Walking around the city will run into different types of flavors of food. Some places are known for their sweet foods others are salty and sour like others in SF. One thing I like are things that are juicy. I enjoy a juicy steak and on a hot day a juicy mango. There is a spot which if you don't stay alert the juices of this food will put a stain spot on your clothes. They have one of juiciest Bao dumplings I had in the city and it's located on Geary boulevard and it's called Bao Bao Dumplings. On a dumpling stroll in SF I landed on Geary Boulevard at Bao Bao Dumplings. Inside there are tables and I decided to try their House Special Shengjian Bao also known as pan fried pork buns. The first bite it started to squirt soupy juices. It reminded me of a a bigger pot sticker with broth inside . I then tried their pan fried buns with pork and shrimps. It was also juicy and soupy. I then had their shrimp fried rice which paired well with pan fried buns. This is the spot if you like dumpling buns that get juicy. Bao means "bun" these soups dumplings will drip and drop when they are runny so they "run"on your clothes so don't be "stun" you can clean it and dry it in SF in the" sun" These baos have hot soup broth they "insert"so be a alert" that you may stain your "shirt" with a Bao movement also known as a "bun squirt " read more

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This place serves pretty good Shanghainese food. I would most recommend the potstickers, the curry beef noodle soup, and the pan fried pork buns. Each of these taste delicious and are close to matching what you might find in a restaurant in Shanghai. Many of the other dishes are quite good as well. I enjoyed the Shanghai shu mai, the shrimp, and the green beans. The smashed cucumber salad was a little too heavy on the garlic for my liking, but it was still pretty fresh and crisp. And the lion's head meatballs didn't have egg inside (good, in my opinion) but were too soft and crumbly. There are highlight dishes and also ones that I would rather get elsewhere. The prices are a little inflated, but it's hard to do significantly better in SF. Overall, it's a nice addition to the bustling collection of Chinese restaurants on Geary. read more

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Went on a weekday for lunch, first diners of the day. Ordered the Chicken Wings which came out over fried, the XLBs (6) were small and lacked a soupy interior, the fish in wine sauce was only lukewarm while boiled dumplings was the only decent dish. Disappointed in their first meal of the day. Additionally we waited for a menu, none brought to us, ordered by QR code with no interaction except for bringing out the tea, food, and paying the bill. A Mandarin speaking pair of women came in, hard copy menu brought to them immediately without asking. We won't be back. This was our second visit, went during opening week awhile ago.... read more

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We dined in on a Sunday at 2pm and were immediately seated. Ordering is done on a QR code. We had 7 dishes for 5 adults and 2 kids and it was just the right amount of food. We had noodles, fried rice, pork pan fried baos, hairy crab roe pan fried baos, sweet and sour ribs, shredded eel noodle soup, and sticky rice steamed dumplings. The pan fried baos were reminiscent of those from Shanghai. I would totally order these again. The eel noodle soup and ribs took a while to come out but everything else was timely. I would say the flavor on the shrimp fried rice and sticky rice dumplings to be bland but there was soy sauce and chili sauce on the table for that. The noodle soup had a good amount of eel which was tender and the broth had good flavor. read more

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Hands down the best pan fried buns in the Bay Area. Authentic Shanghainese too. I used to come here when it was Old Shanghai and was really sad when they closed, but this is a nice replacement with some familiar dishes and faces... and new favorites. On my most recent visit for lunch I enjoyed the pan fried buns, eel, meat pastries, bok choy, soupy dumplings, veggie buns, and a very unique sweet tofu and mushroom dish i forget the name of. I tried to take photos of everything but started eating some before I could. It was all delicious. Service was good as usual. They've gone high tech and let you order by scanning a QR code and when you're ready to pay you let them know in the same place. You can also make reservations and join their waitlist on Yelp, although I haven't yet. read more

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As a born-and-raised Shanghainese, Bao Bao gives me that perfect taste of home. Every time I come up to SF from LA, this place is a must -- and I always end up grabbing more to-go before I leave. So, so good. Highly recommend. Absolutely love this place! read more

