Bambao | Asian Restaurant
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Really yummy Chinese food and boba! Came here for a casual dinner and for a friend to try boba for the very first time. Service was friendly and quick and the food and boba drinks were very well priced and the portions were large and filing.
Bambao Asian Fusion offers a delightful blend of flavors, with an inviting atmosphere and exceptional customer service that made our visit a pleasant experience. Bonus it was in walking distance of our hotel. The vodka fruit tea is an absolute must-try--refreshing, flavorful, and perfectly balanced with a hint of zest that elevated the meal. I highly recommend giving them a try, especially if you're looking to explore a unique fusion of Asian-inspired dishes with a modern twist.
I kept passing this place and was excited to try it, so we stepped in to order a snack. I saw that the menu listed a few different types of Bao for $11, so I asked how many come in the order.... Just 1. $11 for a single bun? That's worse than NYC prices. My husband ordered the popcorn chicken which was pretty good, and we both ordered bubble tea. I got milk tea, he got passionfruit tea. We were the only customers in the shop, yet we waited a good 15 minutes for our tea because the guy behind the counter didn't know what he was doing and kept fumbling with the machine. You can see in my pics how the covers looked when he finally got it done. We were hoping that the tea was worth the wait, but I can honestly say that it was the worst bubble tea I've ever had. It just tasted like water, and maybe that's because it took so long to make the tea that all of the ice melted before we even got it? I'm glad that the other reviews were more positive, hopefully mine was a one off.
I was excited to try this place and it could've been better in my opinion. I got the crispy mushroom bao and the Xiao Long Bao. The crispy mushroom bao could've been so good. The mushrooms were hard to chew through. I feel like they could've been cooked through better. I did however LOVE the pickled veggies you got on the side. They were so good! The Xiao Long Bao was also just okay. There were little slits in the bao so none of the liquid stayed in the bao, which beats the whole purpose of the Xiao Long Bao.
This is a bit of a hole in the wall place but there's a decent sized space to sit upstairs. I ordered the general tso's chicken and the portion was decent. I have never seen or had an alcoholic boba drink before. It was very good but I didn't taste the alcohol really. This is a great place for takeout (I was eating in but they packaged it to go regardless) or lunch I would say.
This was ok. It was a bit too salty and they burnt my chicken. I got the lemon grass chicken Bao and tasted no lemon grass. Good service though. But that is about it.
The food was good, and the service was quick. My only complaint is that the place could use some cleaning. I ordered the Mongolian Beef combo. It was a bit salty, but I loved the crispness of the meat. The rice was also soft and sticky, just the way I like it. The food portion was more than I could finish. The crab rangoon could be better. The place looks small when you walk in, but there is more seating on the second floor. I want to come back and try their boozy bubble tea!
Sadly, my rating is so low primarily due to very poor customer service, as well as a refusal to describe ingredients in their food (I am GF due to celiac disease). I was really excited to try this place and am very disappointed. On their menu, they have GF labels next to certain items. However, the cashier informed me that they have a "cheat sheet" that they use, which does not match up with what is GF/not GF on their menu. For example, the menu in the store says the dumplings are GF, but their "cheat sheet" says wheat is in the ingredients and that they are not GF. (Weird, but I was still interested in ordering them.) To clear this up, I asked to simply look at the ingredient list on the back of the bag for the dumplings. The employee said, "sorry, the bag is in the freezer." I asked politely to review the ingredients, or if he would mind reviewing them, and he then sassily said, "sorry, I realized we are out of dumplings right now." (AKA, he did not want to look or was bothered by me asking.) I have no idea why he was so rude when I'm simply trying to make sure I can dine somewhere safely. Also, the weird inconsistencies with the menu and the "cheat sheet" labeling are a red flag. (I then went to a restaurant right across the street, had a question about a menu item, they quickly checked the ingredient list and it was cleared up and I was so appreciative. Not hard.)
