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Bao and Broth

3.7 (231 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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Maritza D.

Boa and Broth is located in Optimist Hall. We tried a trio. All the flavors are outstanding. The Boa Buns are made fresh and are packed with such distinctive flavors. The service was amazing. Because it's in a food hall the ambiance is similar to the hall itself. We will definitely be back there try the different options as well as the Ramens they offer.

Deedrah B.

I got the spicy pork ramen earlier today. I ordered it to go so it was packed separately broth and fixins. Service was fast, a little brusque, and price wise it felt a little steep (18$ after tax and tip). It's a simple and straightforward place and menu. Flavor profile wasn't as good as I had hoped for, spicy yes but missing a richer/deeper flavor. A little bit of a disappointment with this one. @azfitfoodfun

Miso Ramen
Kailee N.

One of my favorite ramen places in Charlotte! I get the miso and I love the buttered corn added and the broth is so yummy. HOWEVER, I have heard of some not feeling great after eating here. I sometimes have a small stomach ache but it taste so good worth it to me. The service is ok, quick. It's in optimist hall and a nice thing to take to go for me because I can never finish the whole thing in one serving.

Kellie R.

Bao and Broth, like all of the food stands inside Optimist Hall, has a small but mighty menu. I've grown to love smaller menus as it allows the chefs to perfect their craft and offer extraordinary meals. Bao and Broth is amazing! I ordered their KFC bun, ramen, and a green milk tea. Everything tasted amazing! The service was friendly and quick. There's plenty of seating around but I was doing a to-go order. At night, especially on weekends, it's very busy at Optimist Hall, but the hustle and bustle is a great experience and is so incredibly lively. I'll definitely be coming back to Bao and Broth!

Tonkotsu Ramen spicy
Macarena R.

We visited Optimist Hall and decided to try Bao and Broth -- and we're so glad we did! The food was fresh, flavorful, and really hit the spot. Everything we tried was delicious, and you could tell it was made with care. Service was fair, its really more like a fast food set up. It was a solid experience overall, and I'd definitely recommend it if you're in the area. We'll for sure be ordering again next time we're back!

Curtis Stone - The Realtor ®.

I've been to Bao & Broth in Optimist Hall probably a dozen times and finally remembered to grab photos on this visit. I ordered the OG, the KFC, and the Bulgogi bao. The OG is consistently good, soft bun, solid flavor - but if you've ever had one from Good Food on Montford, you might find it a little less memorable by comparison. The KFC bao was great, but that almost feels expected... it's fried chicken, so it's hard to go wrong there. The Bulgogi, which is usually what I'm most excited about, was unfortunately the biggest miss this time. The meat came out dry, overcooked, and almost jerky-like with very little flavor. It was surprising given how much I normally enjoy their food. Overall, I still like Bao & Broth and most spots in Optimist Hall - this just felt like an off day for one item. I'd absolutely go back, but I might skip the bulgogi next time.

Bao and Broth, Optimist Hall, Charlotte
Bruce K.

So many choices for dinner in the Optimist Hall! My eye was drawn to the ramen and so this was my decision. Placing my order with a friendly young lady, my phone buzzed at me a few minutes later and I picked up my meal. A bag containing all the needed parts and I found a seat nearby to assemble. Yes, everything was ready for transport so that it would still be fresh at home so it was even better to have it immediately. Opening the bowl of noodles and fixings, I poured the broth into the noodles and dug right in. Still hot of course and so much flavor. Mushrooms, fresh sweet corn, al dente noodles. It was beyond excellent. Absolutely delicious and fun to eat! [Review 2090 of 2024 - 3764 in North Carolina - 23109 overall]

Miso Ramen
Leslie H.

Enjoyed Miso Ramen at Bao Both. The bowl has fresh vegetables - corn, scallions, grilled chicken and water shoots. The broth is a flavorful miso that has a hint of spicy. The service is quick for a takeout stall. This is one of my new takeout places for a grab and go meal.

Miso Ramen
Trya D.

They serve their ramen with ice cold eggs and argued that is how it's supposed to be. I have NEVER been served ramen with ice cold eggs. And they weren't even soft boiled, they were like poached. He begrudgingly warmed it all up together, by the time he return it one of the eggs was scrambled. The other one is just broken with no shape even closely resembling a boiled egg. The flavor of the actual food isn't bad which is I gave three stars, however, I would not return

Travis T.

