Yummy dumplings! Made fresh in front of you. Great service. Had the Shanghai pork soup dumplings. read more

June 2026 -- Berkeley, CA Dumplings for the Deadline Damned Dumpling Express, not far from UC Berkeley, has the kind of facade that says: we are not here to seduce you with ambiance; we are here to prevent your blood sugar from collapsing during midterms. The exterior is a pale green, low-drama storefront with a metal roofline, a modest hanging sign, a couple of sidewalk tables, and a general visual philosophy best described as "handmade dumplings, not handmade branding strategy." It looks less like a restaurant trying to be discovered and more like a temporary work-in-progress bungalow that decided to become permanent, with the rust swirling in like Berkeley's unofficial architectural signature. Naturally, this makes it more trustworthy. My review is based on an Uber Eats pickup order, which feels like the correct way to encounter this place. Dumpling Express appears mostly built for takeout: fast, practical, compact, and run by one kind master behind the counter surrounded by enough BTU's, condiments, steam, and ingredients to power a graduate seminar and three emotionally unstable group projects. Service was reliable. The food came packed in plastic containers that held heat well but were still easy to open and close, meaning you could theoretically eat this while driving. Should you? No. Could you? Tragically, yes. Berkeley has witnessed worse experiments in applied ethics. We ordered four items. The egg rolls were shockingly generous. One order could probably feed a four-person study group, or one economics major after discovering rent is not a theoretical construct. They were pretty good: crisp, not overly greasy, almost light. Flavor-wise, they were not exactly writing a dissertation, but they showed up to class. 3/5. The XLB tasted good, but they were not classic soup dumplings in the strict "I have traveled, I own opinions, and I have been hurt before" sense. The wrapper was not especially thin, and there was not enough of that dangerous, piping-hot broth that makes you question your dental insurance. Still, the flavor was pleasant. I did not feel betrayed. Merely academically unconvinced. 3/5. The chicken and cabbage dumplings were fine. A little bland, yes, but not bad, especially for cheap eats near campus. They are the dumpling equivalent of a decent discussion section: not life-changing, not offensive, and useful if you are hungry and trying to survive the week. 3/5. The clear star was the sesame ball with red bean filling. Crispy, warm, gooey, sweet, and deeply correct. This was the one item that stood up, adjusted its tiny sesame-covered blazer, and delivered an argument worthy of tenure. Excellent. 5/5. Overall, Dumpling Express is an excellent value spot for students, quick lunches, late study nights, and anyone needing hot food without emotional paperwork. For well-traveled adults chasing transcendent dumpling enlightenment, this is probably more of a "good in a pinch" situation than a destination pilgrimage. But for Berkeley? Near campus? For the broke, busy, brilliant, sleep-deprived, caffeine-haunted scholars of tomorrow? It makes sense. It feeds the machine. It keeps the little academic hamsters running. And the sesame balls deserve a fellowship. read more

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Ordered take out/delivery through door dash. Food was hot, packaged well, condiments included and YUMMY!!! I got the chicken bao, chicken gyoza and lobster siu mai. All prepared perfectly, texture and flavor also on point. The highlight of my meal was my dessert trio which came with egg, taro and green tea bao. Heaven!! Thanks Dumpling Express!! read more

Dumpling Express - Chicken bao, lobster siu mai and chicken gyoza - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We came in a while ago and there was only one man working and making all the orders. We ordered pork and shrimp siu mai (4 pieces), sesame seaweed salad, and the house special combo which comes with 6 soup dumplings and 1 bbq pork bun. Everything tastes good, but I feel like the portions/sizes were on the smaller side than the dim sum I'm used to getting. Still, I would definitely come back when I get the cravings for quick dim sum again. Also, it was so sweet that the guy working that day, gave us an extra bbq pork bun seeing that my boyfriend and I were going to share the food. He told us he didnt want us fighting over the 1 bun that comes with the house special combo. How cute! read more

These dumplings were pretty good, especially the price. They arrived hot. The soup dumplings did not have a lot of "soup", but the flavor was good and dumpling itself wasn't too thick or chewy. The sui mai were really good and the chicken dumplings. I would definitely order again. read more