3.5 stars. The prices are good and the menu has some fun items, but the food that I tried was just okay (still enjoyable and tasty overall). In my opinion, it doesn't really compare to Ekiben which remains my favorite but this place offers a bigger item with some different items. I got the Sambal honey fried chicken baos. I love that they give two in an order given that each one is smaller than Ekiben's both with the chicken size and the thickness/plumpness of the bao. The bao itself is thin and not as fluffy as I expected but still pretty good. The chicken was cooked well and crispy with a little hit of heat from the sambal, but the sandwich was a little dry without a sauce and I didn't taste much honey. I was disappointed with the slaw - it tasted like plain raw veggies bc it was not mixed well with the vinegar. I think the whole sandwich just needed more flavor and I wasn't getting it from the plain lettuce or accompanying slaw. I wouldn't have liked more sauce or a more acidic element. Crab Rangoons were pretty good. The filling is less sweet and more savory than I am used to - I think I prefer it to be sweeter and seasoned a bit differently but it was still good and my friends definitely liked it. I'm curious about their other flavor baos but overall underwhelmed by the honey sambal chicken.
I found this place by accident. I was smoking a cigar and walking to my hotel when I saw Bambao. The interior has positive messages though out: kindness in words creates confidence I want coffee first then, let's hug it out! Something very interesting I noticed on the menu, iced Vietnamese coffee with boba. Reading about this mash up is like healing words to me. Now I read they also make rice pudding? Here's kind words from the great artist Pete Townsheand: Love... reign o'er me The Vietnamese iced coffee, they made it really good! To have it with boba always makes me a happy pappy. The small rice pudding cup, another sweet treat that was fun to eat. I left feeling good, the iced coffee was made perfectly and the rice pudding cup was a nice dessert. Keep rockin' Bam!
This place is ok. I've had several items from their menu and have liked some better than others. This time I got their Kung Pao Chicken combo which was good and the side crab Rangoon which was fine as well. Do not get their spring rolls. It has zero flavor and the inside is bare with some veggies but is just mushy and flavorless. Also, their bubble tea is a hit or miss here as well. Their Thai iced tea is ok but I have liked their Taro which have all been good. The staff are nice. It is a decent quick Asian/Chinese food restaurant that's not too bad if you're craving Chinese food.
Bambao is a solid spot for decent bowls, baos and bubble tea. I like that there are lots of vegetarian options, and they can make almost anything on the menu with tofu instead of meat. They also have non-dairy options for the milk teas. All the entrees I've tried so far have been pretty good, and some of their bubble teas are also decent, although not as good as what you would get from an actual boba shop. The service is friendly, although they have made mistakes with my order a couple of times. There are 10 minute street parking spots nearby which makes picking up your order to-go much easier.
This review is a part of my Baltimore fried chicken sandwich championship of 32 sandwiches (round 1 vs Ekiben). The Honey Sambal Fried Chicken Sandwich was ok. The Bao was a little thin and too soggy to eat on the bottom of one of the chicken baos. The chicken is a single thin piece placed over the top of two buns. The sauce was good but a little too cloyingly sweet by the end. The chicken was perfectly crispy! The mushroom bao could have benefited from more mushrooms, especially to deserve the moniker. The mushroom bao was delicious!!!
