I want to start by saying that this review is not a criticism of the food. The food here is genuinely excellent, which is exactly why I'm taking the time to write this. My partner and I have been here numerous times, and I've recommended Dumpling Bar to countless friends because I truly believe the food is worth trying. Unfortunately, what has made us hesitant to keep coming back is the customer service. Over our last few visits, the service has noticeably declined. While there are definitely employees who have been friendly, welcoming, and accommodating, there are others who consistently come across as cold, hostile, and as if they don't want to be there. I understand everyone has difficult days and restaurants can get busy, but this has become a recurring experience rather than a one-time occurrence. One issue that especially stands out is the 90-minute dining limit. We completely understand and respect that policy. The problem isn't the time limit itself--it's how it's communicated. The food can sometimes take a while to come out, and we're never given any indication of how much time we have left. Instead of a server stopping by to say something like, "Just a heads up, you have about 20 minutes left if you'd like to place any final orders," we've had the payment terminal brought to our table while we were still eating, with no explanation except "Your 90 min are up" . It feels abrupt and honestly disrespectful. A simple reminder ahead of time would make the experience feel much more hospitable while still enforcing the restaurant's policy. I hope management sees this as constructive feedback because I genuinely want this restaurant to succeed. The food is some of the best around, and that's why I continue recommending it. I just believe the level of customer service should match the quality of the food. With a little more training and better communication, the overall dining experience could be just as exceptional as the meals they serve. read more

The food was amazing, honestly a really good spot and for the price is worth it. Also the service was good our server was Josh and he was very attentive and helpful. read more

First time trying out the dumpling bar and it won't be the last. Joshua greeted us and sat us right away. The restaurant was super clean. Drinks and dessert is self served which was pretty cool. I definitely recommend trying this place out. read more

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First ever place to have AYCE Shanghainese food. I like the idea and it was an affordable AYCE option, especially on the weekdays. Favorite dish by far was the truffle Xiao Long Bao. The soup stayed in the bao. Cucumber salad is definitely a must. I was too full to try the noodles, but will definitely come back for them! There was only one server that was here, Josh. Chill dude. Constantly checked on me to make sure everything was alright. Will definitely come back when I get the chance! read more

Really wanted to love this place, as I heard it was the same style and management as China Max in San Diego. Unfortunately, my experience left me extremely disappointed, and I think I'd just stick to China Max if I'm ever craving AYCE dim sum. Our party of 5 came around 6 pm. There was a short waitlist, and we waited outside for around 15 minutes to be seated. Seating for large parties seems to be pretty limited, so keep that in mind. You get to order 3 dishes per person and a 90 minute time limit. Our first order canoe promptly, though it was missing our order of chicken wonton. Everything was standard, with the truffle XLB and cucumber salad standing out. My problem arose from how long it took for our server to come check in on us and ask for our second order. I don't entirely blame him, as he was the only person serving, food running, and bussing (something for management to keep in mind next time). However, this is a small place, and one can easily see whether or not a table needs assistance or a check in. There were multiple parties that he approached before us that had already ordered before AND after us, while we were still waiting around for him to ask us to order again. It was around 20 minutes before I decided to stand up and personally ask him to come to our table so we could order again. If this was a regular sit down restaurant, a wait is fine, but in this AYCE format where you are time limited, then it matters. In the end, we just decided to place one more round, so in total two, feeling like we did not make the most of the AYCE deal. Highly disappointed in this experience here, as I was assuming that it would be similar to China Max. Menu is almost identical, but service is severely lacking. Come at your own patience. read more

BEWARE THE SHAO MAI!! My husband and I ordered from dumpling bar through grubhub and overall were fairly disappointed with the bland and cold food. But what was absolutely unacceptable was the legitimately spoiled shao mai (see pic). Unfortunately my husband ate one before realizing how bad it was and was sick the whole night. So gross and will not be back. read more