Bao Bao dumpling - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Bustling spot in richmond for a variety of dumplings and other dishes. We came here for the juicy pan fried pork bao specifically since I wanted to compare them to the ones at dumpling home. The ones here have thicker skin than I remember DH having and less soup, so I did prefer the DH ones but they were still pretty good! I just wish there was more soup inside and the meat flavor was more complex. I did love the braised beef noodle soup though (wish it had more beef) and the noodles had such a good al dente texture. The soup tasted very clean. The braised pork belly dish was also good -- pork was cooked well and sauce was super flavorful, but definitely got too salty after a few bites. Service was extremely fast and very friendly, though they did clear my bowl of soup before I was done eating without asking. There's a lot of seating inside so walk ins are definitely doable but you can also make a reservation online. read more

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Visited on a Thursday night. Found parking quickly and no waitlist at Bao Bao. Ordered the following. shanghai style stir fried noodle with shredded pork (3/5) Upon serving, I was disappointed. Was expecting bigger thicker noodles. It was a bit greasy and not alot of meat or cabbage. The flavor was good. Had nice "wok hei" aka smokey flavor. I did enjoy it but there could be improvement for the price. house special shengjian bao (pan-fried pork buns (4/5) These came hot! After taking a bite of one,experiencing the degree of temperature and amount of hot soup inside, I pre-poked a hole in each to vent. Despite doing this and waiting, the baos stayed hot right till the last one. The bao was soft with a crispy bottom. The meat was tender, savory but slightly too sweet for my tastes. sizzling eggplant in spicy sauce (5/5) This was my favorite dish. The eggplant was flavorful and retained their bite. I do not tolerate spicy well, yet this was just spicy enough that I could still eat. Overall, dishes were tasty but not for the price and the portion size. There are other restaurants I would visit and would only dine here as they have later closing hours. read more

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Delicious place. I love watching them make the dumplings from the window. Came with hot tea. The flavor was really nice. Salt pork and vegetables rice I like to add vinegar to it. The Shengjian Bao was perfect filled with soup inside with the perfect temperature. As we order by scanning the QR code it seem to be down but the worker checked up on us and took our order. And the food arrived fairly quick. I would be coming back. I am getting inspired to make my own dumplings! read more

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Excellent group dinner location with an open window to peer into the kitchen as food is being made! I had the beef curry noodle soup and it was the perfect flavor and amount of noodles. I would've loved a few more veggies in the dish, but it was an amazing warm meal. We also had a table order of the onion pancakes which were crispier than I am used to, but still delicious! Service was friendly and we were able to get a table within minutes of getting there! read more

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Come here for the pan fried dumplings and soup dumplings. This spot has great hospitality and the menu is online making for easy service. Simply scan the QR code on your table and order away! The pan fried dumplings are juicy but be warned the skin isn't as thin as maybe you're used to. Although it's on the thicker side the crisp is impeccable and the filling ratio is perfection. The soup dumplings are also juicy and abundant in that delicious soup. We tried the pork and hair crab and you could really taste the sweetness from the crab! YUM We tried the Shanghai pan fried noodles which was skinnier than I was used to, but the flavor was heavy on the white pepper which I'm a fan of. The cucumber salad was alright, we found ourself doctoring it up with more vinegar, soy and chili oil. I would recommend the spare ribs, sweet and sticky making for this perfect sweet and savory bite! Excited to come and try more of the menu! read more

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What a lovely surprise! Everything we had was unique and bursting with flavor. So glad we ventured out and found this place. We'll be back! The restaurant is on a busy street and only street parking is available so save some time to find parking. We were able to easily make a reservation as well for a Friday night which was perfect because the restaurant had only a few tables left when we arrived. The space is cozy but it has a good amount of tables for groups and smaller parties. The staff were very friendly. The Pork XiaoLongBao was delicious. It had a good amount of soup in it and was flavorful. The shrimp and crab pan fried pork buns were a splurge but they were so savory and delicious. My husband was also surprised to see Stir Fried Eel on the menu so we also got that and it was nicely cooked in a savory sauce. read more

Bao Bao dumpling - Shanghai Stir Fried Rice Cake With Shredded Pork And Vegetables - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Food was awesome and authentic. The surprise was the sichuan chicken. My son ordered it and everyone loved it. The place was very clean and bright. Staff was very helpful read more