I came here specifically for the honey fried chicken bao and it didn't disappoint. Crispy fried chicken with a delicious sour-sweet sauce. It came with rice and my only complaint was that the salad was less of a salad and more just some lettuce. Would have loved some crispy cabbage to complement the rest of the meal! Take-out service was quick and easy. They even have a few tables for dine-in. read more
1 month ago
2 months ago
2 months ago
Really yummy Chinese food and boba! Came here for a casual dinner and for a friend to try boba for the very first time. Service was friendly and quick and the food and boba drinks were very well priced and the portions were large and filing. read more
Bambao Asian Fusion offers a delightful blend of flavors, with an inviting atmosphere and exceptional customer service that made our visit a pleasant experience. Bonus it was in walking distance of our hotel. The vodka fruit tea is an absolute must-try--refreshing, flavorful, and perfectly balanced with a hint of zest that elevated the meal. I highly recommend giving them a try, especially if you're looking to explore a unique fusion of Asian-inspired dishes with a modern twist. read more
I kept passing this place and was excited to try it, so we stepped in to order a snack. I saw that the menu listed a few different types of Bao for $11, so I asked how many come in the order.... Just 1. $11 for a single bun? That's worse than NYC prices. My husband ordered the popcorn chicken which was pretty good, and we both ordered bubble tea. I got milk tea, he got passionfruit tea. We were the only customers in the shop, yet we waited a good 15 minutes for our tea because the guy behind the counter didn't know what he was doing and kept fumbling with the machine. You can see in my pics how the covers looked when he finally got it done. We were hoping that the tea was worth the wait, but I can honestly say that it was the worst bubble tea I've ever had. It just tasted like water, and maybe that's because it took so long to make the tea that all of the ice melted before we even got it? I'm glad that the other reviews were more positive, hopefully mine was a one off. read more
I was excited to try this place and it could've been better in my opinion. I got the crispy mushroom bao and the Xiao Long Bao. The crispy mushroom bao could've been so good. The mushrooms were hard to chew through. I feel like they could've been cooked through better. I did however LOVE the pickled veggies you got on the side. They were so good! The Xiao Long Bao was also just okay. There were little slits in the bao so none of the liquid stayed in the bao, which beats the whole purpose of the Xiao Long Bao. read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
7 months ago
This is a bit of a hole in the wall place but there's a decent sized space to sit upstairs. I ordered the general tso's chicken and the portion was decent. I have never seen or had an alcoholic boba drink before. It was very good but I didn't taste the alcohol really. This is a great place for takeout (I was eating in but they packaged it to go regardless) or lunch I would say. read more
The food was good, and the service was quick. My only complaint is that the place could use some cleaning. I ordered the Mongolian Beef combo. It was a bit salty, but I loved the crispness of the meat. The rice was also soft and sticky, just the way I like it. The food portion was more than I could finish. The crab rangoon could be better. The place looks small when you walk in, but there is more seating on the second floor. I want to come back and try their boozy bubble tea! read more
Sadly, my rating is so low primarily due to very poor customer service, as well as a refusal to describe ingredients in their food (I am GF due to celiac disease). I was really excited to try this place and am very disappointed. On their menu, they have GF labels next to certain items. However, the cashier informed me that they have a "cheat sheet" that they use, which does not match up with what is GF/not GF on their menu. For example, the menu in the store says the dumplings are GF, but their "cheat sheet" says wheat is in the ingredients and that they are not GF. (Weird, but I was still interested in ordering them.) To clear this up, I asked to simply look at the ingredient list on the back of the bag for the dumplings. The employee said, "sorry, the bag is in the freezer." I asked politely to review the ingredients, or if he would mind reviewing them, and he then sassily said, "sorry, I realized we are out of dumplings right now." (AKA, he did not want to look or was bothered by me asking.) I have no idea why he was so rude when I'm simply trying to make sure I can dine somewhere safely. Also, the weird inconsistencies with the menu and the "cheat sheet" labeling are a red flag. (I then went to a restaurant right across the street, had a question about a menu item, they quickly checked the ingredient list and it was cleared up and I was so appreciative. Not hard.) read more
