I had this catered for a New Year party and ordered three buns: fried chicken, Korean bulgogi, and pork belly. Unfortunately, none of them tasted authentic. The fried chicken portion was extremely small--about the size of two nuggets--and nearly half of it was just fried dough with a sweet-and-sour flavor. The pork belly was overly greasy, with about three-quarters fat and very little lean meat. The Korean BBQ was unexpectedly spicy, which was not indicated on the menu. At $12 for three buns, the quality was disappointing. Even as fusion food, the flavors were poorly executed and not enjoyable. read more

Stopped here while bouncing around the Union Square Market. Ordered three buns (2 bulgogi and 1 pork belly), as well as a water and ginger ale. The buns came out fairly quick and they were very good. Would have liked to have a better seat to enjoy them, but we just found an adjacent ledge and posted up. Would recommend as a stop while walking around the marketplace. read more

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I've had two very different experiences at Bund Up. My first visit was on a Saturday and it was really good. The gentleman who helped me was quick and friendly, and the food came out fast. I loved the pickled cucumbers on the Korean BBQ bao bun. The bun itself was a little soggy from the toppings, but the flavor was still there. The spicy chicken bao bun was especially good, and the shrimp bao bun was solid too. I went back the following Thursday and unfortunately the experience didn't match the first one. The staff member working that day was dismissive, and the food quality was noticeably different. The flavors weren't as strong, the fried items were soggy, and the bao buns didn't taste the same as before. I know this place can be good, but consistency seems to be the issue. If I try Bund Up again, it will likely be on a weekend when my first experience was much better. read more

I stopped by this spot in Union Market today after leaving FreshFarm, and unfortunately the food was a complete miss for me. I ordered the bun combo with Korean Beef Bulgogi, Shredded Pork Belly, and Sweet Soy Fried Chicken -- and honestly, I can't believe I ate it. As other reviewers mentioned, the buns are small. I didn't take any pictures or videos because I wasn't enjoying any of it, and hunger had me hoping maybe the next one will be better. That moment never came. The bao bun itself tasted stale -- dry on the outside, soft inside, but overall not fresh. This is not a made-to-order place, so keep that in mind. The meats sit in silver warming containers, and the quality reflects that. The bulgogi lacked flavor entirely. I've bought pre-marinated bulgogi from H Mart that tasted far better; this reminded me more of steakums. The sauce was watery and didn't cling to the meat. The "shredded" pork belly wasn't shredded at all -- just sliced, extremely fatty, and unpleasant. And the sweet soy fried chicken was basically a nugget with sauce poured on top. If you want good, flavorful, freshly made bao buns, skip this place altogether and walk over to Meecha Noodle Bar around the corner -- they never miss. Only thing I have to show for today is the receipt... unfortunately, it's also the only proof of how I wasted my money. read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A solid option for Bao buns, but very small and not super filling. I liked the hot fried chicken bun (not spicy at all). You order on a screen which I didn't love. read more

We were in the area with family and decided to get food from Union Market. I was feeling something light and Asian, so decided to get some buns. The buns tasted great. read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dodging through the crowd at Union Market, I found Bun'd Up and got pulled in by the allure of soft Chinese bao buns filled with Korean goodies. I got the Three Bun Combo with Fried Chicken (sweet soy), Fried Shrimp, and Fried Tofu. The buns came out hot and steaming, with each filling freshly prepped and ready to eat. The fried ingredients were still crispy, not wet and mushy, and the pickled veggies added the crispiness and sweet side. Can't decide which one was my favorite, which only means I'll have to try this place again. If you're at Union Market, stop by Bun'd Up - you won't be disappointed! read more

Bun'd Up - 3 Bun Combo: Sweet Soy Fried Chicken, Shrimp and Tofu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've visited Bun'd up a few times and it's pretty good. On my recent visit, I got six buns: two each of Spicy Fried Chicken, Korean BBQ Beef (Bulgogi), and Shredded Pork Belly. Each bun was a few bites. The buns themselves were very tender, and the fillings were very flavorful and colorful. I liked each about equally. Avoid the pork belly if you don't like pineapple. The chicken patties were a little dry but still ok. I ordered through Uber Eats and the standard price was $5 per bun, but they were running a 1/2 off deal so my total was $16.50 after tax. I think $5 per bun is pretty expensive. You need at least three buns to make a medium size lunch meal. I would pay maybe $12 total. Bun'd up is a small, basic stall in Union Market. My food was ready when I got there, about 15 min after ordering. Not much to say in the way of service or ambiance. read more