Although the O.G. bun was good, it was not traditional since traditional ones don't include Vietnamese-style pickled daikon and carrots. Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to go to this place again.

Buns
Jessica C.

Cashier was friendly. Very good bao buns! The bun itself was soft and light. "The O.G." Bun was so good, very tender and well marinated. Pickled veggies and hoisin sauce complimented it well. "The KFC" bun was my favorite of the three! The chicken was nicely fried and seasoned. The sauce on it was very good in the cucumber didn't give an overpowering "cucumbery" taste. I no longer see it on the menu, but there was a bun with a small hard shell taco inside. It was very interesting, but my least favorite.

Tonkotsu Ramen
Kim H.

First trip to Optimist Hall and I can't pass up ramen! This was delicious for a counter service restaurant and rivals many table service I have been to. The ramen was served quickly and staff was nice. I also ordered crispy tofu and while crispy wish it had some seasoning. Optimist Hall is great for a family to have different meals! We will be back!

Bao trio (insta: @mmmashterchef)
Mike M.

Came in summer long food road trip! The venue itself is awesome. Staff friendly. Wait times super fair. Ordered the "pick 3" bao options out of about 7... (fried spam tomato egg sriracha aioli scallion), OG (5 spice pork belly pickled veggies hoisin), and falafel (seasoned cucumber cilantro tzatzik)... OG the best. Pork belly cooked to perfection but a bit over drenched with hoisin. Spam was delicious but the egg was a bit think and forgettable. Falafel was great with the tzatziki as well.

The Brunch Bao

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Lam's Kitchen - Mapo Tofu

Lam's Kitchen

4.0(481 reviews)
11.7 mi•Providence Plantation
•$$

I genuinely enjoy Lam's Kitchen. It's one of those places I'm willing to drive out of my way from…read moreUptown to Matthews for--and it's worth the trip every time. As a Bay Area foodie, I'm always searching for Chinese food that gives me that same feeling I get in San Francisco or Houston's Chinatown. Lam's comes close. The ingredients taste fresh, everything is made to order, the proteins are tender, and the flavors have depth without being heavy or overdone. This visit, I ordered the scallion beef, and it was excellent--tender beef, plenty of scallions and onions, and beautifully seasoned. I asked for something spicy on the side, thinking sambal or hot chili sauce, and they brought me chili crisp. Perfect. And yes, I know sweet and sour pork can sound cliché, but theirs deserves some respect. It's made with cubes of tender pork, bell peppers and pineapple, and the sauce isn't cloyingly sweet. The quality of the pork makes the dish. I'm already looking forward to the leftovers. Other favorites include the string beans with ground pork and the beef with broccoli. Both are stellar. They also have an extensive dim sum menu. It's ordered from the menu rather than served from carts, which means there's plenty more for me to work my way through. There's something comforting about eating here. Seeing families gathered around the tables enjoying Chinese food sometimes makes me a little homesick for meals out with my mom. Food has a funny way of doing that. The restaurant itself is clean, comfortable and nicely air-conditioned, with a large live seafood/lobster tank. Service is friendly and fast. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and there's an easy parking lot right outside. Lam's Kitchen has earned a permanent spot in my rotation. I'll happily keep making the drive to Matthews and eating my way through the menu. Life is too short not to eat well. Get out there and find your next meal.

Everything is always GREAT! The waitstaff treat you like FAMILY…read moreEven though there were 3 of us eating, there are always leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Photos
Lam's Kitchen - Fresh tank of two sizes of Lobster and Dungeness Crabs

Fresh tank of two sizes of Lobster and Dungeness Crabs

Lam's Kitchen - Seafood bird's nest noodles

Seafood bird's nest noodles

Lam's Kitchen - Dim sum  menu Aug 2026

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Dim sum menu Aug 2026

O-Ku - Sushi Roll (??)...Tiny portion, and terrible presentation!