So yummy! He even threw in an extra soup dumpling and pot sticker. Great service. We got the fried chicken dumplings,steamed dumplings, and the soup dumplings all so good. read more

Dumpling Express - Fried chicken dumpling - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

My classmates loved the dimsum everything was basically gone by the end of the class and only the vegetarian buns were left imo this place does good dimsum for big parties and would go here again if I crave dimsum read more

Very good soup dumplings, very good shu mai. I also got a honey jasmine tea that was delicious. Not a bad quick meal for under $20 if you're looking for something tasty but not heavy. read more

Dumpling Express - Honey Jasmine Tea (Iced) - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I first came across this spot when I was hungry and searching for something to fulfill my picky taste. I'm a big fan of dumplings so I thought homemade dumplings would be nice and this restaurant did not disappoint!! I fell in love with the homemade chicken steamed dumplings! It's now become my comfort food and a go to place especially during the summer when I can walk up with my friends for a quick lunch! The place itself is very cozy and has a very cool art piece on the wall. I have always had very kind customer service and positive experiences :) I have and will always recommend this place to anyone in the area! My go to order is the Steamed Chicken Dumplings and Steamed Egg Custard Buns !! read more

This place is the best! The brothers who run the shop are the friendliest and nicest. How's that saying go, "sometimes when you want to go, where everybody knows your name" well this place is just that for me and my family. We are big fans of their soup dumplings & sesame seed balls but we probably have tried every dumpling they have. These guys don't miss. Next time you're in Berkeley on the southside of campus you gotta check them out. read more

Chef was super kind, even gave us complimentary sesame balls Food was great as well as the service Definitely give this place a try if you want to have some good dumplings on a cold day Ambiance was good as well read more

This store is OK when it's open but it has irregular hours and it's impossible to know when it's open. They will accept online orders even when the store is closed. read more

Amazing food at a great price. Staff are super helpful and friendly. You watch them make the orders as they're received so you know it's fresh. Best chicken dumplings ever! This place deserves more love. read more

I love this place. It's small and not super noticeable, but the food is so yummy and reminiscent of my childhood. They sell both frozen and ready to eat dumplings/buns, so I'll usually take some frozen dumplings home for a quick and easy meal. What I've tried so far: Frozen pork dumplings--20 for $10. Must have. Steamed taro buns--so soft and fluffy. Not too sweet. Steamed BBQ pork buns--a more subtle flavor than most dim sum places. I find it refreshing. Shrimp har gow--nothing special, but enjoy with black vinegar The owner is super friendly and is a one man job. He always makes sure you have sauces if you need them and offers directions on how to cook frozen items. Note that there are only a couple small tables inside. It's really more of a takeout place. read more

such a good place for some solid dumplings! the man working (who i assume is the owner) was holding the whole place down himself & was so kind to everyone. He even gave us extra dumplings just because . great food, great service, great prices! read more

Fast and friendly service, great food! Blessings to the workers I will eat here once more.

Pretty good for a first timer consciously trying dumpling. I've been told to get the ones with the broth inside, and I did. I was also craving some liquid soup so I ordered the wonton soup as well. I ordered just outside their location on a screen. Everything was direct and simple. Waited for about 10 to leas than 15 minutes. My number got called and you are asked if you want sriracha, soy sauce, and utensils. The food is nicely packaged but be careful not to topple the dumplings. they're very organised and uniform. The wonton soup had noddles in it. Never had wonton with noodles but it works perfectly for me. They're a bit bland but the hot sauce and soy sauce fixed it a long way. The dumpling just melt from the warm oozing broth and so delicious. I like to dip half of it in sriracha and feel the burst of flavours. Texture was nice and flavour was there. A bit pricey. read more

