Taichung beef noodle shop offering free bubble tea — and you can even play crane games!

Text and photos by /Orange Dog Loves Candy

Beef noodles are a representative Taiwanese dish, but the ones in Taichung are a bit different. At Taichung beef noodle shops, you can get free refills of soup and noodles until you’re absolutely stuffed—and there are also free side snacks like bubble tea. One meal here can keep you full for three, which is why students or people on a tight budget at the end of the month especially love coming here. Don’t let the humble appearance fool you—come try [Dashisi Beef Noodles] at Donghai Night Market and you’ll see that it’s great value, tasty, and seriously affordable.

However, the location of [Dashisi Beef Noodles] is a bit hidden. It’s right at the busiest intersection in Donghai Night Market, where the maze of alleys can be overwhelming. The address, ‘No. 62, Lane 3, Section 5, Taiwan Boulevard,’ is just next to the Hei Lulu Tapioca shop. Once you walk in, the alley is narrow and crowded, with a wide variety of eateries lining both sides. Dashisi is located on the right-hand side.

The original Dashisi branch in Chiayi is already quite popular, and its first Taichung branch in Donghai has also received positive feedback. The whole shop has a unique traditional Chinese style, with elegant screens dividing the space into semi-private booth-like seating. While it’s not completely soundproof, there’s at least some visual privacy, giving each table its own little space.

There are also handy storage baskets placed by the tables for your bags. The wall decorations, however, are quite fun and cute—especially the many Studio Ghibli character figurines (like Totoro, Spirited Away, and Crayon Shin-chan).

These figurines aren’t just for decoration. If you spend over NT$300 in the shop, you can play a claw machine to win one. The claw machine outside gives you one token for every NT$300 spent, and the prizes inside include not only figurines but also possible food vouchers. I got lucky that day and won a portion of spicy wontons. But remember to keep the voucher—it can only be used on your next visit.

Many bloggers have shared and introduced Dashisi Beef Noodles.

The kitchen is semi-open, with a service window where you can watch the noodles being cooked. The aroma of the beef broth wafts out continuously, and there’s also a side counter for side dishes. Aside from noodles, there are plenty of diverse small dishes you can order.

In addition to simple options like edamame and pig’s head skin, there are also dishes like soy sauce chicken, cherry duck, and Japanese-style beef. What really draws people in is the free unlimited bubble tea—you can add as much tapioca as you want.

There’s also winter melon tea that you can drink freely. Outside, a bubble tea usually costs at least NT$45, but here you can drink as much as you want.

In terms of menu variety, Dashisi offers quite a rich selection. The most expensive item is under NT$200, with the basic braised beef noodles at NT$120. You can also get free refills of noodles and soup, plus free bubble tea and side snacks—that’s truly generous. (Note: dry noodles don’t come with free noodle refills, but you can upgrade to a larger bowl.) Even if you don’t eat beef, there are options like wonton noodles and beef soup dumplings.

For higher-priced options, there are several beef noodle varieties named after mahjong tiles: Dashisi, San’an Ke, Yitiao Long, and Tiandi Hu.

This ‘Fish Roe Kelp Pickled Mustard’ (I think it’s more like kelp texture?) is served in a whole pot that you can refill for free. It has a slightly crunchy texture, with a mild sourness and light spiciness that makes it a great appetizer to go with beef noodles.

[Caramel Matcha Mahjong (Cold Cake) │ NT$100 │ Play Matching Game for Prizes]

Although beef noodles are the main draw here, I’d like to first recommend this mahjong-shaped cold cake. It’s an original dessert created by Dashisi. But I’m highlighting it not just because of its mahjong design—the dessert is served on a tray with a whole row of mahjong tiles, featuring three matching sets: ‘South’, ‘Nine Circles’, and ‘One Bird’.

