We had driven by Dumpling Zone several times and finally had the chance to try it out. There was no wait on a mid-afternoon Wednesday. Steven was friendly and provided great service. All our items came out quickly and piping hot. Everything tasted fresh and was delicious. The XLB had a good amount of flavorful broth, the tan tan noodles were chewy, the green onion pancakes were really crispy and light, and the Nutella/banana XLB were a sweet treat to end a great lunch. read more

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Very friendly service and the food was good. We stopped by since it was conveniently located along our San Francisco Crosstown Trail route, and I was more than happy to take a walking break to grab a bite and use the restroom. The noodles were delicious, though I wished there were a bit more of them and a little extra sauce. The dumplings were well done, with nicely crispy bottoms that we really appreciated. The Shanghai pan-fried pork bao arrived steaming hot, something the server thoughtfully warned us about. A good stop if you're in the area! read more

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Absolutely the best soup dumplings I've had in San Francisco. Favorite dish: spicy soup dumplings. From a technical standpoint difficult to make. The skin was thin and held up well with the soup. Lots of flavorful liquid but also a good amount of meat there. Other dishes tried: non spicy soup dumplings, pan fried pork buns. Thought both of these were just ok. Service efficient and friendly. Ambiance casual. Street parking not a hassle. read more

Dumpling Zone - 4. Spicy Xiao Long Bao (4 Pcs / 8 Pcs) / 香辣小籠包 (4個/8個) - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Restaurant is on the smaller side but a decent amount of tables for the space. Residential street parking, there might be a lot but we missed it if there was. Come here for the xiao long bao -- thin skin and good soup. The big plate noodles were okay -- good noodle texture, sauce tasted just like beef noodle soup though. Green beans were decent, not a fan of their pan fried pork baos (I thought it was too doughy). Overall decent, but in the future I'd only come if I was craving xiao long bao in particular. read more

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Stumbled upon this gem while driving past Laguna Honda. Lunch time was right around the corner so this was the perfect place to pull up. Their Braised Beef Noodle Soup was the perfect comfort food for me! Broth was a bit too salty but savory, tender meat and bouncy noodles. Service was quick and friendly, it's a QR code to order but the food arrived fast and piping hot. Relatively spacious restaurant, perfect for small groups. I'd like to come back and try other dishes on the menu in the near future. read more

Dumpling Zone - Braised Beef Noodle Soup - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

3.5 stars. I like this restaurant. The food is good and Eddie, tackles the front room all by himself with an even keel demeanor even when it's really busy while Momma works her kitchen magic on the food. We brought friends with us in this trip who've never been here before. We consumed all the dishes we ordered: Pan fried dumplings - full of meat and lots of hot broth. Steamed XLB - made just right. Full of broth, dough thin enough to not be doughy yet firm enough to hold the hot broth without breaking open when you pick up eat dumpling by the tip with chopsticks. Stir fried bok choy- firm and cooked right Tan Tan noodles- our friends really liked the dish, one of our favs here. Green onion pancakes - a crispy treat even if a bit oily as it's fried. Won ton soup - 8 won tons for 4 of us. It was my least favorite dish. I've had better versions of this. Glad we made a return visit. read more

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Pretty good food but i come here for the chocolate banana xiao long bao!!! they are truly the best & i crave it all the time! Good service but i feel like it's easy to miss where the restaurant is because it's right off that intersection. Parking isn't too bad either read more

Dumpling Zone - CHOCOLATE Xiao Long Bao - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

Back again. This time I ordered pork XLB along with my favs and it was packed with more soup than I remember. Wrapping is thin with the exception of where it's pinched at the top. Staff always friendly and accommodating. read more