Wanted soup dumplings but didn't want to make the trek from Richmond District to Hayes Valley for Dumpling Home.... so Bao Bao it is! Came directly after a yoga class so that I could inhale all the dumplings without batting an eye. We ordered cucumber salad, xlb, and pan fried xlb. I thought the xlb was generic but the pan fried xlb was yummy! Service was pretty fast and you order through the QR code with your phone. Would definitely come back if im craving dumplings and don't want to drive across SF for it! read more

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New Shanghainese restaurant located on Geary Blvd between 15th & 16th Avenues that's modern yet features classical Shanghai dishes. Steamer lids lined the walls while a TV screen played Chinese cooking shows. I walked in during prime lunch time and a friendly auntie greeted me. There were 2 groups and a couple of solo diners. I decided on the 上海炒年糕 Shanghai Stir Fried Rice Cake With Napa Cabbage And Pork ($13.95): +Great wok hei! +Rice cakes were chewy +Napa cabbage was crisp and pork was tender. -On the salty side -Wish there was a bit more napa cabbage Side notes: 1.) If you're eating at the restaurant, scan the QR code on the table to order and pay with staff after eating. If you're ordering takeout, order and pay at the kiosk. 2.) Hot water available upon request: I thought it had an unpleasant aftertaste. *Verdict: I want to come back with a group to try the SJB and XLB! read more

Bao Bao dumpling - 上海炒年糕 Shanghai Stir Fried Rice Cake With Napa Cabbage And Pork - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

The shengjian baos were so satisfying juicy with a crispy exterior - so good they could be eaten without any sauce. The eggplant was also good - the sauce was flavorful, and the eggplant was just the right amount of tender. Definitely get some rice with it to soak up the flavor and sauce. The Dan Dan noodles were less remarkable and could use more sauce and flavor - had to eat it with chili sauce read more

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Unfortunately, the vegetarian options were pretty mediocre here. We ordered the scallion pancakes, pan-fried vegetable potstickers, sizzling spicy eggplant, and white rice. The eggplant was probably the best of the three. The scallion pancakes were just okay, and we ended up waiting quite a while for the potstickers. The filling in the potstickers was pretty bland. It seemed to be just shredded cabbage and carrots. You order through a QR code, with the option to pay through your phone or call the waiter to pay in person. The restaurant itself is small, cozy, and clean, but overall our experience wasn't great -- especially as vegetarians and because of the long waits between each dish. read more

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A pretty great spot, with some of the best pan fried buns I've tried in the city. They offer some Shanghainese dishes that are hard to find, but I wouldn't say I was super impressed by the flavor of the stir fried rice cakes I tried. Favorite dishes by far were the scallion pancakes, buns, and XLB. Service was sweet! read more

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This place brings back memories from my childhood. It used to be called Old Shanghai Restaurant, which my family used to frequent a lot. It's quite hard to find Shanghainese food in San Francisco, and we loved this spot. What I remembered was their Shanghainese Fried Rice and their Noodle soup... Fast forward 20 years, they have closed, but the family has completely renovated the restaurant and transformed into Bao Bao Dumpling! It has joined a new era of dumpling restaurants in the city, more casual, fast-paced, and full of different dumplings including the pan fried soupy dumplings. The best news ever is that they still have the same Salt Pork and Vegetable Rice, and the Shanghai Style Soup with Salted Pork and Bamboo Shoots. AND they still taste the same after all these years!!!!! Unfortunately the waitress told me these were the only 2 dishes they brought from the former restaurant. We also ordered the Shanghai Stir Fried Rice cakes with Shredded Pork and Vegetables, the Salt & Pepper Fish Fillet, and regular Xiao Long Bao, and the Shrimp Pork Shengjian Bao. The rice cakes were good, the salt and pepper fish fillet was a little disappointing (flavor good but could have been more fried/crispy). The XLB was decent, but not really what I remembered from my childhood. The shrimp pork Shengjian crispy/soupy baos were good, but not my favorite in the city. Also these were quite expensive compared to my favorite dumpling spot Dumpling Story. The ambiance is really nice in here. It's very modern, very clean, and feels so fresh. It is a little sad to thing of the old restaurant that it used to be, but I'm glad it's the same ownership. I would return solely for the Salted Pork & Vegetable Fried Rice, and the Shanghai style soup. Favorites that I'm so glad I can relive once again!! read more

