I stumbled upon Bao when walking on Forbes. I was chasing an aroma-- whatever was in the air, I had to have. My first experience was so phenomenal that I went twice in a week. Each time I went, the place was busy with smiling customers. I attached pics of what I ordered; service is constantly prompt, and both times, the food came out quickly. Each and every item that I tried here has been tasty. The prices are reasonable & the portion sizes are very generous. I can't wait to explore the menu! read more

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In So Cal, bao is loved, especially in Orange County, where I discovered it. It wasn't easy to find in Long Beach, so I assumed it would be non-existent on the East Coast. But lo and behold, tucked in between Forbes and Fifth, is a small little restaurant called Bao. My assumption was that a place called Bao would have bao. I assumed correctly; Bao indeed has bao. Bao bao bao bao bao. There, I got it all out of my system. I was slightly concerned with the pictures, as the bao looked on the smaller size, but was pleased to find that the bao was a nice plump size. I went for the steamed bao with braised pork. Tender and flavorful with a dumpling dough that wasn't too heavy or too light. There's five per order so they definitely work as a good lunch for one or a sharable for two or three. The dipping sauce was good too but the bao was so good it didn't even need it. This place is on the way back from a weekly appointment of mine so I'll definitely be back... and I won't scarf it down so fast I forget to take pics! read more

This has been another spot that I've been wanting to try for a while. They have a pretty diverse menu, with a nice variety of noodles, buns, and other dishes (like stir fries). They also have an amazing drink and dessert menu. I got to try out their pork buns, milky mango drink, and piggy cream custard buns. The pork buns were pretty decent, but to be honest, a tad disappointing. The portion was pretty big but the price was also higher than at most places. The buns themselves seem to be well made, but the meat on the inside was strangely somewhat slimy. The dipping sauce was also too bitter in my opinion. The sweet items, though, were quite good. The milky mango had fresh pieces of mango in it. The drink was also pretty creamy and sweet, which was nice. A pretty d went portion as well. The custard buns were cute, but nothing too too special. The custard isn't liquidy like in many other places. It's cookie dough-like in a way. It was solid, but nothing too crazy in terms of flavor. Not too sweet either. I thought it was a tad too expensive. All in all, this is a solid spot for Taiwanese food, but it's nothing too stellar. Maybe some of the more specialized dishes are better. Desserts are pretty good and unique, though. read more

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I have ordered the Japanese style fried pork over rice and the thin beef over rice. The pork was crispy and the sauce was sweet/sour. The beef was soft and had a good balance of sweet/salty. It comes with a LOT of onions, which I personally loved, but if it is not your preference I would not recommend. Overall very flavorful! Service was very quick and respectful-- when I asked for a food recommendation, the server was quick to help. Quiet and cozy ambiance, a great place to come eat comforting food with a friend :) read more

Bao - Japanese Style Thin Beef Over Rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Detailed Review: Pork Belly Sliders - 2/5 Honestly not that good. Nothing necessarily wrong with them, there just wasn't much flavor. Soup Dumplings - 3/5 The flavor was good but I'm not even sure they gave me soup dumplings. There was more filling than liquid. Overall the restaurant was nice to look at and the staff was friendly. Our to go order took about 10 minutes longer than estimated but the packaging was high quality and cute. Parking was annoying and the surrounding area isn't super nice. Probably won't be back. read more

Bao - Soup Dumplings - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The food was great for a place near campus! I enjoyed the noodles with my group and look forward to coming back.

I got takeout here on Memorial Day and the food was great!! I had the Singapore Rice Noodles with fried tofu and it was delicious. The tofu was perfectly crispy I got my boyfriend stir fried ramen with beef and he loved that. Great noodle dishes! We split the dumpling platter and it was very good. The shrimp glass dumplings were kind of intimidating and interesting but I liked the rest. We ended the meal with a sweet treat - the piggy custard buns- soo cute and so good! They were still warm on the outside and such a precious dessert! Everything was we'll packaged in our take out boxes. Excited to dine in here next time and check out the inside of the restaurant! read more

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Went here for lunch with co-workers & I was really impressed! The menu was extensive, tons of options for everyone! The food was delicious & so were the drinks. We ordered the pork dumplings, chicken goyza, & vegetables dumplings to share and all were very flavorful. The dipping sauce was great. Everyone enjoyed their meals! There was a good amount of space for a place in Oakland, we had a party of 7 & there were several large tables. It wasn't busy at all, but the service was a bit slow. They were super kind & accommodating though! I would definitely recommend & go again! read more