With all due respect to the Forest Hill neighborhood, it's one of the last places I would think to find good noodles or dumplings. Don't get me wrong - it's a nice part of the city to live in, but despite how it's home to ChouChou, which has been a long time staple for French food on this side of SF, it's not exactly area known for its restaurants. So, you can imagine how pleasantly surprised (and delighted) I was by Dumpling Zone after my friends suggested we meet up here for lunch! So much so, in fact, that I couldn't help but come back multiple times since to try more! Much like its surroundings, Dumpling Zone is a cozy, unassuming sort of spot. The small strip of businesses that it sits along is easy to pass by without noticing (I've certainly done it), but it kind of adds to their appeal - convenient to get to yet not packed with customers. What's more, the menu, with its mildly extensive array of dishes to offer, is awesome. In addition to the numerous varieties of their namesake dumplings, whether they be pan fried, teamed, or boiled, they also have a wide assortment of appetizers, soups, noodle soups, stir fried noodles, dry noodles, and vegetables to choose from. In short, a collection of dishes that really hit the spot on those cold, SF nights! -- SHANGHAI PAN FRIED PORK BAO...$12.99 As fantastic as these looked (plump with golden, browned bottoms), they tasted more solid than spectacular. While I liked that the skins were relatively thin and not doughy, the filling didn't have that porky lusciousness that steamed xiao long baos typically have. -- BRAISED BEEF NOODLE SOUP...$14.99 This felt (somewhat ) like a Cantonese beef stew noodle soup, but better. While I liked that they didn't skimp on the beef and the bite the noodles had, the soup was the star - flavorful with a nice richness/body to it. I do wish the beef had been more tender, though. -- SHRIMP, PORK, AND CHIVE POTSTICKERS...$11.99 These aren't your typical potstickers, but in a positive way. Besides their elongated shape, I loved how juicy the filling was and that it had recognizable chunks of shrimp in it. The outside of them were a little oily, but not terribly so. -- SPICY BEEF NOODLE SOUP...$14.99 Like the Braised Beef Noodle Soup, the noodles were just as good and this also had a fair amount of beef. It also had a lot more spice to it, too, and perhaps even a bit too much chili oil, but I wouldn't say it was ridiculously spicy either. -- TAN TAN NOODLE...$13.99 Not quite what I expected, to be honest. Instead of the classic tongue numbing spiciness, the sauce was actually really sweet. That being said, it was still pretty decent enough, especially after adding some of their chili oil. -- SHANGHAI XIAO LONG BAO...$7.99 (4pcs) Although they weren't the best I've had, these were terrific! The skins had the perfect thickness to them and the filling in each piece was sizable. Plus, there was a good amount of soup in them, which delicious and just slightly fatty. -- FRIED BEAN PASTE WITH PORK NOODLES...$13.99 This was...interesting. The black bean sauce was rather slick/oily, but it had an intense flavor to it that I really liked. Plus, the dollop of sauce they gave was spot on - enough to coat the noodles, but not so much as to drown everything. -- CABBAGE & PORK DUMPLING...$8.99 Ehh...not too shabby, but hardly special. The skins were soft and each one was decent in size, but the inside of the dumplings were oddly watery. I assume that wasn't intended since, unfortunately, it ended up diluting down the taste. While the food here has been mostly great, the thing I actually like most about this place is the service. Each time I've been here, the workers have all been awesome. More specifically, there's one guy in particular who is always here that is super friendly. Plus, I love how fast they get dishes out even when they have a steady crowd (can't say how it is when it's packed). Given that, the food, and how easy it is to find nearby street parking, Dumpling Zone is an awesome spot for a quick bite...both in Forest Hill and SF as a whole! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more

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On Saturday around 7 PM, we stopped by Dumpling Zone after reading solid reviews online. The wait for our party of five was about 30 minutes, but parking was easy since it's located in a residential part of Midtown. The restaurant is small--maybe a dozen tables--and was packed with families and a large birthday parties. It's a casual spot with one main server and one runner. You can order food online or directly through a staff member, and they'll bring everything to your table. We decided to try all the most recommended dishes from the review sites and the photos displayed on their window--and we were so glad we did. Every dish we ordered was delicious. Prices were very reasonable--actually more affordable than many other dumpling places we've tried, probably because of its unassuming location. Portions were generous too, which made it feel like a great deal overall. The vibe is super casual--nothing fancy--but the service, while basic, came with a smile. We really appreciated the personality of our server; he was friendly, attentive, and made sure we were updated on our table status. He was clearly keeping an eye on everything and even watched for when guests were wrapping up so he could manage the waitlist efficiently. No reservations are taken, but he kept names on a handwritten list. We were so stuffed from our meal that we didn't make it to dessert, but we'll definitely be back to try more items next time we're in town. Highly recommend! read more

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The first time I came to this restaurant, I missed it because it was already past 8:30. This time, I made sure to arrive earlier. After reading the online reviews, I really wanted to try their pan-fried buns and beef noodles. I ordered several items from their soup dumpling series, and here's my review based on what I thought tasted the best: The cabbage and pork dumplings were light and not greasy. You can eat a lot of them without feeling heavy. The braised beef noodle soup and the tomato beef noodle soup both had flavorful broth and delicious noodles. The tomato one had a very nice, rich tomato taste. The shrimp dumplings had a thicker skin, but the shrimp inside was quite good. The pan-fried buns and xiaolongbao were also pretty good. The marinated cucumber had just the right balance of sourness and saltiness. Overall, considering its location, the food and pricing at this restaurant are definitely worth it. I recommend it. 第一次來這家店的時候因為已經超過八點半所以沒有趕上，這次特別趕上了。看了網路的評價，特別想來品嘗生煎包和牛肉麵，點了不少他們的湯包系列，我按照我認為最好吃的逐一評論：白菜豬肉水餃，清淡不油膩，可以吃很多也不膩；紅燒牛肉麵和蕃茄牛肉麵，麵條好吃，湯頭濃郁，蕃茄味道非常不錯；蝦餃，皮厚但是蝦仁好吃；生煎包和小籠包還不錯；小黃瓜，酸鹹調配的恰到好處。總體來說，位於這位置來講，這家餐廳的價格和美食是物有所值，推薦給各位。 read more