If you pick a tile from the covered ones and manage to match any of the three on the plate, you win a free token to play the claw machine at the entrance. And it’s not just fun—it also tastes good. If you’re good at matching tiles, you should definitely give it a try. Mahjong-themed Chinese desserts are pretty rare.

[Dealer Table │ Signature Dashisi Beef Noodles │ NT$200]

As the name suggests, this dish includes four types of beef: tendons, tripe, beef shank core, and brisket—all stuffed into one bowl. It’s not just about variety; each type is generously portioned. There’s also bok choy, pickled mustard greens, and scallions, which is surprisingly a lot of veggies for a beef noodle dish. But what I love most is the beef broth—its deep brown color.

The taste is refreshing yet rich with the savory flavor of beef. It’s a really delicious broth, totally different from what I expected. The tripe is tender and slightly chewy, the beef shank core has a nice bite without being tough, the brisket is soft despite having some tendon, and the beef tendons have that satisfying QQ texture. Although you can get free noodle refills, the initial portion is actually quite generous for me.

Add in some side dishes, and I couldn’t even finish a second bowl. It’s really quite good.

[Wind Circle Table │ Spicy Kung Fu Noodles │ NT$80 (No noodle refills)]

Since dry noodles don’t come with free refills, they serve them in big portions. And these portions are really substantial. For female diners, one bowl could easily be shared between two people with a side dish. I finished one by myself and was super full.

It comes topped with a generous amount of minced pork (seriously, a lot), plus marinated eggs and meatballs. At first glance, it looks like a regular bowl of pork-flavored dry noodles, but the sauce is actually underneath—you need to mix it all up. The result is surprisingly spicy and flavorful, with a kick that’s not too harsh but definitely appetite-stimulating.

[Flower Table │ Scallion Oil Chicken │ NT$150]

The chicken is cut into thick slices, with tender, juicy meat coated in fragrant scallion oil and sauce.

It pairs perfectly with dry noodles. For NT$150, the portion is very generous—I really like this dish.

[Wind Circle Table │ Spicy Wontons │ NT$80]

Every place does wontons differently, but Dashisi’s are served in huge portions. The long-shaped dumplings are packed with filling, and at first glance, you can barely see them—they’re almost hidden under the bonito flakes. The base has a Japanese-style sauce with chili oil, but it’s not very spicy. Still, there are quite a lot of dumplings.

[Flower Table │ Braised Black Bean Curd │ NT$35 │ Smoked Pig’s Head Skin │ NT$35]

There are also five or six kinds of cheap side dishes you can order here, but the portions are noticeably larger than similar dishes that cost NT$20 or NT$30 elsewhere. The bean curd is dark and thick, with a nice texture. I personally prefer the pig’s head skin—it’s smoky, oily, and has a satisfying chew.

Even though it looks like there’s a lot of chili, it’s not actually that spicy. A few friends can order two or three plates together to save money and eat well.

[Flower Table │ Shrimp Siu Mai │ NT$49 │ Glutinous Rice Balls │ NT$49]

It’s actually surprising to see steamed dim sum on the menu. According to the staff, they have a chef from a five-star hotel who developed the recipes. The shrimp siu mai are packed with juicy filling and have a nice bounce from the shrimp. I always order the glutinous rice balls whenever I see them—they’re just my favorite.

Donghai Dashisi is conveniently located right across from Qing Yi Se in Taichung. Both places offer all-you-can-drink bubble tea and free noodle and soup refills. But Dashisi offers a wider variety of side dishes (like steamed dim sum). If you want a diverse and filling meal, Dashisi is a great choice. If you’re in the area, come give it a try.

[Dashisi Beef Noodles at Donghai Night Market │ Longjing District]

Address:No. 16, Lane 62, Lane 3, Section 5, Taiwan Boulevard, Longjing District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-26523417
Business Hours: 11:30 AM–2:00 PM + 5:00 PM–9:00 PM
Note: No days off. No free noodle refills for dry or mixed noodles.

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