O-Ku

4.3(725 reviews)
2.5 mi•South End, Dilworth
•$$$

Incredible service, outstanding fish, and a chicy-boob-boom vibe!…read more Probably the place to go number one for a fantastic sushi experience in Charlotte, this is definitely a place where a cool kids go, but you can be 100% DadBod and, as long as you're not in White new balance and cargo pants, they'll let you fit right in. The menu has so many great things on it, and skipping the tuna flight might darn well be criminal. You're gonna enjoy that quite a bit. The service team there is long tenure and really knows what they're doing. They just got a new general manager, and she's got great energy and standards of excellence around her. The AGM is the best dang manager you're ever gonna see! When I have close friends in town, who really want great meal, this is one of the places that we will for sure go. To a great walkable area and while the youngsters there tried to get all the tail feathers up a little too much, don't let that bother you. The restaurant knows what it's about and who it is serving ultimately

My daughter wanted an Omakase experience for her birthday. After reading reviews and comparing a…read morefew places, I decided on O‑Ku. We'd never tried Omakase before, but we've had other curated dining experiences. Upon arrival, we were seated immediately. Our waitress was pleasant, she started on beverages, and explained that the Omakase would be a two‑hour experience...totally fine. Within the first 20 minutes, our first dish arrived and it was excellent...But then...nothing. We waited, and waited, and waited. An entire hour passed before the next dish appeared. I pulled the waitress aside to check on the delay, she explained they had a sudden influx of customers but she'd ask the kitchen to move a little quicker. The food did start coming out after that, and the managers came over to address the delay, which I appreciated, but the damage was done. I wanted a memorable birthday experience for my daughter, and unfortunately it ended up being a bit of a disappointment considering the time and cost. The food itself was delicious, but poor pacing and lack of attention to the customer overshadowed the entire experience. I didn't ask for compensation but the managers took it upon themselves to comp my wine flight. I hope this was a one off experience but I can't say that I'll return to this restaurant.

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O-Ku
O-Ku - Black Magic, Salmon Usuzukuri, Cucumber Maki, Top Shelf Roll

Black Magic, Salmon Usuzukuri, Cucumber Maki, Top Shelf Roll

O-Ku - Red Dragon and Volcano Roll

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Red Dragon and Volcano Roll

Inchin's Bamboo Garden - Chinese Bhel

Inchin's Bamboo Garden

3.4(166 reviews)
7.5 mi•University City
•$$

Maybe everyone didn't love their first experience here but we did! My only beef would be that it's…read morecold inside so take something with you if your cold natured. We went on a Sunday evening. We had vegetarians and meat eaters in our group. So we ordered up a bunch of different dishes. They have a bar, didn't really dabble much in that except beer for the guys as it didn't look like they had much of what we like, also ample seating inside and interesting decor! Service was pretty quick and good comes out fresh. We had the Chinese bhel which was huge ! Lots of good fixings in this but good flavor little spicy little sweet. The veggie lettuce wraps had a bunch of veggies in it served With a whole head of lettuce, mild flavor but good crunchy veggies. The crispy chili potatoes were awesome. Flash fried potato sticks covered in spicy sauce. Yum. The pan fried fish was also one of my faves. Light Smokey flavor but nice thin batter and good amount of spicy sauce. With the onions and peppers mixed up on top this was a winner. The tandoori chicken momos were my least favorite. Not much going on here and they looked like they were sitting out awhile. Not as fresh as all the other dishes we had. Not much filling either. The vegatrian manchow soup was delicious. Full of flavor and a little kick. I still added some chili garlic sauce and that brings it to another level. Lots of little chopped veggies in this with a nice brown broth. We also had another dish which I don't remember the name of but had a nice sauce with peppers and onions and chicken served with rice . Maybe the hot garlic with chicken. Also a great flavorful dish with lots of sauce and hits all the tastebuds . All our dishes but one was finished . We really enjoyed all the sauces too. Chili garlic and the momo sauce were great add ons. Great place for a Asian fusion dinner or lunch .

This was our first time here. Ordered Chicken fried rice, wings of Heaven and fried ice cream. The…read morefood was delicious and plentiful. Service was exceptional. Will definitely be back.