Dumpling Bar - Spoiled Shao Mai(4pcs) - Chinese Near Me - San Marino, California

This food has to be frozen l, thawed in the microwave, sauced and serve. Plus warm sodas and human hair in the food. Soggy cold green beans. read more

Dumpling Bar - Chinese Near Me - San Marino, California

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We did the AYCE and it's well worth it . Dishes were what you expect in AYCE . My daughter liked the fried rice, she would have liked white rice but thats all they had . Loved the small ice cream bar they had . The cucumber salad was the best ! read more

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The Dumpling Bar has an AYCE option that is $30 for lunch. Lots of options. Home style cooking. Service was great. Food came out piping hot the location is a smaller space with about 10 tables. Self serve sodas and ice cream! read more

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Definitely worth it! Price cant be beat for what you are getting! Would I wait almost 2 hours again, mmmm probably not but not because it's not good but I was so hangry by the time I sat lol. So next time I would go after 3pm has the wait dies out and you get sat faster. Food was good and they do charge for leftovers so just be mindful of the quantity you are ordering. Our waitress was friendly&great and she was managing the whole floor alone. There's plenty of parking, but the "waiting area" is not the most ideal as there are other businesses next to the Dumpling Bar and it felt like we were in the way which we were. I wouldn't recommend this place for a group of more than 4 since the place is small with small tables. read more

Dumpling Bar - Chinese Near Me - San Marino, California

$30 for all you can eat is such a bargain! I stopped by after seeing all the reviews on social media and was very happy with my visit. Dumpling Bar is located right off Huntington Drive and there are both inside and outside seating. It is a very small restaurant, so expect a wait you plan on coming on a weekend. You pretty much can go for the AYCE option or able to order a la carte, however what you choose will apply to everyone at your table. You are given 90 minutes to order everything you want for 3 dishes per person at a time. Example, for 2 people, you will order total of 6 items per round, for unlimited # of rounds within 90 mins. Price also includes ice cream and soda. I ordered many items, and although nothing tasted amazing ... it also wasn't bad either, especially when you are paying just $30. I was disappointed with the Braised Beef Noodle because I was expecting it to be soup noodles but it was actually dry without broth. Egg Fried Rice was pretty tasteless, and the garlic green beans was actually a cold dish. I really liked the Dan Dan noodles as well as the fried pork gyoza. Service was a 10/10 - our server was very nice and took his time to explain the menu to us. He was the only one working the dining room and did a pretty good job managing everything on his own. Overall, I am glad I had the chance to finally try Dumpling Spot, and plan on bringing my girls back because they are obsessed with dumplings. read more

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Long overdue review! Hubby took me here for a Mother's Day dinner and this place did not disappoint. An ayce dumpling restaurant with plenty of other options for picky eaters as well. The interior is small and the staff were friendly. There is a fridge with drinks and a freezer for ice cream for the ayce option. They even handed out small gift bags for all the moms, which was a nice touch. read more

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My family LOVES dumplings and who can say no to an AYCE dumpling restaurant. Well we've never been to one and we had to see what the hype was about. You get to order anything on the menu And there Is a time limit of 90 mins. So we ordered, scarfed everything down and got up so others could be seated in our place. We tried out Dumpling Bar in San Marino and honestly I see why it's hyped. Let me say the service is top tier. They have self serve drinks and ice cream but as far as checking on how we're doing that was constant. We were always asked how we were if we wanted another round and empty plates never stayed on the table. Now the food.... Omg so good. The family ordered: - cucumbers - sweet and sour ribs - fried shao mai - egg rolls - braised beef noodle - Wagyu fried pot sticker - pork xlb bao - beef dumpling - chicken with chili wonton - chongquig mala noodle with pork chop - shrimp shao mai - taro balls - chocolate bun They offer self serve drinks and ice cream stations and the ice cream is thrifty.... My kids fav Overall 10/10 we WILL be back. read more