First time I saw the restaurant when I was driving on Geary Blvd. I told my Y friends and they said they have not been there. After our Zumba class on 18th Ave today, one friend said she wanted a little lunch. We opted coming here. So we went & just walked in. We got the table as it was very late for lunch. The restaurant holds 48 customers so the dining room is small & they were mixed customers eating. The baskets hanging on the wall had the appeal of the restaurant. We can see the employees making the dumplings. We ordered the Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings, Green Onion Pancake, Garlic Smashed Cucumber & finally the Pan Fried Pork Buns. The food came fast. We started with the garlic with cucumber. It had the taste of sweet & lots of fresh garlic. The Xiao long bao is a little bigger from the other restaurant I had been but it was 6 pieces only instead of 8. The soup was hot. I didn't realize when eating the pan fried pork buns, it had the soup as well & hot. When I bit it, the soup squirted on my left wrist with beaded bracelets! So I had to clean my bracelets with wipes. The food was delicious. The staff were nice. When we were leaving a man behind the counter asked us how was the food so I gave him a thumb up. I asked if he was the owner and he said yes. Derek is his name. I told him I will come back with my husband or my friends. He said he looked forward to see us. It's nice to support small businesses in the neighborhood. read more

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Service is good, we made a reservation and we're seated instantly. Definitely get the soup potstickers, those were my favorite. You can't go wrong with any of the dumplings. The jellyfish was kind of bland so I would have opted out on that one. The noodles were okay as well, not the best I've tried. The place is bright and fairly large. It got pretty busy around lunch time so make a reservation or go before 12:30; that's when the rush started kicking in. I'd recommend and come back. read more

Bao Bao dumpling - Soup potsticker sooo good - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The soup dumplings were packed with flavor easily some of the best I've had in a while. The pan-fried dumplings were just as good. Everything else was delicious, and the service was excellent! read more

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Service was excellent and food was very good. Only two people so we didn't get to try too many items. The signature fried bao was better than expected. To be picky, the wrapping was a little thicker than I personally like them to be, but my friend loved them. They were obviously hand made, which is the good part. Fried bao was very very good - will order again Shanghai fried cake was excellent - will order again Fried fish appetizer was good, but includes bones - probably won't order again. Will come back. read more

Bao Bao dumpling - Fried fish appetizer. - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Replaced the Old Shanghai Restaurant. Quality/Quantity - Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Dumplings - My favorite of all the dishes. Decent size and quantity. And yes, see signs, the soup is HOT, so be careful. Steamed Pork Dumplings - Smaller than expected. Fresh and again, HOT soup in the center. Shanghai Thick Noodles - Barely enough for two people, and we are both light eaters... The flavor was okay and it had generous amounts of napa cabbage. But we could have used more noodles. All the foods were of good quality, but not much quantity. Simple menu done well. For two light eaters, it was just enough food. But I would suggest another dish for "regular" or heavy eaters. This would be a 5 star experience if they gave more food. Atmosphere - Beautiful remodel, but it took them FOREVER! Not sure if it was due to the city, budget, covid, etc?!?! It just took the construction forever; if I were to estimate, it took them years... Both upstairs and downstairs remodeled. And did they add an additional kitchen upstairs...? It has been so long since I went to the very outdated previous business. Also love the decor, see pictures. So much history. If I can suggest, please add more information on each picture. Excessive construction, so VERY limited parking; see picture. Open 6 days a week from 11am to 9:30pm; closed Tuesdays. Service - You can order via QR code. They do give a paper menu if you ask. There are also posted menus outside. Price - $45 + tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since April of this year, 2025. read more

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Having a good dumpling place nearby is such a game changer. Located near park presidio / ggp, you can grab flavorful xiao long bao and other home style dishes, like their stir fried rice cake dish! Honestly sf gets so cold and foggy, that sometimes you just need to warm yourself up with some soup dumplings and this is the perfect place to go. It's like a modern mom and pop shop, our waiter was the kindest older woman and she made sure we had everything we needed from the vinegar to the ginger for the dipping sauce. * not pictured * shrimp toast - love the siracha mayo (friend did not) it's very dough heavy but so nostalgic cannot pass this up pictured soup dumplings - soooooo flavorful pan fried soup dumplings - these are everywhere now but i can never get over them regular pan fried dumplings (no soup) - crispy but not too greasy i love their little dumpling spoon too!! read more