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Inchin's Bamboo Garden - Monday night an hour before close

Monday night an hour before close

Inchin's Bamboo Garden
Inchin's Bamboo Garden

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Wan Fu Quality Chinese Cuisine - Chicken Curry, Sesame Chicken (lunch portions)

Wan Fu Quality Chinese Cuisine

3.9(333 reviews)
10.2 mi
•$$

Wan Fu is stamped as the best Chinese spot in Charlotte and I'll Stan by that! Every time someone…read moreasks me where to get good Chinese food, this is the first place that comes to mind. The food is always consistent, and that's what keeps me coming back here. I visited during lunch, and they only had two servers working, so service was a little slower than usual. To start, I ordered the spring roll, then had the Wan Fu Scallops and the Singapore Rice Noodles. The spring roll was crispy and hit the spot. The Singapore noodles were packed with flavor and had a nice spicy kick. If you're not big on spice, I'm sure they can tone it down if you ask. The Wan Fu Scallops were tender and just as delicious. I've been here several times, and the quality never disappoints. Consistency is hard to find, but Wan Fu gets it right every time. If you're looking for Chinese food in Charlotte that's worth coming back for, this is the spot.

Food was very tasty, flavorful, and generous portions! We started with spring rolls: veggie &…read morechicken. Couldn't tell a big difference between the two, and also deep friend which we were totally expecting. Then our entrées came and were the real showstopper! We ordered fried rice with Chinese sausage and shrimp (also deep fried) and Kung Pao Beef. Different dishes, but both packed with flavor! Service was great being very attentive and helpful in guiding our order. The vibe was on point with a cool decor style that seemed authentic. I was shocked at the look of the building too-- even has lion statues! I am glad we found a new go-to Chinese spot!

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Wan Fu Quality Chinese Cuisine - Interior bar

Interior bar

Wan Fu Quality Chinese Cuisine
Wan Fu Quality Chinese Cuisine - Good Chinese food

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Good Chinese food

Sun's Kitchen - Ma-La Dried Peppers Chicken

Sun's Kitchen

4.5(194 reviews)
3.6 mi
•$$

An all time favorite place of mine that I've been a fan of since their first location! So happy to…read moresee how they've grown and created a beautiful space and resturant with their beautiful decoration, ambiance, and excellent service from the employees. Always my favorite place to go when I start to miss home and need some nostalgia and that home cooked meal feeling. My other favorite (not pictured) includes: Mango or watermelon jasmine tea, beef stew with rice, dan dan noodles, tornado potato, honestly any of the appetizer/street foods, home-made soy milk. Did I mention I loved this place?

After many years, I revisited this place for lunch at its new South Boulevard location…read more.. The new place was casual, yet chic and modern...and runs on this touch screen ordering process. I actually loved the bright, comfy vibe of the place. Thought it could use a bit louder music to fill the space. I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles, Rainbow Dumplings and this Mango Jasmine Tea drink...and they were all pretty good. Still, I was surprised how my bill totaled about 35 bucks. Normally, I'm not too surprised by the pricing (even for lunch), but it felt a bit high...given that everything was served on paper and plastic wares. I did like how they have these DIY take-home plastic wares accessible and ready to go...so some points for that! Overall, it's just a casual eatery...not a full scale restaurant. I prefer full scale service, complete with nicely plated presentations, but this type of DIY eatery is just something that's becoming more common.

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Sun's Kitchen - Interior

Interior

Sun's Kitchen - Szechuan chicken dish
 @poprockphotography

Szechuan chicken dish @poprockphotography

Sun's Kitchen - Eggplant
 @poprockphotography

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Eggplant @poprockphotography