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On a Friday at 522pm in early May, hubby and I found parking in front. We git a table and most of the tables was full. The 2 staff persons was nice and he explained ayce $30 per person with free sodas. We ordered 3 dishes per person-braised beef noodle soup, xlb, and Sui mai. Hubby ordered egg rolls, hot sour soup, beef dumplings.The dishes came one by one. The highlights are xlb and Wagyu pan fried dumplings, braided beef was tender in the noodles are good. After an hour, we were full and all the tables were occupied. It's amazing to watch the 2 servers clean the tables, explain the menu, take the orders, and serve the dishes. Inside is small of 6 small tables of 2 and 2 tables of 4. Nice ambiance inside except 2 small kids had their temper tantrums which killed the mood. read more

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We came for dinner to celebrate my youngest's 21st birthday a couple of months ago and this was an AYCE dumpling house. This place did NOT disappoint at all! I highly recommend this spot if you haven't tried it yet. Everything was soooooo delicious that I'm still thinking about all those dumplings. I would absolutely come back. The wait time was not long at all. We waited 25min tops and they have a sheet to sign in right by the front entry. You can order a la carte, but the AYCE is worth it. Staff is super friendly. They don't have a huge variety of dumplings, but they have enough to satisfy everyone's tastebuds. If you haven't visited them you definitely need to check this place out! read more

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Great spot for ACE dumplings!! This little shop off Huntington Drive serves their dumplings, noodles, sides, and everything else on the menu ACE or a la carte. However, I highly suggest ACE, since you will definitely be getting your moneys worth. The shop is pretty small so a queue builds up quick. I've been on weekends and weekdays and have waited 30 mins to an hour for a seat, be sure to be either come early to skip the line or grab a drink to its neighboring shops while waiting! Once you get in, service is fast, however be prepared of a little bit of a wait for dumplings. Everything else comes out pretty quick so I'd suggest getting the string beans a cucumber while waiting on your dumplings. My favorites were the boiled beef dumplings and their truffle xiao long bao. For desert they offer chinese churros and an ice cream bar. Our server suggest getting them both and eating together which was a perfect way to end our meal. Definitely come here to get some awesome ACE dumplings!! read more

Dumpling Bar - Chinese Near Me - San Marino, California

Darn I really wanted this place to be good. AYCE Chinese dishes - mainly dim sum, in San Marino. Located on the main strip of restaurants on Huntington, we found parking easily enough. The place is small, as is the menu (although they have added a few more dishes since we went), but for lunch it was fairly cheap. Service was friendly and attentive. The big problem was the completely unmemorable food. The string beans were bizarre. They are served ice cold and are utterly flavorless. Just totally unpleasant. Why wouldn't these just be the common dry sautéed string beans with either garlic or minced pork or X.O. sauce or something? The cucumber salad was another huge misfire, along with the Taiwanese Dan Dan Noodles and Scallion Oil Noodles. All three of these dishes are drowning in five spice, which I hate. If you love it, you'll be fine with these, but they don't taste like these dishes done anywhere else in the SGV that I've stumbled upon. The Pork XLB are probably the best dish, though still mid for the SGV. Same for the Har Gow, char sui bao, beef potsickers (why not pork???), and shumai. All were okay without making me want to come back for any of them. The custard buns were okay. I don't know. They were nice and the lunch was only $25 per person when we went. It just doesn't matter how cheap something is if you don't really enjoy it. Can't recommend and won't be back. But if the other reviews sway you to try it, I wouldn't scream for everyone to stay away. Maybe it's just not for my palate. read more

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I came to visit this spot on a Friday. There is street parking in front of this location. Seating inside & outside which is nice. Staff were friendly & open to questions. I went for the AYCE option in order to try the full menu which was okay since some items on the menu were not available. My favorite items were the spicy mala noddles with pork cutlet which was nice & crunchy. The wontons in sauce were also a 10/10. The other noodle options weren't as flavorful as mala noodles. Xiao long bao was okay & the pork buns were more dough than pork. Wagyu potstickers tasted more like hamburger in a dumpling , tough to chew. Green beans in garlic were yummy! I would come back to eat again during the week & maybe try their ice cream options for a treat. read more