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Doing the crosstown trail in SF and needed a place to refuel !!Everything we order was enjoyed ! The green beans were fresh and to my surprised not overly fried/oily! Soup dumpling came out hot , generous portion of filling and soup inside .As for the pan friend dumpling they were probably the best one I've tried ! Braised beef soup was a bit salty but the flavor was aromatic and noodles were chewy/bounchy not overly cooked ! The staff were friendly and attentive ! Will definetly swing by again read more

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I was really expecting more based on the famous chef affiliation. The place does have a great ambiance. The dumplings, however, were just ok. Underwhelmed and unlikely to go back, but perhaps we will try again. read more

Solid dumpling restaurant. Soup dumplings were soupy. Garlic vegetables were garlicky. This place is also a couple dollars cheaper than other dumpling hotspots in the city! We wouldn't say this is our all time favourite but would come back one evening. read more

Dumpling Zone - #1 - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is right next to Forest Hill station, so it was pretty easy to get to. We ordered the Xiao long bao, beef noodle soup, pan fried pork buns, and cucumber salad. My favorite was actually the beef noodle soup as it was the closest to Taiwanese beef noodle soup I've been able to find in the city. The pan fried pork buns were also pretty good and had a crispy bottom. read more

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What a delightful find! We chose the Shrimp & Pork Siu Mai, Beef Dumplings, and Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao. All were steamed fresh for us, which made all the dim sum taste great and at the perfect temperature. We enjoyed two pots of the delicious and healthy Chrysanthemum tea. The chili sauce is spicy without being too hot to handle the intensity--it also had a slightly smoky nuance to it. Eddie, our server, was an absolute joy. He was pleasant, attentive, and a great conversationalist who helped make our day out together even more enjoyable. It's in a more quiet neighborhood than most in SF, and had a welcoming, unpretentious interior. It's a short drive from the DeYoung Museum. We plan to visit again in the future! read more

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We did enjoy our meal here. It seems like a family run business and everybody is eager to wait on you and make sure that you are happy. The restaurant is quaint and cozy. Food comes out rather fast, which is lovely. The place is very clean parsley decorated and comfortable. We ordered a couple of the soup dumplings. I also ordered the pan fried soup pork bao, which was absolutely beautiful and is usually my favorite dish. It did not have quite the flavor that I am used to, but completely edible. We also ordered two dessert dumplings that we had never had, custard when was odd and not sweet at all the custard was very runny, it's a lava style, but did not care for it, but the banana Nutella dumpling was outrageously good. I also have never had truffle soup dumplings and absolutely loved them. There wasn't a lot of soup in it which I liked and the truffle flavor was big and bold. This was my favorite dish. Prices aren't too bad. ID read more

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Had dinner here with friends last night. They were able to accommodate 6 of us. Service by one gentlemen who was fast and friendly. We ordered several dumplings, but what really stood out was this hot and spicy beef soup! They also have another version with pickled mustard greens. The pan friend dumplings are a must. Will def be back soon! read more

Dumpling Zone - 2. Hot and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup / 香辣牛肉湯面 - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent pan fried dumplings. Comes out really hot and nice soup in the dumpling. Pork meat taste fresh. Goes well with the spicy sauce condiment. Also recommend the chili oil noodles and scallion pancakes. Chili oil noodles are mild in spiciness and the noodles are thick with a nice chew and bite. The scallion pancakes, while kind of small portion, are very crispy, not too oily, and you can taste the scallions. read more

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If you know dumplings you will know this is not the authentic dumpling. You can tell the dumplings were frozen and steam. Taste of everything was bland and lack flavor. I recommend Dumplings Kitchen better. read more

Wow this place exceeded my expectations. Dumpling Zone is unassuming from the outside but their dumplings are clearly freshly made and their texture and flavor are memorable. The potstickers are a strong favorite, followed closely by the spicy XLB. The potstickers have a nice texture difference from the crispy bottom to the q q bounciness you can only get from fresh dough. The XLB have thin but stretchy dough that also have that nice q mouth feel. Their doughs are really what make me like this place :) Service is friendly but slow, there was only one employee in the front for dinner service on a Friday evening. Decor is sparse, most of the walls are bare and there's no music playing. But let's be honest those are hallmarks of good Chinese restaurants haha. read more