Bao Bao dumpling - soup dumpling - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Nice to see another Shanghainese restaurant where it used to be Mikes and then Old Shanghai. The owners spoke Shanghainese so I felt the food would be authentic. My favorites were the Braised gluten with black fungus. The flavors were on par but better with more mushrooms and fungus. The Ube taro pastry was excellent and the filling was so flavorful. Overall, a decent place for Shanghainese food. read more

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came in a little earlier than dinner time which was good thing as it got packed! I usually don't enjoy the pan fried soup dumplings but these ones were juicy with a delicious filling. the bottoms were perfectly crispy and I enjoyed the filling to dough ratio. the soup dumplings were juicy and good too. skin wasn't too thick. cucumber salad was too vinegary for me though. read more

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This spot is relatively new to the area, decided to stop by for a quick afternoon snack. They only offer pork xiao long bao, no crab version on the menu. The pork soup dumplings and pan-fried buns were solid. The dumpling skin is nice and thin, the filling is juicy and flavorful, though I do wish they had a bit more soup inside.I also tried the spicy beef noodles, which was tasty with a good kick. The wontons were not my thing, would not order them again. Ordering is done through a QR code on your phone, but they do have a physical menu available upon request. Staff was attentive with topping off tea and water. Request for check in the app & it'll print out and brought over to you. When I was ready to pay, I request the check through the phone, and it prints out for the staff to bring over. The space is clean and modern, with flexible seating that works for small groups or larger parties. I've walked in twice so far, both times it was busy but no wait. Definitely my new go-to spot now when I'm craving soup dumplings in Richmond. read more

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The soup dumpling and the crispy Bao dumpling came out fresh and hot! Our 7ths old daughter ate 12 dumplings...a record for her! The service was really good and the staff were very friendly! It was a perfect place to eat on a cold day. read more

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Very good dumplings. Enjoyed all our dishes. Service was fast and efficient. Friendly people.

Recently ventured into Bao Bao Dumpling on Geary, located where Old Shanghai Restaurant used to be. Great to see life coming back on this part of Geary. Hope more places continue to open up in the City and particularly in this neighborhood. Bao Bao Dumpling serves Shanghainese-style dim sum and food. Currently soft-opening. Very bright and clean interior and you can view an employee in the back making dumplings. QR code ordering. Vegetarian Chicken with Honey Glazed tasted flavorful. The shredded radish and jellyfish with scallion oil tasted slightly salty but crunchy and delicious. The XLB (steamed pork soup dumplings) was well balanced and skin not too thick and soupy. The spicy chili oil wonton is not spicy but tasted heavily of peanut butter. Different than what we were used to but not bad. The Shanghai stirred fried rice cake with Napa Cabbage and pork is delicious. (I missed the one from Taiwan Restaurant since they closed, so this filled the void). Service polite & courteous. Accepts most credit cards. Located on Geary and 16th Ave. read more

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Quite pricey for the portions! My family and I came for lunch on a weekday and the place was fairly empty. The interior is nice, clean, and you can watch them making dumplings through the glass window. We ordered the steamed pork dumplings, pan fried pork buns, chili wontons, radish buns, and Shanghai noodles. The XLBs had a good amount of juice but the tops were a little doughy. The pan fried buns also had a lot of juice but not much filling. The chili wontons were good and the sauce was pretty unique, haven't had a creamy chili sauce like this before. The radish buns were underwhelming, small, not much filling, and you only get 4pcs for $14. The Shanghai noodles didn't have much flavor and had almost no meat. Was fun to try tho! read more

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There have been a lot of dumpling places opening recently, with this being one of them. It's worth a try, and I'd say the food is pretty decent read more

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This place is good. Best Sheng Jian Bao I have in SF so far. The taro pastry is so good. Not sweet. Every dish came out steamy hot. Love it read more