Dumpling Bar - Chicken Wonton w/Chili Sauce(8pcs) - Chinese Near Me - San Marino, California

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TLDR: It's an okay AYCE spot. You get enough options to justify the price point. You get some stuff that's good and other items that are subpar. Overall, I think it's worth trying and deciding for yourself. The line does get long though, so be ready to wait for an hour or 90 minutes. Hot and Sour Soup: It tasted like boxed hot and sour soup. It's definitely good enough to order again, and it's a good contrast between all the dimsum options. Too bad they only prepped one big pot, so they basically ran out after we ordered our first bowl. Sweet and Sour Spareribs: Solid. You get about 5-6 bones with very minimal meat. Taste wise, it tasted exactly like McDonald's McNuggets BBQ sauce. So if you like that, you're in luck. Wagyu Beef Potstickers: Top 3 for sure. They know it too, since it's the quickest item to come out. It's better than what you get from your bagged dimsum in the supermarket, and it's comparable to the specialty dimsum/dumpling spots. Pork Xiao Long Pao: Another pretty good option. Considering these were also flying out of the kitchen, I'm glad that the soup was still in the dumpling, and the dumpling skin held on. They tasted normal, which is all you can ask for in an AYCE spot. Truffle Xiao Long Pao: You take the same pork xiao long bao taste, but remove the soup. This one was on the dry side, but at least you could taste the truffle. Beef Dumpling in Chili Sauce: This one tasted exactly like the wagyu pot stickers, except that some chili sauce was put in it. The sad part is that the chili sauce wasn't spicy. Shrimp Tempura: Costco tempura. Order it for the kids who insist. Hargao: This tasted like boxed dimsum that you can find in the supermarket. It's not that good, or even good at all. I'd limit myself when it comes to this one. Shumai: It's a strong start, but it just got saltier as the meal went. It had a decent size, it's meaty, but it really started getting old after the 3rd or 4th piece. Braised Beef Noodle: Best thing on the menu. Could the noodle be better? Yes. But the beef was really good, so all is forgiven. Is it worth the $18.99 if this were not an AYCE? No. Is this item really good for an AYCE spot? Yes. I'd pay about $14 or $15 if this were a non AYCE establishment. Egg Fried Rice with Pork Cutlet: The rice was just sad. It tasted like plain rice that they threw in the wok at the last second before adding frozen peas, carrots, and some egg. The cutlet was fine, but it wasn't fresh, so it's highly likely that some tables will be served with dry cutlets. Ambiance: It's a smaller restaurant that fits 30-40 at most. Diners who have enough space to maneuver around to get the drink and ice cream, but it's not a whole lot of space for the staff to wiggle through. Service: The staff did the best they could. There were only 2 of them, and they tried their best to make sure nobody was waiting for too long. I don't envy them, as it was a full house and the line never really let up. read more

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For $30, honestly it's not bad. Obviously don't come in expecting the same quality as Din Tai Fung. You also get unlimited canned sodas and self-serve ice cream, which helps make it feel more worth it. I think it's worth trying once, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back unless friends wanted to. The biggest letdown was the XLB. Don't expect them to have much soup like other dumpling spots. It felt really inconsistent... some had barely any soup at all. The rice and noodle dishes had decent texture, but overall they lacked flavor. The shrimp tempura also tasted very frozen/Sysco style. The reason I'm still giving it 3 stars is because there was only one server handling around 8 tables, and he was incredibly attentive and efficient the whole time. The service was much better than the food. To be fair though you can't really expect something on the level of Din Tai Fung, Mr. Dragon Noodle House, or Mama Lu's from an AYCE place. read more