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Swung by for a sit down dinner and tried the noodles again. Definitely was an off day the first time due to the holidays because the noodles were perfectly cooked today. Chewy, bouncy and delish. Other staples were, again, consistent. For sure will keep coming back. Quick, friendly service. Restaurant was spacious and bathroom was clean. read more

Dumpling Zone - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Easily the best dumplings I've ever had. We had a bunch of different soup dumplings and bao buns and everything was so good. It was so busy and there was only one server working but still the service was so good. Been craving dumplings ever since coming here. Will definitely visit again when back in town. read more

Amazingly good soup dumplings, they are larger than the average xlb but have so much soup inside the skin! Their noodles are what's called "kudai mian" which means pants belt noodles, because they're wide! Another hit is in their egg yolk lava bao, very well made, filled full of steaming golden gooey egg yolk paste, and the outer skin is black, making a nice color contrast. The restaurant is in an unexpected location near Twin Peaks and almost seems more residential but spacious enough. The staff were responsive and efficient, nothing out of read more

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Cute small restaurant near natural park areas if you want a quick lunch. Service was nice and fast. Food tasted decent and filling. It's not crazy good food but very standard Chinese restaurant you'd expect. Many dumpling or bun options! read more

Dumpling Zone - Food - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This restaurant is located right across the street from Laguna Honda Hospital. There are plenty of free street parking spots around this establishment. We were greeted and seated by a friendly waiter upon entering the restaurant. There's a paper menu or you can also scan the QR Code to order as well. We ordered the tan tan noodles, Shanghai xiao long bao, big plate rib noodle, and Shanghai pan fried pork bao. The food came out in a timely manner. The tan tan noodles were flavorful, but there's nothing special about it. The skin for Shanghai xiao long bao was thin and it was soupy. The big plate rib noodle was very tasty. It came with plenty of tender pork ribs, potatoes, tomatoes, and big noodles. The noodles that they used were like the type that I would use to make lasagna with, which was quiet interesting. The Shanghai pan fried pork baos were the best that we ever had. They were piping hot when they got to our table. The skin for the bao was very thin, little chewy, and crunchy. It was kind of soupy in the inside. The prices are fairly reasonable and they were generous with the portions. We will definitely come back for the Shanghai pan fried pork bao and try their black truffle and pork xiao long bao. read more

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We stopped here to eat, a hidden gem in my opinion. Parking is on the street, once you enter you sit and order using the QR code located on the table.They bring you the food and then you pay via your QR code. It's was a bit tight in there and it was full that's how we knew it was going to be good, we were right the food was amazing and didn't disappoint. We ordered spicy and regular steamed pork bao, steamed veggie dumplings, pan fried shrimp pot stickers and pan fried bao. Everything was cooked fresh and very flavorful. Really glad we came across this restaurant, if your in San Francisco give them a try. read more

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This place was so good. I would come back for a visit to San Francisco just to come eat here. The soup dumplings were to die for but their noodles with spicy chili sauce and pork were beyond amazing. The spicy pork wontons were probably the best I've ever had. I love dumplings and make it a point to try as many places as I can and by far this is one of the best places I've ever tried and that includes in Din Tai Fung. If you're in the area either visiting or you live here this place is definitely worth a shot. read more

Yummylicious, rich broth, tender meats, perfectly chewy noodles soups, chicken noodles with savory seasonings , perfect with crunchy cucumber Great , friendly service, my daughter & spouse's neighborhood go to!!! read more

Here for their xiao long bao and pan-fried dumplings, and they definitely deliver on flavor! Not a ton of vegetarian options, but what they have is tasty. Affordable and a solid spot if you're in the mood for dumplings without breaking the bank. read more

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A solid choice for XLBS, Pan Fried Buns and potstickers. Casual straightforward vibe here. You might have to wait on weekend nights. Attentive friendly service once you get seated. Good water service. We've been here a few times now, and our favorites are the Shanghai Pan Fried Buns and their long narrow pot stickers with the crispy fried bottoms. Yes, Dumpling joints seem to be popping up these days like flowers after a spring rain, and for us this is one of the better ones on this side of town. Highly recommend! read more