Bun'd Up - From L to R: Shredded Pork Belly, Korean BBQ Beef (Bulgogi), Spicy Fried Chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was a lot smaller than expected, but we understand it's usually ordered as a trio for a meal. The chicken was a lot larger in the photo. This very mild and sweet in terms of flavor, we didn't really pick up a distinct spice despite our specification. But overall, the bun was soft and pillowy with a mellow sweetness, the slaw complimented the friend chicken, and the burst of scallion made it more cohesive. We wish there was a larger bite of chicken to taste in each bite, since we got more slaw and scallion in our order. read more

Bun'd Up - Korean Fried Chicken (Spicy) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very tasty! Grabbed the bulgogi, pork belly, and shrimp bao buns. Delicious! Great bang for the buck and made fresh to order. Quick and seamless process. Will definitely stop back if I'm in the area and in the mood for good bao buns. read more

Bun'd Up - Shrimp, Pork Belly, and Bulgogi Bao Buns - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I LOVE this place! The food is always made fresh to order and packed with the best flavors! Shout out to Lou who is always so nice and sweet! He never gets my order wrong and he's always so nice when I have special request lol! The vibe here is cool since there are so many fun varieties to choose from. I've never had anything nasty, EVERYTHING on the menu is worth trying and has amazing flavor. Definitely going back and recommending to everyone I know! read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've had their bao buns in the other VA location but this spot was solid too. I was already full from eating at different places within the Union market, so ordered one bao and it was the pork belly. Came out within 10 mins, super tasty, with the pineapple doing a lot of work to bring in that extra sweetness. Glad to have tried them again. read more

Bun'd Up - Pork belly bao bun (single) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They serve the best bao bun breakfast sandwich, at the Old Town Alexandria farmers market! It's huge and delicious!

I've been a customer of Bun'd Up for years in their various locations and they can't be beat. I've tried just about all of their menu but the pork belly always calls to me. The only gripe I have (and this is more Union Market in general) is that some places there would open a *little* earlier than they do (I think they open ~11am). I try and get in and out before the place is mobbed, but a lot isn't open. read more

So good & flavorful! I didn't visit the actual restaurant, I stopped at their vendor stand during a weekday farmers market for lunch. The line was long so I automatically assumed they were good, right? lol. Well they were! read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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You order from a tablet at the counter but can talk to the staff to request changes to your order as needed -- if you are kind, they'll hook you up! For example: my 7-year-old son LOVES their crispy tofu buns, but he doesn't want any of the sauce, so I always order on the tablet and then explain the situation to whoever is working. They don't mind serving up some plain tofu + buns, and hopefully they get a kick out of my kiddo's tofu obsession. As for me, my favorite is the Korean fried chicken. Perfectly gochujang-y and topped with scallions. Get less than three and you'll regret not ordering more. As this is a booth in Union Market there are no tables directly linked to Bun'd Up. Plan to grab your food and place a spot outside or anywhere else in the market. read more

(RATING 3.5 stars) Decided to try out Bun'd Up while visiting Union Market on my most recent trip to D.C. I'm a sucker for a good bao bun sandwich and Bun'd Up had some great flavors to choose from off of their menu. Staff were patient with questions and were professional during interactions. I ended up ordering the two chicken buns. They were okay; not bad. Bun'd Up's offering is unique to all of Union Market, so that alone makes it worth the stop. My order consisted of their 2 for $11 special (singular buns cost $6). As noted above, I ordered the two chicken buns: Spicy Fried Chicken and Sweet Soy Fried Chicken. The buns themselves were a great texture and cooked perfectly, although a little small. Definitely the highlight to the sandwich as it should, based on their name. The chicken pieces were sized proportionally to the buns. The respective sauces for each chicken piece tasted good, but the chicken pieces I received did not seem to have an even coating of the sauce leaving various parts of the chicken dry. The coleslaw added a nice crunch and a bit of freshness to the buns. Perhaps an asian slaw may have complemented the taste better with the bun flavors. Again, nothing abysmal to the buns in terms of taste. They were average, especially for the price point. Perhaps my expectations were too high or I caught them on an off day. Bun'd Up has a great offering they're bringing to Union Market patrons and they are worth a try if you're curious about this type of take on the traditional bao buns. I might recommend trying other buns that aren't the chicken ones as this may elevate the taste and quality for you. read more