3.5 stars. The prices are good and the menu has some fun items, but the food that I tried was just okay (still enjoyable and tasty overall). In my opinion, it doesn't really compare to Ekiben which remains my favorite but this place offers a bigger item with some different items. I got the Sambal honey fried chicken baos. I love that they give two in an order given that each one is smaller than Ekiben's both with the chicken size and the thickness/plumpness of the bao. The bao itself is thin and not as fluffy as I expected but still pretty good. The chicken was cooked well and crispy with a little hit of heat from the sambal, but the sandwich was a little dry without a sauce and I didn't taste much honey. I was disappointed with the slaw - it tasted like plain raw veggies bc it was not mixed well with the vinegar. I think the whole sandwich just needed more flavor and I wasn't getting it from the plain lettuce or accompanying slaw. I wouldn't have liked more sauce or a more acidic element. Crab Rangoons were pretty good. The filling is less sweet and more savory than I am used to - I think I prefer it to be sweeter and seasoned a bit differently but it was still good and my friends definitely liked it. I'm curious about their other flavor baos but overall underwhelmed by the honey sambal chicken. read more
I found this place by accident. I was smoking a cigar and walking to my hotel when I saw Bambao. The interior has positive messages though out: kindness in words creates confidence I want coffee first then, let's hug it out! Something very interesting I noticed on the menu, iced Vietnamese coffee with boba. Reading about this mash up is like healing words to me. Now I read they also make rice pudding? Here's kind words from the great artist Pete Townsheand: Love... reign o'er me The Vietnamese iced coffee, they made it really good! To have it with boba always makes me a happy pappy. The small rice pudding cup, another sweet treat that was fun to eat. I left feeling good, the iced coffee was made perfectly and the rice pudding cup was a nice dessert. Keep rockin' Bam! read more
This place is ok. I've had several items from their menu and have liked some better than others. This time I got their Kung Pao Chicken combo which was good and the side crab Rangoon which was fine as well. Do not get their spring rolls. It has zero flavor and the inside is bare with some veggies but is just mushy and flavorless. Also, their bubble tea is a hit or miss here as well. Their Thai iced tea is ok but I have liked their Taro which have all been good. The staff are nice. It is a decent quick Asian/Chinese food restaurant that's not too bad if you're craving Chinese food. read more
2 years ago
Bambao is a solid spot for decent bowls, baos and bubble tea. I like that there are lots of vegetarian options, and they can make almost anything on the menu with tofu instead of meat. They also have non-dairy options for the milk teas. All the entrees I've tried so far have been pretty good, and some of their bubble teas are also decent, although not as good as what you would get from an actual boba shop. The service is friendly, although they have made mistakes with my order a couple of times. There are 10 minute street parking spots nearby which makes picking up your order to-go much easier. read more
This review is a part of my Baltimore fried chicken sandwich championship of 32 sandwiches (round 1 vs Ekiben). The Honey Sambal Fried Chicken Sandwich was ok. The Bao was a little thin and too soggy to eat on the bottom of one of the chicken baos. The chicken is a single thin piece placed over the top of two buns. The sauce was good but a little too cloyingly sweet by the end. The chicken was perfectly crispy! The mushroom bao could have benefited from more mushrooms, especially to deserve the moniker. The mushroom bao was delicious!!! read more
I really enjoyed this place; Baltimore isn't exactly known for it's Chinese food, but I found these guys on Instagram and have been meaning to try it out. Yesterday I had an opportunity, staying at a nearby hotel. I had General Tso's chicken and crab Rangoon. The crab Rangoon were crispy, not too greasy and tasty. The chicken was very juicy and flavorful. I would recommend Bambao to anyone in the area who craves Chinese. read more
1 year ago