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Shall I dare to say the best XLB in the city? It's pretty pretty good! Lots of soup, generous size dumpling and a generous portion of meat in each! 8 pcs for 14.99 Tea is extra, water is free. I personally did not like their Shenzhen bao, it was too doughy. Parking is street parking only, the parking lot is for SFMTA only. Service is typical of a Chinese establishment- there when you need them! 4 stars! read more

Dumpling Zone - XLB - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fresh, clean tasting, and delicious! Dropped by for a quick lunch on a Sunday. No wait. Ordering is easy through Toast app (QR Code on table) where you can order as you go and just add to the tab. Helps us from ordering way too much food. Soup dumplings are so clean tasting. Both the pork soup dumpling and the chicken dumpling were amazing. The pork dumpling was flavorful, while the chicken was lighter in taste. Both were full of soup. All of the pan fried dumplings we tried were also good. Seems like everything here is made expertly well. Definitely recommend read more

This spot isn't in a touristy area, more a local place. It's worth finding though I do assure you! We were a party of 5 and paid $150 for dinner. Three beers, tea for two, 6 dishes, plus two veggie sides and dessert. The amount of food for the price was unreal compared to our usual dumpling spot that you can NEVER EvER get a reservation at (DTF). Food service was quick, waiter was helpful and friendly. The stars this restaurant has is well earned. Find this place at all cost. read more

Food is good, the service is great, you order from ur phone and they bring it to ur table..ambiance is very homey and welcoming. The guy who served us us very friendly. Food comes out quick and hot. The noodle soup is very good. !! Highly recommended.. lets support local neighborhood restaurants. Easy neighborhood parking, muni is close by.. read more

Whoa this place is legit. They had great noodles (and broth), dumplings, AND steamed buns. That's 3 different types of wheat that they are great at!!! Great service, lots of seating around opening time. I will definitely be back! read more

Dumpling Zone - Shanghai pan fried dumpling - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I do have to say this place serves one of the best XLB in the entire bay area. Plenty of soup, thin wrapping, and good filling. The pig ear was actually my favorite. It had this spicy chili oil that was fragrant and salty and had a good crunch to them. Definitely recommend that dish. I haven't had a better pig ear than that. Usually, other places dont flavor the pig ear enough and it's just spicy with no flavor. The shengjianbao had so much soup in there and came out steaming out. They know exactly how to make these and it was amazing. Highly recommend coming here over all other dumpling spots in the entire bay area. Nothing quite like this quality! Servers were very nice too and welcoming. It's a small store, but I've always been lucky to get a seat. read more

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We went for a super early dinner on a Tuesday, since they're open all day. I've been meaning to try dumpling zone, but we don't frequent this area much, so this time, we made a point to come here. Parking was relatively easy. We found a space about a 1/2 block away. Since it was during an off hour, the servers were on break and waiting for customers. It was kind of dark and really quiet. I think they should have some music in the background to cut the silence. If no one talks, you could hear a pin drop! Took us a bit to figure out what we wanted. 3 of us finally decided on 4 dishes to share. ***OUR PICKS*** SHANGHAI XLB (8) ~ the skin was thin, yet doesn't break easily! And even the top did not become hard. One of the best XLB I've had. Though not the biggest. 5/5 SHANGHAI PAN FRIED PORK BAO ~ HOT! Be careful when eating these! You could burn your tongue. Nice and crispy on the bottom and juicy inside with soup. I think they're more like pan fried soup dumplings rather than a bao. Much lighter and less doughy to eat, IMO. Still very good texture. 5/5 GREEN ONION PANCAKES ~ Though I felt the green onion pancakes were a bit small for an order, they were nicely fried and very crispy! 4/5 BRAISED BEEF NOODLE SOUP ~ hand pulled noodles and perfect size for the noodles where they're not too thick. Flavorful broth with a slight numbing spice. But even those who can't take spicy foods can eat this. Decent amount of noodles in the bowl for 2-3 people to share. 5/5 Personally, I enjoyed everything we ordered. Though everything was eaten and no leftovers to bring home. Not entirely stuffed, but full enough. Roughly $20/pp with tip. read more

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DELICIOUS! Everything we ordered was so good. I'm surprised it's not packed. We ordered the beef noodle soup and it had a nice lemongrass aftertaste. The dumplings were perfectly made. The banana chocolate dumplings were also really good. Can't wait to come back read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem located just behind Forest Hill station. Their XLBs were outstanding! It's wrapped super thinly and filled with a ton of juice. My favorite was the truffle XLB over the original XLB and I don't usually like truffle. The garlic string beans were also very tasty and the portions were generous. We also ordered the pan friend dumplings which were really good. The restaurant is clean and the servers were friendly. I highly recommend this spot if you're ever craving XLBs! This might be my new favorite dumpling spot in SF! read more

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