One of my favorite places in the city for bao and dumplings. Fresh and delicious ingredients. Clean restaurant. Great service. The photos speak for themselves. read more

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There are two locations of Bao in Pittsburgh. This one is the first one and is smaller than the second location, but the place is pretty spacious. Their menu offerred a lot of options. I ordered soup dumplings as an appetizer. Their soup dumplings had very little soup. I wished there were more juiciness to them. I got the stir fried noodles. They were good, but nothing stood out to me. I also go the Japanese curry, which was too bland, and I was unable to finish it. Overall, the food was okay. I felt like they had a lot of options, but the quality of the food was alright. read more

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We came in on Saturday just before 6:30 to grab an early dinner ahead of concert. We got a table with ease. We were debating on getting dim sum or some dishes to try as they have plenty of dim sum options (and c'mon, who doesn't like dumplings?). We settled for the Taiwanese basil chicken, stir fry broccoli, and sui mai. The food arrived quickly. The stir fry broccoli arrived first and then the chicken. - Stir fry broccoli - good leafy like greens cooked in garlic. It's a bit oily but good flavor. - Taiwanese basil chicken - Good flavors, but not much in terms of basil. There are full cloves of garlic and slices of ginger cooked with it to add a robust taste. The chicken is cut up bone-in pieces, so be warned! - Sui mai - six pieces and very plump. It's steamed well. Not as authentic ingredients as traditional siu mai. Service is friendly and fast. It's fairly authentic. If you're looking for Chinese food in the area, I'd recommend it. read more

My first time here. I got the Japanese ramen with beef shank. The beef was flavorless and the broth was just so so. The dumplings we got were delicious though! They made and brought out the food quickly. Our server was attentive and very joyful and friendly. read more

Bao - Japanese Ramen w/Beef Shank - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wow, you really need to order the steamed buns, they are world class. The Pan Fried Radish Cake is quite flavorful and it is a unique appetizer. Everything on the menu is very good, especially the noodle dishes. The bubble teas (Boba) are terrific. Our service was excellent. read more

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Friendly staff accomodated when there was a slight mix-up (our fault) with multiple-check payment. Food took some time but that was alright, we were four people. Tried the jasmine boba with mashed taro, the tea and boba itself was great but didn't really taste the taro. The garlic eggplant was the best I've ever had! Comes with rice. Portion sizes are very large. There were not many patrons when we went as it was at an awkward time of day. Also, the music was gentle and relaxing instrumental which was nice (: Thanks Bao! read more

Ok. Cute place. 5/5 Soup dumplings were large, soupy, and flavorful. 3/5 Spinach and shrimp dumplings were soggy or overcooked 3/5 pork dumplings noodle soup was comforting but a little bland 4/5 blistered green beans crunchy and delicious but also a little bland. Sauces yummy- could have used some fresh ginger. Chili oil ok- nothing special 2/5 sago pomelo. Sago was overcooked. Goopy. read more

Great place for dim sum! Despite signs outside advertising lunch bento boxes for students, they said these wouldn't be available until next month. Instead, I settled on an order of steamed pork buns, which came with 5 for $10.50. The meat inside the buns was juicy and well-seasoned. It was just the perfect serving size for lunch and very filling. I also got the Milky Mango bubble tea, which is "a twist on the classic mango boba tea with coconut milk," mixed with chunks of mango and topped with whipped cream. I'm definitely planning on coming back with a group of friends to split more dishes, like the soup dumplings! I did have a bit of a wait for pick-up during lunchtime. I ordered when I got there, instead of online, and despite only 2 pairs of customers dining in, I waited 20 minutes for my order to be ready. Next time, I'll utilize ordering online to save myself some time. read more

Bao - Milky Mango - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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They are always out of those damn custard buns! What do I have to do to get some of these ding dang things? Come here. Get some radish cake and dumplings and you have yourself some amazing dim sum. It does get crowded on Friday nights. read more