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I ordered their Shanghai Soup Dumplings over Snackpass the other day and, when I arrived, the man working there very kindly explained to me that they actually have a deal right now where you receive a free bun with your soup dumplings and he had already packed an egg custard bun with my soup dumplings. The place is very small and tucked away near Unit 1 around the side of Artichoke's. There's a table inside to sit and wait while they steam and package your dumplings. It's a very neat and clean place to pickup your food with a charming water fountain at the front behind a glass wall. You can place an order outside at a little Snackpass booth; I'm not sure if they accept cash. Despite only having one person working, they are relatively quick to package. The wait is never too long. When you receive your order, the person working there offers you soy sauce, napkins, and chopsticks. In terms of food, I have had the Shanghai Soup Dumplings, an Egg Custard Bun, Pork Gyoza, and the Pork and Shrimp Shumai. The soup dumplings are nice and hot. The burst of flavor of the soup is wonderful. I'm not a big fan of fried dumplings, so they aren't normally to my taste. I will note that the pork gyoza were excellently fried and crispy and came with a side of sauce. The pork and shrimp shumai had perfectly cooked shrimp that were a great texture. I really recommend asking for a packet of soy sauce if you get this. Finally, their egg custard bun is really a delight to eat. Soft and perfectly sweet, the first bite into the bun is always the best feeling in the world, and I love saving the bun for last. The filling isn't sickly sweet which can be a risk with custard fillings but instead manages to be light and nice. One note: To keep the gyoza from becoming soggy, their packages have holes cut in them for airing them out. Additionally, its possible for other to go boxed to leak a little. I highly recommend getting a bag to carry your food in if you can't carry it in your hand, and don't put anything you don't want getting messy in the bag with the food. It's a very minor and easy to avoid mess, just beware of putting important documents with your food haha Overall, wonderful food, considerate service, and chill atmosphere all available on Telegraph. read more

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Peter is always sweet and caring! He adds extra dumplings if they came out small. My partner and I always get the fried potstickers, BBQ pork bun, and sweet custard bun. Support a local business and stop by here!! read more

Food was meh, frozen dumplings have similar quality. Got the pork soup dumplings and fried pork dumplings. Both dumplings were laughably small for 7$ for each plate. Lacking any noticeable flavor in both dishes. You could buy a whole pack of frozen dumplings from Costco for the price of one plate here, with similar or even better quality. read more

The worker is extremely rude for no reason. The first time I ordered here, half my order was missing. So, I gave it another try. The second time I ordered here, the worker was extremely extremely rude for zero reason. The food is nothing special. I would not recommend eating here ever. read more

Hole in the wall but an absolute gem when it comes to dumplings. Tasty and reasonably priced. Limited menu, nothing fancy. Just wholesome. read more

Dumpling Express - Restaurant sign - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I'm Always happy to order to go my shrimp & pork Wonton soup, great flavor, Fresh ingredients, and one of my favorite things are their sesame balls are perfect, small size and plenty, the filling bean paste is the best I've had , and texture of the dough has the nice crisp. Service is prompt read more

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Will re-update this review after COVID. I really miss the rice plates from Dumpling Express (and now they only have a few options on the menu because of COVID). Recent Orders: - Shanghai Soup Dumplings 上海小笼包: can't say they are amazing but they do satisfy your craving for shanghai soup dumplings! Would def get again if I craved this next time. - Fried Chicken Dumplings: not potstickers, but actually fried dumplings. Enjoyed it! Lacked a tiny bit of flavor inside but some soy sauce or vinegar can quickly fix that (you can also ask them for what sauces they provide too) Would come back again. Hopefully they can provide the beloved rice plates soon. read more

Dumpling Express - 6 Piece Shanghai Soup Dumpling with Pork - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Had the chance to visit Dumpling Express during BRW 2022 because of their awesome deal at that time! Location: Kind of away from all the busy street action but still located near the foot traffic of Berkeley. Parking: Street parking. Ordering is easy and simple. Outside their door (currently no indoor dine in, to go only), they have one kiosk for you to order. The system is well organized and user friendly. Service: I was fortunate enough to meet the owner/ manger of this establishment, Peter, and he was nice and told me a little about this Dumpling Express location. Although they don't make their dumplings, etc. fresh in store (due to the size of the building) they get them delivered made fresh daily from their main location in San Francisco. Food: I ordered 12 piece of dumplings; 6 chicken and 6 pork. Each one was soft and tasty! Filled with just enough pork and chicken; enough to fulfill your hunger! They are super convenient if you're in the area because of their quick service and of course, simple yet yummy tasting food! read more