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Went to their mobile spot at a local brewery - they were okay. The best I can say is that the baos are nice and pillow soft. The beef bulgogi was okay - nothing to really write home about. I tried a single pork belly bao, which was much tougher than I'd expect from pork belly. Child #1 tried the chicken rice bowl, which had some nice rice and pickles, but the chicken was kinda gross - dry texture. The guy taking orders was a bit spacey - he messed up my order and I ended up having to go back and reorder what I thought I'd ordered the first time. I don't think I'll seek this place out, but if I'm in a similar situation of them being the sole food provider, I think I'd get the bulgogi baos again. read more

Bun'd Up - Menu at their mobile unit - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

If you like a lot of salt have the fried chicken bao bun. Bulgogi is spicy and the cold bun cools it down. read more

Bun'd Up - If you like a lot of salt have the fried chicken bao bun. Bulgogi is spicy and the cold bun cools it down. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The bun was sooooo soft and amazing!!! Such a great price for this delicious treat 10/10 on the bulgogi bun read more

Bun'd Up - Bulgogi bun - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Visited 12/3/22 - After suffering through possibly the worst case of BGs in my adult life after a night of drinking I found myself an hour from home determined to make my first meal post ordeal the best one haha. I'd been to union market twice before (Neopol & Lucky Buns) so I knew I'd find a nice bite regardless of where I landed. After walking around a bit I settled on a salmon BLT wrap from Neopol and ordered fried shrimp with sweet chili aioli and fried shallots buns from Bun'd up. I've never had these handmade buns before and despite my brush with death just that morning I decided to try them out. I'm a texture based eater meaning I need contrast in my food and this was right up my alley. The buns were warm and light and paired with the crunch of the shrimp and fried shallots it was perfection. The aioli was a great addition, and had a sweetness and spice to it that paired well with the shrimp. I'll absolutely be back to try more. Union market itself is super vibey, busy but not loud, cozy without being cluttered. We were able to find a table to eat without any problems and could hear ourselves without having to yell which is always a plus. read more

Bun'd Up - Fried shrimp with sweet chili aioli and fried shallots - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I tagged along on my hubbies recent business trip to DC, (cuz why not?!) and we were staying at the Homewood Suites... but I am not about to cook on a quicky vaca lol, and he was so excited to take me to the Union Market Place, since I absolutely love this kind of shopping and food discovering. I did a nice walk-about and decided I wanted Bun'd Up, he wasn't sure what he wanted, so I said look- I'll get a few things here we can share- you go look around some more and see what looks good and get a few things to share. He got BBQ. First I want to say, this stand has the best little steamed buns!! I wanted to try the Tofu, but they were all out, so I was a little bummed on that, but I recovered and ordered the spicy fried chicken and Sweet chicken buns-- I loved LOVED the spicy chicken!! I also ordered the Bulgogi and pork belly bowls. So delicious, hubby and I enjoyed it tremendously, I wish I had ordered more bao buns!! I need to give props on the kimchi cucumbers, I am so glad that I ordered extra, I literally inhaled them as well as the pickled red onions, my hubby is not a huge onion fan, and he really liked them, so that says a lot. You just have to know, when I a tag along again on the next DC trip-- I am heading to Bun'd Up!!!! Such a fantastic hidden gem. I need to mention they also do catering, so if you are looking for something delicious and different, give this place a chance. They also get super busy at lunch hour so plan ahead. DEEELICIOUS!!!!! read more

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Have you ever had a Bao Bun? It's a fluffy, cozy, sweet'ish white dough bun, originally from China. I went to a spot that GOT THAT!! Theirs are made into a warmed up slider. Who wouldn't want one? LET'S GO!! . Where I am: @bund_up . Location Reviewed: 1309 5th St., N.E. Inside of @unionmarketdc . Menu Includes: (Limited menu at Union Market Location) Bulgogi, Pork, Spicy Chicken, Sweet Soy Chicken, Fried Shrimp($1 extra), Sautéed Mushrooms, PB&J, & Fried Tofu Bao Buns, & Bowls. Canned Beverages. . Items Reviewed: (3 Bao Buns for $13) Their Prime Beef Bulgogi Bun (with Gochujiang sauce, Kimchi, & cucumber). STAMP!! Tender beef, soft, milky, warm bun, & fresh!! Their Spicy Fried Chicken Bun (with Gochujiang chili sauce, & slaw). DELICIOUS!! Warm bun, good, I wanted crispier chicken. Their Spiced Fried Shrimp (with sweet chili aioli, & fried shallots). STAMP!! Fried to perfection, sweet & spicy...WINNING!! Their Braised Pork Belly (with cilantro lime sauce, & pineapple kimchi). DELICIOUS!! Fresh, tasty, but the toppings were conflicting. Their Sweet Soy Fried Chicken (with sweet soy glaze, & cooling slaw). DELICIOUS!! A nice blend of sweetness, but again I needed the chicken crisper. Their Fried Tofu (with cilantro lime sauce, micro greens,& fried shallots). LIKE THAT!! A firm fried tofu, well spiced, scrumptious!! Their Beef Bulgogi Bowl (with rice, cucumbers, pickled onions, fried shallots, & chili sauce). STAMP!! Get this!! Fulfilling, fresh, & a delicious blend! . Customer Service: DECENT. There weren't many people in line, but I was rushed when I went to order. I was confused at where to order, so a customer that came after me, who stood in the "right" spot...was served before me. . Online Navigation: Non-existent at the Union Market location. . Parking: Lot or street parking...ROUGH!! . Recommendations: The Bulgogi bowl & bun, & shrimp bun. =STAMP =LIKE THAT =DELICIOUS =DECENT =PASS =NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more