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Veryyy worth the $32.99 for AYCE on a weekend! I went with a group of five and we were all very satisfied. There's usually a stigma with AYCE food quality but we were pleasantly surprised with how tasty most of the items were. I definitely recommend going with a group of four or more so you can try a variety of things. Most of the orders come in 4+ pieces. Highlights- green beans, bok choy, cucumber salad, wagyu beef potstickers, beef dumplings, shumai and chicken chili wontons. It was also super convenient that we could grab water bottles or soda cans on the side. You can end the meal will self serve ice cream, which was a huge plus Lowlights- braised beef noodle and boiled dumplings. They didn't have scallion pancakes, which was a bummer for us A majority of our group will come back and the service was fantastic. It looked like one or two staff members busted tables the entire time. although orders were so long, she was so patient and the food came out extremely quick read more

Dumpling Bar - Chinese Near Me - San Marino, California

Was excited to try this place after seeing it on social media but once again I have been fooled! First off, THEY AUTO CHARGE 15% SERVICE FEE even for smaller groups. It isn't listed or verbally mentioned anywhere that they charged this - the menu only states that groups of 6 or more have an 18% charge. I hate restaurants that do this sort of underhand charge. My two friends and I went for lunch and were immediately put off by the attitude from the employee. They also only give out disposable plates and utensils. Since we wanted to order a bunch of items and share, we were pretty annoyed that the soup and fried rice didn't come with any serving utensils. When asked for a large spoon for the soup, she grabbed a small, plastic spoon, dropped it in the soup, and walked away. The food is obviously not made in house and most likely heated up frozen food. We were also given bottled water. Hot and sour soup - it was okay. When asked for bowls, we were given to go containers for our soup... Fried rice with pork cutlet - fried rice was so salty and the cutlet wasn't crispy. Shu mai - okay. Xiao long bao - probably the best item we ordered. Chicken wonton - all the chili oil but it still tasted pretty bland. Wagyu beef potsticker - sevond best item. Custard bun - definitely store bought, the inside of mine was a little cold. Free cheesecake - frozen hard. This restaurant has the audacity to charge you a 15% service fee and provide poor service and low quality food. Definitely save your money and your time. It is a huge overstatement to even call it a Din Tai Fung dupe - it's not even in the same ballpark as DTF. read more

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3 stars because the food was good, but the service completely missed the mark. This was our first time here, and we were excited to try it after seeing so much hype on social media. Like most people, we checked Yelp beforehand to get an idea of what to order. They offer an all-you-can-eat option for $29.99, so naturally we had a few questions. My mom has a small appetite and only wanted a noodle dish instead of AYCE. We showed our server a Yelp photo of shrimp noodles and asked what dish it was. Her response was, "We don't carry those anymore," delivered with a noticeable attitude in both her tone and facial expression. When we asked if my mom could just order noodles while my husband & I did AYCE, the server told us that if one person at the table does AYCE, everyone has to do it (with an attitude.) I pointed to my toddler daughter and asked if that applied to her too, and the response was, "Is she not gonna eat?" I explained that my daughter only wanted a rice dish, and then the server informed us kids are half off AYCE. From all the great reviews I expected a much more polished and welcoming level of hospitality and professionalism from the staff. The amount of attitude that was received, from the female server with blue star pimple patches on her face, was mind blowing considering we were there within the first hour of opening & it was not busy at all. The customer service was surprisingly poor and honestly made the experience uncomfortable at times. Hopefully the restaurant improves the hospitality side of things because the food deserves better service behind it Har Gow - 9/10 Wagyu potsticker - 10/10 Scallion oil noodles - 8/10 String beans with garlic - 4/10 Chicken chili wontons - 9/10 Egg fried rice - 10/10 Shrimp tempura - 10/10 read more