BaoBao  Dim Sum & Chinese Cuisine - Xiao Long Bao

BaoBao Dim Sum & Chinese Cuisine

3.8(194 reviews)
14.6 mi
•$$
Healthy dining
Locally owned & operated

Tried this place for the first time last week and it was better than expected…read more Everything was great. Veggies and spinach bun was a shareable appetizer of 2 buns. Kind of reminded me of the texture of spanakopita in a bun. They were generously filled and delicious. Yangzhou fried rice had a mix of scallops, shrimp, chicken and veggies. Portion was huge, husband could barely finish it. I ordered spicy wonton in chili oil, and mini spare ribs in black bean sauce dim sum. Loved them both. Seasonings and spice level were perfect. I'd order those again. We also got a selection of dumplings - pork and veggie shumai, steamed potstickers, and crystal shrimp dumplings. Loved all of them. I love the relaxed vibe here. Our server was attentive, professional and gave us space to enjoy our meal with minimum interruptions. We were greeted when we arrived and she waved goodbye when we left. While dining, I saw quite a number of takeout orders picked up by customers and dashers, which is something we'll definitely do in the future. The dining area and bar are in one big room with huge windows that make the space feel spacious and light. Even tho it's one big room, tables aren't crammed together. Music is low enough to talk at normal volume. We really enjoyed our first time here, plan to eat here again and highly recommend it if you haven't been.

This kept coming up on Yelp so we decided to try it!!We have been twice now! You could almost…read moremiss this place because of where it's located in between a lot of retail shops but it's across the parking lot from the target off of Sam for Road. It's pretty spacious inside tastefully decorated, and the staff is beyond friendly. Our waiter was especially attentive to keeping our water glasses filled and checking on us to make sure we had what we needed and that everything was to our liking. I don't remember the name of the dish my husband had but it was similar to Mongolian beef except it's loaded with a lot more vegetables, including mushrooms, and the sauce was very tasty. I had the Kung Pao chicken, and I loved the flavor. The chicken was juicy. The only thing I did not like about it was the amount of celery. I'm not a fan of celery and it was a ton so if I decide to get this dish again, I would ask for them to hold back on how much celery they put in or eliminate it altogether . Being so close to our house we shall definitely keep it in regular rotation!

Photos
BaoBao  Dim Sum & Chinese Cuisine - Mural wallpaper (in ladies room) from China

Mural wallpaper (in ladies room) from China

BaoBao  Dim Sum & Chinese Cuisine - Mapo tofu

Mapo tofu

BaoBao  Dim Sum & Chinese Cuisine - Hot and Sour Soup with calamari and crab rangoon.

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Hot and Sour Soup with calamari and crab rangoon.

Great Wall Of China South - Okra Beef W Black Bean Sauce

Great Wall Of China South

3.3(268 reviews)
10.3 mi
•$$

Birthday Party. - Good Back room for it! 10 people and 4 Children - ordered Two PuPu platers to…read morestart out with.- They were good Ribs , egg rolls , crab ragoon and chicken wings. Brown Rice , and White rice were brought to the table. We had Chicken Fried Rice , Beef and Rice Singapore Noodles , Chinese Green beans and Pot stickers and Sesame Chicken. I had a great Mountain Chicken - very spicy and delicious Very Good Chinese Food !!

While quite bland, Great Wall South is a safe option for those that haven't developed their own…read moretaste preferences for Americanized Chinese cuisine (i.e. - people that aren't from larger cities) Ordered through DoorDash, so I can't comment on the service or ambience. ==The Good== Not a lot to love here. The pork lo mein, while also generally bland in the noodle and sauce department, had generous helpings of roast char siu pork that were decently flavorful. This was the only saving grace of the meal. ==The Bad== The wonton soup was lacking a bit in salt, which i understand may be a personal taste preference, but there also wasn't any particularly strong flavor from the wontons so the whole dish just felt dissatisfying. The sauce in the Mongolian beef wasn't very savory so it, too, came off a bit bland. To their credit, the cuts of beef were actually quite good and the vegetables were decent, but without a solid tasting sauce the whole thing falls a part. ==The Ugly== The teriyaki chicken skewers were just chicken with teriyaki sauce poured over them. It seems almost heretical that they didn't bbq these skewers in the sauce. This was the most disappointing part of the meal. Overall, pretty on par for restaurants that have long lost their passion for this game. If you've never had Chinese in Boston, LA or New York, you'll probably like this place. More well-traveled patrons should look elsewhere.

Photos
Great Wall Of China South - Dining Room

Dining Room

Great Wall Of China South - L: King's Tofu  R: Shrimp & Scallop

L: King's Tofu R: Shrimp & Scallop

Great Wall Of China South - Lunch - Chicken with Broccoli (Extra Spicy)

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Lunch - Chicken with Broccoli (Extra Spicy)

Bao and Broth - ramen - Updated October 2026

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