Service was good. Place was clean and bright. Xiao long bun had juice inside. That was nice. The pan fried shrimp dumpling was ok. There's two types of eggplants so I got the skinny japanese kind with green beans. Friend liked it.. A tiny spicy kick. Don't order the spicy wonton. I have no idea what was the flavor. Inside was dried up spinach. There was no peanuts included. You can read QR to order more items than the paper menu. Water or tea. There's so much more dumpling places to go to. read more

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I have been to Old Shanghai Restaurant, the predecessor of Bao Bao Dumpling, when I lived in San Francisco. I'm intrigued by the makeover and will be sure to visit next time I'm in the area. The old restaurant was well-run and served authentic food. read more

Bao Bao Dumpling has become one of my favorite spots for Shanghainese food in San Francisco. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious, authentically flavored, and clearly freshly made. The meal started strong with the shrimp toast, which was uniquely made with crispy youtiao instead of bread (something I had never seen before!) and paired perfectly with a spicy mayo. One of my all-time favorite appetizers, the Shanghai braised wheat gluten with black fungus, was cold, slightly sweet, and refreshing, making it the perfect palate cleanser. The hot and sour soup was comforting and hearty, while the house special shengjian bao truly lived up to the hype - crispy, pan-fried pork buns that alone are worth the visit. The green onion pancake was perfectly crispy and even better dipped in their spicy chili sauce, and the steamed pork soup dumplings were incredibly juicy and tender, another must-order. The sweet and sour pork ribs were sticky, tender, and classic, and the Sichuan spicy eggplant with green beans in garlic sauce was my favorite vegetable dish, served in a generous portion. To end on a high note, the ube taro pastry was absolutely heavenly!!! So buttery and delicious, I would order it every single day if I could. read more

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We wanted to change things up and try a new dumpling restaurant. With the reviews and some interesting dishes, I thought it would be a new favorite. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be coming back. It was pretty empty before noon but filled up very quickly. It was awkward that the first server told us to sit anywhere and after we sat down another came over and told us we couldn't sit there. When we moved he made us uncomfortable almost like we "chose the wrong table again". Everything was ordered through the phone. The food came out extremely slow. All items besides the dumplings were room temperature. A table that was eating before us was still waiting for food when we were paying. The portions were very small for how much they were charging. But the big disappointment was the pan fried baos were not good. The bottom had SO much dough and the meat inside was extremely tiny. I would totally skip this item. The rice cakes dish tasted boiled. The rice cakes and pork were mushy, and I was bummed it was made with just cilantro and not mustard greens as the dish is usually sir fried together with these ingredients. It also had no flavor so I had to put a lot of hot sauce and soy. My favorite was the fish appetizer but just be careful as it's crunchy and does have bones. The XLB were good but very small. I didn't care to order the noodle soup since the pictures didn't look too great. Each table only has red vinegar so you do have to ask for soy sauce, hot sauce, etc. It seems they either don't have enough sauces or again, each server is inconsistent. Some people received a soy sauce bottle, when I asked they gave me a ramekin with soy sauce which was hard to use. We also got hot sauce and someone else got chili oil. It's funny that you order on your phone but cannot check out and pay on your phone. You have to ask them for the check, they go print it, then come back to you to pay on their iPad/iPhone electronic system. I was just underwhelmed with this place from the food, price, and service. read more

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Service was good & ordering with QR code made it very easy. Stir fried eggplant & green beans very tasty but a bit oily. Pan fried buns were just ok, & the sauce on the chili wonton lacked flavor. read more

Stopped by here on Sunday during dinner time, and there was not many people inside around 6pm. But as we were leaving, this place was packed! I've heard great things about their pan fried dumplings, so as a Self proclaimed pan fried dumpling connoisseur, I had to check it out Here's how I'd rate the items we ordered: Pan fried dumpling bao (sheng jian bao): 3/5, the bottom was crispy, but the filling inside was bland. Pan fried dumpling (Guo tie): 2/5 the bottom was not crispy even though we asked for extra crispy. The filling we even more bland than the shengjian lol I don't know how that's possible because it seems like they used the same meat filling for both items. Meat puff pastry: 2/5 the puff pastry was dry, the filling was also bland Great service though. But unfortunately I won't rush back any time soon. read more