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Saturday was literally my last day in Pittsburgh and we went to Bao because it was just so incredible the first time. The 180 was absolutely shocking. I thought I was in a fever dream. Service was atrocious. Our server brought us to a dirty table, took about 20 minutes to give us water/take our order, they never refilled our drinks, and we got our food before we got our utensils (we were never given napkins). Of course they were right there when it was time to pay. My husband ordered the Japanese beef ramen since the broth was divine the first time but there was absolutely no flavor with this visit. He almost thought he had COVID because of the contrast in flavor. His steamed dumplings were also undercooked and very doughy. I ordered the pork and bamboo steamed buns and they were just okay - definitely could've used more filling. The shrimp and pork wonton noodle soup was lacking in flavor as well. I was, however, surprised at the amount of wontons and veggies in the dish. All-in-all very disappointed in the downfall and how this was my last memory of the city. read more

Bao - Steamed Dumplings Platter - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Casual dim sum spot on a main road in Oakland. The parking can be tricky, but we were prepared for it. The service was friendly, but just not attentive. There were 2 other tables in the whole place and we were only greeted on our way in and out. No water refills. You have to order and pay off a QR code from the table. Had to get up and find someone to ask for a box. The food was pretty good. We typically like something a little spicier, but it was a nice change. The basil chicken was very juicy and tender. The ginger chunks in it were fantastic. The Chongqing chicken was bland. It was fried nicely but 0 heat. I semi expected that since it was not a Sichuan place, but was hoping for a little more. The pan fried pork buns were very good - soft, and the meat had a lot of flavor. Paired very well with the salty dumpling sauce. The pumpkin tarts and sesame balls were also good and not overly sweet. This place was just ok. If the service was better I may come back to try other dumplings, but I may just try somewhere else instead. read more

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Very good steamed pork buns and steamed dumplings. The pork buns were light and fluffy with a flavorful pork meatball on the inside. The steamed dumpling platter had three kinds of dumplings and were all great. They were served with a good dipping sauce that went very well with everything. read more

Bao - Pork & Dry Bamboo Buns (5pcs) - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Grabbed lunch at this spot in Oakland for lunch during work! It was very clean and clearly functional for a restaurant near a college campus! The service was quick and we felt very attended to. I had the Cantonese flat noodles with chicken, and my colleague had soup dumplings and pork buns. It all was good! Portions were excellent for price! I'll be back read more

I like how spacious this place is! The staff was very friendly and helpful. I tried the radish cakes and the taro taro sago dessert. The radish cakes were crispy on the outside and tasted great with the oyster sauce. The taro taro sago wasn't very sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth you would be disappointed. There were a lot of mochi and a bit of everything else (red beans, grass jelly, tapioca). It's a huge portion, so it's definitely shareable. My friend and I also shared the beef chow fun, and it wasn't very good. The noodles were stuck together and the flavor a bit bland. Overall I was impressed by the variety of food they have. I would come back and try their drinks and maybe some of the other desserts! read more

Bao - Pan-Fried Radish Cake - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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**THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE BUBBLE TEA** I was very desperately craving boba and I've been meaning to try to boba here because their cups seemed very official (I'm not exactly sure why their boba brand is 'TAROTARO' when the restaurant is called 'Bao' but I'll vibe with it). I ended up ordering the creme brulee milk tea with boba. I actually really loved the topping. Sometimes with creme brulee toppings, they don't really add anything to the drink and don't taste like anything. This one was creamy and added a nice vanilla pudding-like flavor to the drink. I unfortunately found the milk tea itself to be very mediocre. There were no surprises though; it tasted like milk tea in the form that you'd think of if someone were to say 'milk tea' (but with a little extra something because of the creme brulee topping). The bubbles were almost too hard (which is not a comment easily received from me because I normally love a bubble that 'fights back'), but they WERE... And they tasted really plasticky. As you can see in the photo, it wasn't filled to the top, either, and I think the drink was in the $6 range. For that price (and honestly just in general!), I would have wanted a full cup. I've seen people post positive reviews for their bubble tea though, so I'd be willing to go back and maybe try a fruit drink instead. read more

Bao - Creme Brulee Milk Tea - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We walked over from a nearby hotel and were seated right away. The dining room was filled with junk laying around like they were in the middle of a renovation or maybe just reopened after covid, not sure. There was one server taking care of all the tables and also helping with takeout orders. You could tell she was struggling to keep up but she was doing her best. After about 10 minutes, she stopped by our table and asked if we were ready. I began ordering and then she stopped me and said she forgot to tell us everything they were out of, which was a bummer because it was obviously their most popular options. We ordered a few different buns and dumplings and shared everything. It was all delicious but we wish they had the popular ones that they ran out of! read more