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AYCE dim sum. That's already a plus for me. Their prices are very affordable. About $32 for weekends. It's a small restaurant with one server. However the lady working at the time did it all. One server who took our order, brought out the food, and still nice enough to check on us. Be patient and kind. She's doing the best she can. The entire menu is ayce minus alcohol. But drinks such as the sodas, water, ice cream is included. There's a 15% service charge already included in your bill. You have an option to tip more. For the value/price, I would definitely come back and have already recommended to others. Take note of the restaurant hours. They do close midday day for a bit. read more

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This place is amazing. First starting with the service, Josh is a great host. He gave the best recommendations! Fresh ingredients and authentic flavors. And you can't beat the price and location. The ice cream at the end was the best way to end our delicious meal. We will be back again soon! read more

Came here on a rainy Saturday for lunch because my good friend thought it be a good idea to try AYCE Chinese dim sum! It was indeed a great idea because we left with full bellies. For a AYCE price of $32.99 (weekend pricing), the menu is very diverse and the AYCE option includes the entire menu (mostly). We got to try a little bit of everything, the Cucumber Salad, Seaweed Egg Drop Soup, String Beans with Garlic, Pork Xiao Long Bao, Pork and Shrimp Dumplings, Har Gow, Shumai, Taiwanese Dan Dan Noodles with Pork Cutlet, and more. I tried to photograph everything but was too hungry to think about most items sometimes haha! The presentation of the plates could have been better but I understand it is AYCE. I only wish I had more room to try more menu items but will just have to try things another time! Note the restaurant is smaller and can fit about 5-6 tables so we had to wait about an hour after arriving 30 minutes after the restaurant opened. For just a party of two, we were a little cramped in the back corner of the restaurant but the staff timed the items we ordered to fit the table very well. The staff are very friendly and happy to get you your items. My favorite dish has to be the Taiwanese Dan Dan Noodles with the Pork Cutlet. The noodles had a bouncy chewy texture, just how I like it! I would definitely try Dumpling Bar again to try their Beef Noodle and Steamed Custard Buns! read more

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Traveled from Los Angeles to try Dumpling Bar after seeing rave reviews on tik tok. My friend and I made sure to come during early hours to try their AYCE and be able to try multiple items on the menu. The staff were great and friendly. They promptly sat us and all the food came out quick. Unfortunately, I do not feel as if a lot of the food had flavor or it came out mid temperature. The garlic string beans for example had little to no garlic and the broth for the xioa long boa lacked flavor. A number of items were really greasy as well like the noodles. The best item we had was the shrimp fried rice which actually was flavorful. While I appreciated the customer service I did not enjoy the food. I really wanted to like this restaurant though and it's unfortunate I did not. read more

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Stopped by for their AYCE menu today (second time), luckily there was one table left. Plenty of choices and variations on the menu; from the appetizer to soups, dumplings, noodles, buns and rice dishes - there's something for everyone. Canned sodas, bottled water, and ice cream also included. Great for the price. So far we've tried the cucumber appetizer, wagyu potstickers, xlb, pork and lamb boiled dumplings, beef steamed dumplings, har gow, suimai, pork buns, beef noodle soup, japanese garlic parmesan noodles, dandan noodles with pork katsu, custard and chocolate buns (not in one visit). And the first time we were there they even gave us egg tarts. We have a few favorites that we would come back for. The twice we've been, there was always one server/wait staff but it didn't slow service down and always helped us with a smile. Will come back to try the scallion noodles!!! read more

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Came from out of town and found this gem by chance. The staff was super friendly from the beginning. Joshua was so helpful and knowledgeable with recommendations. Every dish he recommended was delicious. Annie too was very attentive. The place is super chill. I would definitely make a drive back. read more

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I know the reviews are mixed but I did enjoy this place. Service is a little slow and it is definitely a small business. The space is cozy. The server was really friendly. She helped us pick a good balanced selection of items. We ordered XLB x2, shumai, egg drop soup x2, cucumber salad, string beans w/ garlic, egg fried rice, and custard buns. They do close for a break between lunch and dinner. We got there about 12:45pm and luckily snagged a table. By 1:15 they were turning folks away since last call was happening and most of us had just been seated. The AYCE is a nice touch but I do think this adds complexities with keeping up with demands for food and guessing how much to keep stocked. Regardless, we had a very pleasant experience and will return. read more