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It's hard for me to resist a Bao bun spot, so I wanted to try this one when we were at Union Market. Unfortunately, they were already sold out of a lot of their buns when we went around 4 for an early dinner. We ended up just trying the PB&J bun. I thought it was pretty good and it made me wish we had gotten there before they sold out of some of the others. We'll have to go earlier next time! read more

Bun'd Up - PB&J Bao Bun | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've tried their location in Pentagon Row, and, when I saw that Union market has this, I was beyond ecstatic! This place is a "must-try" place when visiting DMV area. I absolutely love their buns. My favorite ones are the Pork Belly and Bulgolgi. The pork belly is very fatty and full of flavor. I preferred the bulgolgi over the pork belly since it's a leaner piece, but I love eating both of them! I had also ordered Spicy Fried Chicken. It wasn't at all spicy for me but there was a nice crunch to each bite. You get 3 baos for $13. There's plenty of seating in Union Market. There is also free parking if you park in the outdoor parking structure. Otherwise, there's street parking. read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I came here on a Wednesday night with a friend and I've been dying to try this place. I ordered a Beef Bulgogi Bowl and the people running the restaurant were super nice. It was $15 for a bowl, which I felt like it was a little expensive just because I wasn't super full after, but it's Union Market after all. I liked the bowl, but the beef was thinner than I expected and it had parts where it was over cooked. The spice level was perfect and the rice was delicous. However, my friend let me try her sweet soy chicken (I believe that was the kind), and it melted in my mouth! I was quite jealous and I would suggest getting that over the bulgogi. Overall, nice meal! I hope to try the buns next. read more

Bun'd Up - Beef Bulgogi Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I tried to order food but the employee who was sitting there scrolling her phone was unable or unwilling to take my order. She indicated I needed to order on a kiosk, which I have no intention of doing. read more

I was in the area with a friend, and we opted to stop in Union Market to grab a bite. We decided to try Bun'd Up. The buns were good but not amazing. I ordered the 3 For $13-- Korean Fried Chicken (Sweet Soy), Korean BBQ Beef, Braised Pork Belly. And I also tried the Korean Fried Chicken (Spicy). All the bao buns were nice and fluffy. The two Korean Fried Chicken Buns were my favorite. The slaws on the buns paired nicely with the chicken-- it gave the buns a nice light acidity to cut the heaviness of the fried chicken. I didn't like the addition of the pineapple on the Braised Pork Belly Bun. The pineapples weren't fresh, and the juice overpowered the nice fatty flavor over the pork belly. I also was not a fan of the Korean BBQ Beef Bun. The beef was very jerky like and was drenched gochujang sauce which overpowered and covered up the actual beef. Overall, I liked the Korean Fried Chicken Buns and thought that the actual bao buns were fluffy and well made. However, I felt like the buns were not worth the high price. I probably wouldn't come back here again considering the other options in Union Market. read more

Bun'd Up - 3 For $13-- Korean Fried Chicken (Sweet Soy) (left), Braised Pork Belly (middle), and Korean BBQ Beef (right) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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-2 for service. I'm a regular at bun'd up. I love the spicy and sweet soy chicken buns. A three pack is enough food to hold you, you might want one or two more if you're really hungry. The accompanying picture is from my order today. Typically there is slaw on top of both of these but I guess they were out (the person who checked me out and served me the food didn't mention this, just served it to me without it's accompaniment) As much as I love this place, the service is consistently abysmal. The cashiers, who are also servers are genuinely pretty uninterested and impatient with interacting with customers. The guy who checked me out today was the same and on the phone the whole time, before serving me these buns without the toppings. So if you don't care about subpar service, this is the place for you! read more