Bao - Pan Fried Dumplings - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I'm a fan of Bao. Their restaurant is clean and aesthetically pleasing, their service is friendly and efficient, and their food is undoubtedly good. I've eaten here multiple times with my family and significant other and never have been disappointed by the quality of their food. Most recently, we had the popcorn chicken, Japanese ramen, Oxtail soup, and the Taro special for dessert. The popcorn chicken is our consistent order every time we go due to its delicious crispiness and savory spices. I was really impressed by their ramen considering it Bao is not a Japanese restaurant. The broth was rich and flavorful, the beef was cut thin which melted in your mouth and the noodles were of a Chinese style but worked perfectly together. The Oxtail was a simple rich soup and it was definitely tasty. I do think it was a little overpriced and could have been more special. I do enjoy going to Bao for nice dates, and proper family meals but wouldn't go on my own if I wanted a quick casual meal. There are absolutely no lows to Bao but really no amazing highs either but nonetheless still very good and I would recommend. read more

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Food were too Asian Fusion. Ordered four dishes and boba tea, but none were authentic. Would say average at best. Especially the 25% Oreo milk boba tea had way too much water that it didn't feel like milk tea at all. Service was above average, and Saturday's night was almost full. Have a few large tables, so great for group of friends to go. Over all, Little Asia definitely had better food. Sad that it closed. read more

Great food, great service, we were seated quickly, and they were able to split our small group's check. However, it was super hard to find parking. That's no fault of theirs so it didn't impact their rating, but I would recommend folks who aren't students living closeby to come during school breaks (winter/summer) when parking is more readily available. read more

Bao - Cutest pig buns - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

When I am in Pittsburgh, this is a place we would go to grab some delicious Taiwanese food. Discovered the restaurant when we first did a college visit to Duquesne. The bubble drinks, dumplings, soup noodles and other menu options are great. We will make frequent stops for the next few years while my boy goes to school there. read more

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I had dinner at Bao a few weeks ago, and overall the meal was just okay. We shared the rolled pancakes with sliced roast beef, the steamed dumpling platter (10 pieces - 4 kinds of dumplings), pork and crab soup dumplings, and Taiwan-style minced pork over rice. Other than the rolled pancakes with sliced roast beef (which I LOVED and would eat every day), I didn't love what we ordered. The dumpling wrappers were kind of thick and gummy and sticky and were hard to eat. Service was good, and the restaurant is casual and homey inside. The food on this first visit didn't wow me, however, and I probably wouldn't rush back when I'm next in Pittsburgh. Unless I keep thinking about that rolled pancakes with sliced roast beef dish - I might have to go back for that! read more

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Fun college hangout place w some near authentic xlb and other dim sums. Server cheerfully recommended the fried rice w shrimp as well as the turnip cakes and large bao. Perfect meal. Also they have a great bobo tea menu. Definitely will be back. read more

Bao - XLB soup dumplings-delicious! - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Love this place for takeout. They have my favorite Singapore noodles currently in Pittsburgh. It's a perfect blend of flavors and texture that I just crave. Tad expensive, but worth it. Conveniently all their other food I've tried have also been good. It may not look the best but they seem to always have a great balance of textures and flavors that looks like the Americanized Chinese food but yet has a unique / authentic taste to it. Would recommend the spring roll and Singapore noodles. read more

Attentive service, delicious Taiwanese-Cantonese options, just a little small on the portions. The menu is split across Chinese cuisines, but the tables around all seemed to be ordering a variety of dishes. My favorite was the three cup special, but there were no complaints about any of the dishes ordered. Overall, seems like a comfy Chinese spot for college kids and families to hit up. The location is ... a bit hidden, so look closely. Service was excellent and our waiter jumped between english and mandarin and Taiwanese so smoothly. The lunch menu looked good as well, but we were on off hours. Food service was on the slower side if you're in a rush. Props on Pitt getting more Chinese options downtown. Their custard bao was very good!! Definitely get that! read more

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Pittsburgh doesn't strike me as a place that would have decent Taiwanese/Chinese food but its nice to be surprised every once in a while. Located near Pitt, its most definitely a student hangout and probably a welcome comfort for Asian students that doubles as a change of pace for locals. The menu is very eclectic and a bit too ambitious IMHO. They carry dim sum, noodles, Taiwanese snacks and fare along with bubble tea. We ordered pretty much a bit of everything and what I can say for sure is stick with the Taiwanese food here. The popcorn chicken and Taiwanese sausage were spot on. Cucumber salad was the perfect balance of garlic, sugar and vinegar. The soup dumplings were also pretty good - soup was rich and clear. Their Cantonese fare was pretty subpar. The dim sum was steamed to a mush and their wontons were pretty bad if I'm being honest. Bubble tea was also surprisingly good although the day we went, the bubbles weren't ready (they said it would take an hour - rookie mistake of not having them cooked an hour or so before opening). Service was pretty good. Prices are a tad more expensive than what I'm used to for this type of Asian food but given that they might be the only game in town, it's fair. If you're in the mood for Taiwanese food in Pittsburgh, this is your spot. Thumbs up. read more