Ordered from door dash during peak commute time. It seemed like the food was prepared fairly quickly, but the driver was stuck in traffic getting from Berkeley to Oakland, about 30 min. Even though I had to reheat the food, it was all really good. I'll definitely order again, but will drive over there instead. Both the sesame buns and dumplings were perfectly fried, not oily at all. I can never finish an entire steamed pork bun, they were the perfect size with the right pork to bun ratio. read more

Dumpling Express - Fried Dumplings, sesame ball & steamed pork bun - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Decent dumplings at a good price. We came here for take out when they still had Covid restrictions, so we had to order online and were able to pick up at the door. The dumplings were good for a light snack, nothing special. We got the siu mai and XLB and both were good. read more

Dumpling Express - a tray of dumplings with chopsticks - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Called in for a takeout order and everything was still great when I got home. It's a one-man operation, and he does it all: the cooking, packing, and service - all while maintaining a kind demeanor. I have so much respect for that. I paid in cash but didn't notice a tip jar. I'll have to stop by and tip extra when I come back next week. I ordered the siu mai, har gow, soup dumplings, pork dumplings with cabbage, pork and shrimp wonton noodle soup. The har gow shrimp dumplings were my favorite even tho I usually like siu mai more; the small amounts of jicama or water chestnut makes the texture of the dumplings nice to eat. The wonton itself is super good too read more

There aren't many (and good) dumpling/Asian comfort foods around the Berkeley campus, but I have definitely came to Dumpling Express on multiple occasions when I missed home more on one day or wanted a comforting meal when I was sick. I would say it's about 3.5 stars especially since there isn't a really good close second option by campus. If you're on the fence, I say go! You can also order Snackpass for a discount if you're a Cal student! I think the Pork XLB is the best thing on their menu! They're also really popular for their dumplings and buns - those are just ok to me read more

Dumpling Express - Pork XLB - juicy (skin is a little less thin and smooth than other places but still really good for a local small business!!) - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Really good food, the guy making food is nice and fast. Good for takeout. Daily specials are worth it.

Good not great,.... but very high potential. I need to explore vast menu more because I'm certain they have some great stuff. Very authentic looking; tight kitchen space jammed with old school (Asian style) implements. Counter seating, limited and somewhat cramped. My soup dumplings were quite good, not nearly as good as the famous fancy place in SF, but still quite enjoyable; will get again for certain. Shrimp and scallion dumplings - no. Tiny piece of shrimp in each dumpling, stuff full of scallion that wasn't even that tasty. Got a sweet bun, I think it was taro. It was purple and made for a perfect dessert (for me). There are multiple menus; posted all over the restaurant. Very wide variety; dim sum, bang mi, stir fry,...... I'll go back soon and try different offerings. I have a feeling there are some gems in there. read more

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The dumplings are good, but they kind of pricey. The rices look even better, but the wait time was lengthier than I wanted to wait. And do expect a little bit of wait, this place is popular! First off, the place screams authentic hole-in-the-wall. Chinese peeps in cooking all that food fresh. You get about 12 small, but deliciously freshly made dumpings for about $7-$9. You however have to pay additional for the dumpling sauce. Another peeve: they charge you the credit card price (which is higher than the cash price), and then they additional charge you a card fee. That is a lot of nickel & diming and seems a little shady. But, the dumplings? Good, minus the shrimp one. The shrimp was very tough and way too much cilantro. I really enjoyed the beef, pork with kimchi and the lamb was flavorful. The skins were delicate and everything was well cooked. They also messed up our order and if we wanted the correct one, it would have been an additional 10 minutes. We decided not to wait, but throw us something for your mistake? Another soda, yada yada. I ordered chicken dumplings, because that's what I wanted. FYI: They have frozen dumplings for sale you can bring home, as well. Vegetarians - a ton of options for you, as well. I'd come back with cash and buy some more dumplings when I get the craving. Not the cheapest spot around for dumplings, but tasty ones, for sure! read more