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We came in for lunch and got seated right away. Seeing the paper plates and disposable utensils on the table threw us off. We were sharing the beef noodle soup and they gave us small disposable togo bowls to use and we had to scoop soup with small plastic round spoon. We asked for water and they gave us bottled waters. It was an odd experience. We chose to order a la carte instead of from their AYCE menu. Beef noodle soup - liked the chewy noodles and tender beef, but the soup was bland XLB - has a lot of soup in the XLB Boiled pork, shrimp, and cabbage dumplings - came out very soggy and wet as if it was overcooked. Didn't really taste much flavor from the dumpling They also had free ice cream in the end that you can scoop yourself. They did have a 15% service charge when we paid. We didn't see this charge listed on the menu. Overall, food was ok, but we would likely not return since there are so many better options in the area. read more

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Hubby wanted to try this place out for lunch. The servers were friendly. An AYCE place. Parking was easy since we arrived early. It's next to a popular breakfast place. Hot & sour soup - they added hot oil as a twist to the dish. I wasn't a fan of it. Chicken wontons- this was our favorite dish. The wontons were delicate & the sauce was delish. I could eat this all day long. Pork dumpling - wasn't a fan of it. Texture tasted a bit soggy. Pork XLB - wished the dumpling skin was thinned. Not too bad. Shrimp fried rice - the rice was slightly cold & hard. Our least favorite dish. Shu mai - overall it was decent. Chocolate bun - they didn't have the custard bun so I decided to try this. Not my cup of tea but it was a nice way to end the meal. read more

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Came here to try the ayce during the weekday and was surprised everything was pretty good. Our server Eric was wonderful. He was attentive and apologized for the wait when things got busy. It was a one man show and he had everything under control. We were able to order 4 items a time for my party of 2. Most of the items came out hot except for the string bean. For what you pay you do get an assortment of foods and it was all tasty. I believe their ayce is only available during the weekday and their hours for lunch are from 11am-2pm. Parking is on Huntington so it is a busy street. They have about 7 tables inside so it is not a lot of seating. The drinks are unlimited as well so you can just grab it from the fridge. read more

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No wait which is so convenient for dining out. Similar to eating at Din Tai Fung minus the wait time. You can order similar meals like xiao lang bao dumplings and woods ear mushroom side dish. I didn't not take photo of the dumplings. Located off busy Huntington Drive so parking on the street is free, but limited. Will return if I want soups or dumplings minus the wait time. Ambiance is no thrills or frills. Simple mom and pop shop for San Marino. read more

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We came here for the all you can eat, and it was absolutely worth it.Dumpling Bar on Huntington Drive delivers solid value and good quality, especially if you come hungry. The dumplings came out hot, fresh, and consistently good. You are not getting tiny portions or rushed plates. They keep them coming, and everything tasted properly cooked and well seasoned. What stood out was that the food did not feel mass produced even though it was AYCE. The wrappers had a good bite, the fillings were flavorful, and nothing tasted frozen or old. We tried several rounds and never felt like the quality dropped. Service was attentive and efficient. Plates came out at a steady pace, and we never felt ignored or pressured to leave. They explained the AYCE rules clearly, which made the experience smooth.The ambiance feels well balanced. There is some light chatter around, but it never gets overwhelming. It is comfortable, relaxed, and a good place to sit, eat, and enjoy your time. Overall, if you are debating whether the all you can eat option is worth it, it is. You leave full, satisfied, and feeling like you got your money's worth. Definitely a spot I would return to for dumplings. read more