Bun'd Up - Spicy and sweet soy fried buns - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I tried Bun'd Up during my last trip to DC. It's located inside Union Market, among numerous other food stalls and, overall, I'd say it's a pretty solid choice for a quick lunch or snack. I ordered 2 baos: the bulgogi and the sweet soy chicken. Both bao buns were soft and fluffy. The bulgogi bao was delicious; the marinade was so flavorful! However, I thought the sweet soy was underwhelming, a bit bland. Friends tried other flavors and said those were good though. read more

Bun'd Up - top to bottom: sweet soy chicken, bulgogi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had these incredible bao buns in Union Market and I highly recommend! 3 for $13 and I got the bulgogi, pork, and fried chicken! The buns were soft and fluffy! The meat was tender and moist and the chopped toppings were great! Highly recommend:) read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Buns were extremely soft and so warm. One bite was like soft heaven filled with love. The shrimp was sooo good I could've eaten 6 more, the shrimp was crunchy and seasoned to perfection. The spicy chicken was saucy and just the right amount of sweet heat to it. read more

Bun'd Up - Spicy shrimp, pork belly and spicy chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Super disappointing. Menu options look great but did not hold up... and the clerk gave himself a tip without asking! Just added it right to the check. WTF? The sweet soy fried chicken bun was literally a chicken tender in a bun. No sauce, no soy... nothing. Gas station level equivalent. Pork belly bun was pretty good. Nicely flavored. Korean BBQ beef was just OK. Plain, weak flavors. A restaurant like this doesn't belong at Union Market. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a while now, and I'm so glad I was finally able to! It did not disappoint at ALL! I tried three different bao's on the menu and they were all delicious! The fried chicken one was surprisingly bomb, and one of my favs honestly! I'm so happy they are nearby, I can't wait to go again! read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was lost and overwhelmed in Union Market until I saw the sign for bao buns shining like a beacon in the darkness. My feet led me to Bun'd Up and my belly led me to the Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowl. I loved it, it just needed a little bit more sauce for my liking. Next time, I'll def ask for more and I'm sure that'll bump up my review to 5 stars. read more

Bun'd Up - Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Decent bao buns at Bun'd Up. I ordered the braised pork belly and Korean fried chicken, but ended up with two braised pork bellies. Didn't bother going back since the line was long and it took some time to get my buns. I also wish they would have told me while ordering that I could have gotten 3 buns for $13 (I guess I should also pay more attention to the menu!) as I would have paid a couple more dollars to get an extra bao. Anyhow. I though the braised pork belly wasn't bad. Tender and had decent flavor to it; however, I could have done without the pineapple on top. I actually removed it from the second bao before eating it. The bun itself was nice and fluffy. Overall, Bun'd Up was just okay. I'd go back though to try out their other baos. read more

Bun'd Up - Braised pork belly boa buns - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best buns I've had in my life? Yes. Should you go? Yes, please hustle. I opted for the 3 for $12 combo to sample all three choices. From favorite to least: Pork Belly Bun - That decadent pork belly blends in so nicely with the their awfully soft and tasty buns. YES. KBBQ Bun - Very good. They definitely marinate their meat which was highly appreciated. Mushroom Bun - Compared to the other two choices, this one was decent. But their fluffy bun is the main star of Bun'd Up. Thanks to my fellow Yelpers for helping me decide to try out Bun'd Up at Union Market! read more

Bun'd Up - Menu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is definitely not an traditional Taiwanese gua bao, but it is a fun take! I enjoyed all the baos I got, though the spicy chicken and pork belly were definitely better than the bulgogi. The only drawback is that I wish they added more of the toppings than they provided. For such a savory item the acidity of the pickled topping is really welcome and it would have been perfect if it just had a bit more. That said, still rating 5 stars because I think it's worth the price (3 buns for $13) and is one of the more affordable food options in Union Market! read more

Bun'd Up - Spicy chicken, pork belly, bulgogi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place was decent. I think I am rating it against all the mannnny bao buns I've had in my life and also rating the 2 that I tried. Some scaling from super authentic to fusion. This one lands a bit in the middle. The buns were nice and fluffy. The Korean chicken one was good but for some reason it was a tad bit salty. The pork belly was ok. I would go back to try other stuff on the menu. read more

Bun'd Up - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The sweet soy fried chicken bun was so good I got it 2 days in a row while working a pop-up Union Market. The pork one was great too.