Dumpling Express - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Since this was my first time and probably only time trying Dumpling Express, I wasn't planning on writing a review, but the dumplings here were surprisingly good that it made me want to post about my experience. I was visiting from out of town in December 2020, and I last-minute decided to try this place while waiting for my pizza order from Artichoke next door. I ordered pork sui mai, soup pork dumplings, and HK style pork chop with rice. The sui mai and soup dumplings tasted a lot better than I expected that it caught me by surprise lol. They were extremely flavorful and satisfying. The HK style pork chops were pretty dry though and a little difficult to eat. Overall, everything was still delicious. I also appreciated the service during this time with COVID. The person who took my order was kind, patient, and he immediately provided me with hand sanitizer after signing the check. Glad I found this place while visiting the area! read more

Dumpling Express - Hong Kong Style Pork (comes with rice) - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The menu at this place is huge. They have dumplings, buns, traditional Chinese food, Chinese American food, Vietnamese food, and a mix of other cuisines. With such an extensive menu, you are bound to find something that you like, but huge menus also come with a downside. Like all places with huge menus, there are some dishes that are good and some dishes that are bad. I got the BBQ pork buns and the spicy eggplant with pork over rice. The BBQ pork buns were pretty disappointing. There was only a tiny piece of char siu in each bun, and the buns reminded me of the buns you can buy frozen from a Chinese store. The spicy eggplant over rice, however, was very good. The portion size was huge for the price and the flavors were really nice. The pork was very tender and gave the dish a nice meatiness. The eggplant was soft and had a Szechuan hot oil flavor. There were various vegetables that also added another depth to the dish like the pickled cabbage. read more

The owner is a really kind man and does things out of sincerity, fresh delicious food, the soup dumplings and shu mai were amazing. one of the more authentic genuine places to eat and I would highly recommend. read more

Dumpling Express - Extremely proud of them and I hope their business really continues to prosper - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have given 5 stars to only five restaurants on Planet Earth in my long life. They are in Barcelona, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, London, Porto . . .and, now, a sixth -- in Berkeley! I never dreamed a "fast-food" kitchen might earn that distinction, but the folks at Dumpling Express on Bowditch make exquisitely tasty, joyously fresh, piping hot soup dumplings and spinach-&-mushroom buns . . . and THE best siu mai I've ever tasted. I'm guessing you'll agree :-) read more

Big fan of the taro baos. The soup dumplings are OK too. If you order 6 dumplings, you get a free bao. Owner is very friendly. Would recommend. read more

Dumpling Express - Order of six soup dumplings with taro bun. - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Decided to leave a review after coming here a second time. The place seems kind of shady, but the food was authentic, delicious, and well worth the price. The staff was friendly and we got our food relatively fast. They do charge an extra fee for credit cards, which is a bit inconvenient, so bring cash if you don't want to pay the fee. read more

Dumpling Express - Pork and Cabbage Dumplings, Ma Po Tofu, Vegetarian Dumpling, 3 Piece Mushroom and Scallion Bun, 6 Piece Shanghai Soup Dumpling with Pork - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Just ordered two orders of the soup dumplings. They are delicious! The guy was super nice too. Must try!

I decided to give this place another try since Kiwibot had a promotion for this place. Ordered the sliced pork with garlic and spicy sauce. The food is just not great here. The sauce was overwhelming and very liquidy. The water chestnuts were also very undercooked. Ended up throwing away most of my food because I just felt sick afterwards. Only star comes from having a decent amount of sliced pork in there though. As for the service, it was even worse than the food. I arrived at around the stated time to pick up my food and gave the cashier the name of my order. He told they were really backed up and would take another 15 minutes. Lo and behold it ended up being an extra 30 minutes just standing there. Sure I get that the kitchen can get backed up at times, but being 30 minutes behind is a sign of bigger issues. When I finally got my food, the cashier instead of apologizing just told me to use this waiting time for future reference and to come in later, blaming the app for not allowing him to update waiting times. Side note, you can clearly see the cook making the food out of order as I saw tickets placed after me being made earlier than I was. Overall not great experiences the couple times I was here. Maybe the dimsum/porridge is better but who knows as I won't be returning. read more

Dumpling Express - So much liquid it's basically soup. Also it was quite oily as you can see from the spoon. - Shanghainese Near Me - Berkeley, California