Bambao had a promotion with the Yelp Elite Squad of Baltimore that allowed me to try some of their delicious food at a discounted rate and I'm so happy i was chosen. I had the Sambal Honey Fried Chicken Bao with a Crab Rangoon. Both were great. The Honey Fried chicken was crispy and cooked to perfection and was expertly paired with white rice, and veggies. My fiancé ordered their take on General Two's chicken, and while it was a little tangier than we are typically accustomed(think, Orange Chicken), I wasn't mad at it at all. We also had a Tara Bubble tea, and a Caramel Bubble tea that we enjoyed. We will definitely be back! read more
My boyfriend and I ordered Bambao for pickup. Although we noted our pickup time for 6pm on their online portal, when I called at 5:30pm to make sure it would be ready, they said it was already ready. This was disappointing as we would not be there for 30 more minutes... As for the food, everything was very good, though a little cold. We got a honey fried chicken bao, a bulgogi bao, shrimp fried rice, crab rangoons, and a bubble tea. The honey fried chicken was pretty good! The chicken was tasty and tender with a nice crisp, and the bun was fluffy and sweet. The bulgogi was overall very good- the sauce on it was peanuty and a great addition. The bun had unfortunately sopped through and sort of fell apart, but this could've been because it had been sitting a while. Don't worry- I still ate it! A few pieces were a bit tough, but the flavor was great. The shrimp fried rice was great too! It had fresh egg in it which I love, and was a huge portion. It seemed like a great serving of shrimp too. There is not a lot of great Chinese food in the city- I would get this rice on its own another time! We have a lot of leftovers. The crab rangoons were in mini spring rolls, which was a nice surprise. They were crispy and sweet, and came with a spicy dipping sauce. I've never met a crab rangoon I didn't love, and these were no exception. I also got a lemongrass ginger tea, with boba, and I got it less sweet. For me, it was still too sweet, but I liked the flavor, it was something different. Overall, had we gotten the food fresh, I think this could've been a 5 star meal, but even so, no big complaints. I work right around the corner from the restaurant so I will definitely be back when we get back to the office. If you're looking for a hearty bao bun with some savory additions, check this place out!! read more
Business owner information
Angela K.
Jess, we apologize that your order was prepared too early and was not…
7 years ago
Finally got to try this restaurant after seeing so many Baltimore foodies post on Instagram! Was surprised how small the space was when I entered, but there were more seating upstairs. No elevator so don't bring a stroller unless you want to drag it upstairs with difficulties. We ordered: the sambal honey fried chicken rice bowl - crispy chicken served over rice with a mayo & sambal sauce. There were shredded carrots and pickled cabbage (yummy & refreshing) Lemongrass grilled chicken bao - was good except there was too much sauce which made the bun soggy, also came with pickled cabbage Popcorn chicken - perfectly fried, sauce was mediocre, would prefer it without Original milk tea with tapioca- flavorful, generous amount of tapioca The place is not well ventilated. The seating area upstairs was very smokey and warm (almost hot). The exhaust might be broken, but it was certainly smokey inside. Wait time was about 10 minutes. You can order ahead for pick up through their app. read more
Business owner information
Angela K.
Rebecca, We really appreciate the great review. Yes, our exhaust fan…
1 year ago
Wow. The dumplings here have a soft wrapped gently crisped exterior with an incredible dipping sauce. The Bao chicken sandwich was crisp and substantial. Don't know if I ate it right (defaulted to a knife and fork) Bubble tea was excellent. Happy to have found a fancy and fun place for creative oriental lunch. read more
Business owner information
Quinn H.
Tyler, Thanks so much for a great review! We're really happy you…
Brand new. Still working out the kinks. Looks like a fusion of Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese flavors similar to Ekiben. The menu is very simple. Either, bao bun sandwiches, bowls and drinks. Drink samples were offered. These were good. I ordered the #1 popular item, which I loved, the fried chicken bao. The bun wasn't too doughy or thick. It is accompanied with shredded pickled radish which really complimented the sandwich well. It did take a while for my order though. There's an area to sit upstairs too, but I ordered to go. I would definitely come back. read more
Business owner information
Angela K.