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I went here in search of the handmade buns. The were everything I had hoped for and more. With a warm squishy bun to the firm salty pork in the middle. If you're looking for the original, movie style Bao bun go here!! The ramen was delicious and original Only the chili sauce I had asked for wasn't spicy to desire still 4/5 would recommend! read more

Bao - Pork Buns - Taiwanese Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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So excited! That we finally got to try Bao. It was even better than I thought it would be. Not only was the food excellent but the service was even better. We loved all the small plates and the chicken hibachi rice. Let me tell you about all the things we tried. the meal kept building and got better and better with each plate. We started with the pork belly slider. I love the slider bun. So soft and delicious! The pork belly and sauce were so good too. The sauce was a little spicy. Then they brought the pork bao bun which was everyone's favorite. You get 5 of them. They come in the same wrapper as the pork slider. The spice of the meat and the sauce they come with really make it. They were unbelievable. Next, they brought the chicken hibachi rice. We absolutely love hibachi rice. However, this was one of the best any of us have ever had. It was so well seasoned with all the right spices. The chicken was so tender. We finished with the chicken gyoza which is like a Japanese Dumpling. It was good and very similar to a Japanese pirogi. We all felt full afterwards. We were very happy with our server Mitchell. He was amazing from the time we sat down until the time we left. He asked if we had ever been there and when we said no he explained the menu in detail. He and the other staff checked in with us multiple times to make sure we liked everything and had plenty of water. Nothing makes or breaks a restaurant like service. They could teach courses on excellent service. We can't wait to come back and try other dishes. Everyone needs to try it. Best Asian Restaurant in Pittsburgh hands down. read more

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Bao is great. I stopped in for a fast lunch, and had a great time. I ordered lots of appetizers, including radish cakes, with a dark sauce that were delicious, a tangy, gingery, cucumber salad that was excellent, and popcorn chicken. A good fun, light lunch. read more

Went here to try something new for Lunch. I basically just came for the Bao Dumplings. The atmosphere was cute. Big enough to have about 6 people or more in your party. Staff was a little slow but from what I noticed there was only one waitress attending to the guest. We had more than enough food to take home. I may come back to try some of the dinner options. Over all not a bad place or new experience. read more

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I didn't have high expectations when I came here but I was pretty surprised by how good some of our dishes were! We came on a weekday early afternoon and had no problem getting a table. Here's what we tried: Steam pork buns: Unfortunately, they ran out of the Xiao long bao when we went there and we opted for the regular pork buns and that was actually not good and tasted frozen. Popcorn chicken: really good! Taste as good as the ones I used to eat growing up in Taiwan! They used real basil to fried the chicken. Salty and flavorful. Pan fried radish cake: savory with real radish inside and crispy outside Japanese ramen with beef shank: this one left something to be desired. The flavor was bland and boring. The beef also tasted old like it's been cooked for a while. Taiwan style mined pork over rice: I didn't try this one but our family very much enjoyed this and the portion was huge Spicy chili fish fillet over rice: my favorite of the whole meal. The fish was fried super crispy and loaded with spice and flavor. I would come back just for this. Japanese style fried pork over rice: another good time on the menu. Very crispy and the meat was seasoned nicely. Service was efficient. They also have bubble tea which I tried and was decent. The tapioca pearls were a bit undercooked. Overall, this is definitely a good place. Highly recommended if you are in the area read more

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Not bad. I like dim sum but not something I crave. My son however loves it. We came down, per his request and ate. Not pictured where boba's and fried rice. All was decent. Staff was super friendly and very attentive. It's smack dab in Oakland on Atwood, street parking is all there is. Thankfully we went late afternoon on Saturday and easily found a spot. My son is already planning his order for the next trip. read more

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I would give it zero stars if I could. Food was very bland and greasy. The bao and soup dumplings were freezer burned. We were constantly swatting at fruit flies. read more