
No. It's counter service: order at the register, wait for your number, and grab a seat if one opens. Seating is limited at most locations, so many people order it to go.
Yes. The biang-biang noodles are hand-pulled to order behind the counter, and Food Network notes you can watch them 'pulled while you wait in line.' That live noodle-pulling is part of the draw.