Thank you for the great review! We look forward to serving you again…
I don't say this often, but this place is one of the worst places I've been to. I tried their bubble tea and I was so shocked at how bad it was. I got the salted caramel black tea (less sweet) and the fuji apple green tea and they were atrocious. I thought my salted caramel milk tea was bland because I asked for less sweet, but the apple one was exactly the same. They both tasted so bitter and without any flavor. I haven't tried the food, but definitely do NOT come here for drinks. Also, their boba straws aren't sharp on one end so you literally can't stab through the lid - I had to use my keys. read more
COVID-19 experience: The employees were wearing masks. There are a couple small tables in outside in front of the restaurant, as well as a few tables upstairs. They have hand sanitizer available at the front. I got a taro milk tea with boba and it was just ok, it kind of tasted powdery. My mom ordered an iced matcha green tea latte, but they didn't put ice in it. We didn't try their food, but some office people came in for lunch and it smelled good! read more
I'm ashamed to say this, but as a bun fan, I've never had it in Baltimore. I came here on a Saturday afternoon to try out their buns. My friend and I ordered through the mobile app to receive 15% off. The food was brought out within ten minutes. There was plenty of seating upstairs on the second floor. It was clean, and the ambiance was relaxing. The chicken bun surprisingly big and had a huge side salad. The popcorn chicken was crispy and tender. Unfortunately, I didn't get to their boba but I guess I'll save that for another time. read more
Business owner information
Angela K.
Yuri, thank you for the excellent review! We’re so glad you chose…
3 years ago
5 years ago
Great shop with excellent food. We walked in to see a couple samples of tea . Taro milk tea was purple and delicious! My friend and I both ended up ordering one with our meal. The baos were great. We especially enjoyed the samba honey chicken. The dumplings were good too and had a nice spicy dipping sauce. There is seating upstairs but it seems many people get the food to go. We ate in and enjoyed the quiet seating area. read more
Business owner information
Angela K.
Jody, Bambao thanks you for your positive review! So pleased that you…
5 years ago
I've been dying to try Bambao because bao buns, crab rangoon and bubble tea are my some of my absolute favorite things!! So we picked it up today for lunch! I tried the Crispy Mushroom Bao Bun which has silken tofu, miso, scallion, mushrooms and black garlic teriyaki sauce! It was delicious!!! I could eat this everyday! The tofu was crispy and soft, the mushrooms were cooked perfectly and the steam bun was so fluffy! It was amazing! We both also got the crab rangoon and I have to say I was really disappointed. Our order was missing the chili-black vinegar sauce so I can't comment on that but I ate it with my own mixture of black vinegar and chili flakes and duck sauce and I enjoyed it with both. But it just didn't taste like a crab rangoon made with their dashi cream cheese cilantro filling. Sadly, there was no crab/seafood flavor at all not could I really taste the cilantro. It honestly just tasted like a cream cheese wonton and the flavor came from my sauces. I definitely wouldn't recommend getting these if you're looking for a good seafood crab rangoon. My boyfriend got the Bulgogi Beef Short Rib Bao Bun which came topped with pickled asian pear, crispy shallots, thai basil, and special sauce. The beef was cooked great and not overly fatty, the steam buns were perfect and the sauce and juices soaked into the buns giving it great flavor. Unfortunately, he found a very long hair in it. Which isn't ideal. We also got the Taro Milk Bubble Tea and the Thai Bubble Tea. The Taro tea for amazing and love that it's purple. And the Thai tea was great and tasted like classic Thai tea. The boba was cooked perfectly, they were slightly chewy but also perfectly soft. read more
2 years ago
we were looking for a lunch place and someone had recommended bambao so decided to try it out the food took a while but when it came it was really good. we ordered the crispy tofu and the veggie noodles. both the flavor and portion of each item was very good the crispy tofu had a really nice batter - the dipping sauce could've been better but overall very good the veggie noodles were very good - nice flavor and good portion overall nice place for lunch read more
5 years ago
I had to try the alcoholic boba, even though my instinct said no. The boba was pretty good but I couldn't get past the taste of the alcohol with their drinks. We got a strawberry fruit tea and a strawberry coconut milk tea. The coconut milk separated from the drink after a time. read more
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More info about Bambao | Asian Restaurant
1010 Aliceanna St
Baltimore, MD 21202
Inner Harbor
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(443) 438-3528
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https://www.eatbambao.com
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