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Avoid this place. We walked in and simply asked if we could sit in a particular seat. The employee who greeted us was incredibly rude, dismissive, and completely unwelcoming. From the moment we walked in, his attitude made us feel like we were an inconvenience rather than customers. The entire vibe immediately felt uncomfortable and negative. It was bad enough that after sitting down, we decided we didn't even want to stay--we got up and left. Management really needs to address how customers are treated when they walk through the door. Your front-of-house staff sets the tone for the entire experience, and unfortunately, this experience was enough to make us never want to come back. Avoid this place. Run. read more

Did the AYCE at Dumpling Bar and it's honestly a great value for the price. Everything came out fresh, well-seasoned, and satisfying. We got lucky and went on a Sunday afternoon but were seated in about 15 minutes, which was a pleasant surprise given how popular this place is. We started with the cucumber salad--cool, refreshing, and lightly dressed with chili oil. The bok choy with garlic was crisp, vibrant, and unapologetically garlicky. The potstickers were a pleasant surprise: juicy, flavorful, and nicely cooked. On the dumpling front, the boiled lamb dumplings, xiaolongbao, and shumai were all solid--well-seasoned and comforting. The wontons in chili oil really stood out with a perfect balance of savory depth, spice, and that bright vinegar zing. The hot and sour soup was peppery, warming, and very comforting. The real stars, though, were the noodle dishes. Both the dan dan noodles and the scallion oil noodles had distinct, well-developed flavor profiles. The noodles themselves were wonderfully bouncy, and the pork cutlets were light, crispy, and truly in a league of their own. For AYCE, the quality here exceeds expectations. Dumpling Bar delivers on flavor, variety, and value--definitely a spot worth returning to. read more

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Trending hole-in-the-wall spot in San Marino. We arrived just after 11 a.m. and luckily snagged a table for two. We went with the AYCE menu and tried the cucumbers, Dan Dan noodles with crispy pork cutlet, braised beef noodle soup, xlb and a few dumplings, siu mai, and chocolate buns. Overall, the food was just okay. The dumpling wrappers were a bit thick, and the siu mai lacked flavor. The Dan Dan noodles were good, but the portion was very large for an AYCE menu, which made it hard to try more dishes. Drinks and ice cream are included and self-serve, which is a nice touch. There was only one server, and she was clearly hustling--service was good despite being busy. Bottom line: good service, average food. Not bad, but nothing to rave about. read more

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Ahhh if you're a dumpling lover, you NEED to visit Dumpling Bar! They offer an AYCE and à la carte menu (psssst go for the ayce). It's honestly a steal compared to how much dumplings cost at other places. I recommend you get here early because the queue stacks up quick! The all you can eat menu also includes an ice cream bar, desserts, water, and soda. My faves are the cucumber salad, pork xlb, wagyu potstickers, and ofc the chicken wontons in chili sauce. Try them! Please note: check the hours before going to make sure they're open since they close for a couple hours during the week. read more

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Dumpling Bar in San Marino is a tiny hole-in-the-wall spot with big value. The place is small, with one waitress hustling nonstop, but service was friendly and fast. The menu is limited, but there's a good mix of noodles, dumplings, bao, wontons, and appetizers. They offer AYCE ($30 weekdays & $32 weekends), which includes the full menu and non-alcoholic drinks (alcohol is extra). They also have à la carte and to-go options if you don't want to do AYCE. I had the cucumber salad, chicken wontons in chili oil, xiao long bao, braised beef soup, and fried rice with pork cutlet. Everything was good but not amazing and definitely not Din Tai Fung quality as they advertise; but for the price, it exceeded expectations. Dessert is included too! the chocolate buns, custard buns, and ice cream were a nice bonus. Drinks are self serve, unlimited soda and water. The biggest downside is the wait. I waited about 45 minutes, and the space is tight. They seem to still be figuring things out, but overall they're doing well. If you're looking for solid dumplings and great value In San Marino and don't mind waiting, this spot is worth trying. read more

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