Fat Bao has been around for a while! I finally came to try it and it was just... meh. The employees are super friendly! My friends and I got the pork belly, yummy byrd, big byrd, crab daddy baos, fish fat fries, and yummy fries. Pork belly bao wasn't melt in your mouth. It was tough, chewy, and had way more fat than I'm used to. Crab daddy tasted extra fishy and bland. Yummy byrd was okay but super salty from parmesan overload. Yummy fries were really soggy. Fish fat fries were okay. Glad to say I finally tried it! read more

Fat Bao - Yummy byrd, crab daddy, and pork belly baos - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been following Fat Bao on Instagram for a few years now and am so happy to have been able to check it out! The place was packed but luckily I was able to find seating. To start, I ordered the Avocado Fries and Bulgogi Fat Fries. The avocado fries were subtle but the sauce that comes with it helps. The Bulgogi Fat Fries were absolutely amazing! The fries were nice and crispy and the bulgogi was plentiful. I definitely ordered way too many baos but I wanted to try as much as I can. I had the Memphis (pork belly), Yummy Byrd (fried chicken), Crab Daddy (fried soft shell crab) and a dessert bao - Smores Bao. My favorite was the crab daddy and Smores - I mean you can't go wrong with nutella and marshmallows! I will definitely come here again as there are more baos that I haven't tried yet! read more

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I really like this place. I had the crab daddy and the new yorker baos. The soft shell crab was awesome, with the new yorker the salmon overpowered everything else, it was okay, but I probably wouldn't get it again. My husband had the duck and spicy thai baos, he really liked both of them, but next time I'm sure he would order three or four to fill him up. We also shared the onion rings, they had a great coating and came with a creamy sauce to dip them in. The place is pretty small, and with social distancing there aren't a whole lot of tables, but we were lucky enough to get one when we went. read more

The Bulogi tacos are flavorful, service is always good and food is always fresh to order read more

Fat Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Placed to go order over phone & very specific about the order. They stated over & over how they understood, repeated it back, & said they knew exactly what we were asking & would make sure it was done. Picked up the order & it was not right when we got home. They didn't include the items the way it was specified, didn't have enough of a lot of the needed ingredients, & completely missed an important ingredient. When your order a large quantity of walnut shrimp baos & there are no walnuts provided, that's a huge miss. In addition to not enough lettuce & sauce to go with the bulk. That was just 1 of the 3 different items in the order. The other items were multiple of each also & didnt have enough of some of the needed ingredients. Thing is, we've placed this same order a few times in person. Spend $50 to $100 per order, depending on how many of each we order. And they got it right about 90% of the times. Only 2x before this order, was the order for a bulk of walnut shrimp baos placed in person to-go that they didn't include the walnuts and not enough of the lettuce. Not sure why walnuts is missed in an order that literally has walnuts in the title? In any regards, this was the 1st time we placed the order over phone & it was a fail. Especially, since it was too late to call to let them know & drive back since they had closed by the time we got home. When your ordering a late dinner & go thru the details & they continously confirn they can do it & repeat it back to you & will do it correctly, & then when it's for a group of family & friends, & the place doesn't pay attention & you get food missing a lot of the main ingredients, it's hugely disappointment & a surefire miss. Not sure will do business with again. read more

Visited for the first time on 12/31 around 3:40, without knowing it closed at 4. The staff took my order but were in a rush to close up shop. I ordered the duck bun bao, bulgogi bun bao, crab daddy bun bao, s'mores bun bao, and the pork belly fries. Overall, I felt like the buns weren't cooked right.. like they were rushed. They were rather soggy/mushy unlike the ones in Bellaire or fungs. The fries were good but note the spice level. My fave were the bulgogi and s'mores. I usually love duck and crab but it just wasn't impressive...Kinda upset about paying over $30 for so-so food and having to go to another restaurant after...I'd like to try them again sometime when they aren't about to close read more

Fat Bao - Pork belly fries - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This place is SO GOOD! We ordered the crab, pork, and duck baos with bulgogi fries. Everything came out hot & fresh. We really enjoyed our meal. Service was personable. Crab bao was the best. It had a really great, crisp texture complemented with the soft bun. The sauce reminds me of a sushi roll. Duck Bao was pretty standard (you can find this at any Chinese restaurant). I was really impressed with the bulgogi fries. The fries were crisp and the meat was really flavorful. Only downside is that the place is a bit overpriced ($4.50 and up) for 1 bao, hence the 4 stars. We don't eat very much & split 3 baos and the fries, which was good for us. I can imagine those with a bigger appetite having a larger bill to be satisfied. It is a good experience for a night out, but not a place to come to every day. read more

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The baos here are addicting! Never has been disappointed once! The steam buns are soft and fluffy and they don't skimp on the filling. My favorites are the Memphis and duck but all the other options are really good too. The curry fries are bomb too. The inside is pretty simple with a couple long tables for people to share and a few smaller tables. Overall the interior is pretty small but the food comes out pretty quickly so people are in and out pretty quickly. read more

Fat Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Our last stop before coming back home and I really enjoyed everything I ordered. The Fat Fries with Bulgogi is a must (we ended up ordering two). The Spicy Thai, and Curry Beef bao's are delicious! The Duck is a little dry and the Yummy Byrd needed a bit more salt. The piece de resistance, the BAO! It's like eating a cloud - so soft and fluffy! It's hard to find such a perfect bao. No issues with texture or anything even after it's cooled off a bit. Definitely would be back! Staff is friendly and food comes out quick. read more

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Great lunch option for ppl who want quick and easy hand held food. The bread bun they used was SO delightfully soft! Not dry or crusty. The place is bigger on the inside than expected. Good for groups and kids. I got the New Yorker and the Memphis. The New Yorker was SO good. The salmon was perfect and the cream cheese gave a nice balance. That mixed with the avocado made the Bao perfect in its texture. It was soft and delicious to the to tongue. Definitely would recommend. I wasn't as big a fan of the Memphis as I thought I would be. Just wasn't a fan of the slaw and pork belly mixture as I thought I would be. Oh well plenty of more baos to try. I would come back again! It's unique and the service is fast! read more

Fat Bao - Philadelphia and Memphis - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Pros: quick service, clean & tasty. Convenient and allows you to try multiple types. Decent price Cons:a little heavy on the sauces and messy read more

Fat Bao - Crab Daddy Bao, Pork Belly Bao, Spring Chicken Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Heard good things about this place so decided to make a special guest appearance. The fries were actually very good. The sauces were excellent and everything was covered evenly. Each bao is definitely unique. The curry beef was my absolute fav! Great tasting roast and gravy. The big bird is saucy and tasty; my second fav. The pork katsu & Memphis ones were good as well; my third and fourth favs. Each boa is very saucy and the slaw on some is refreshing and crunchy. Would definitely come back! read more

Love fat bao, I've been a couple times when I visited friends in Houston, it never disappoints! Ordered the fat fries, new yorker, curry beef, and yummy byrd. My favorite were the fat fries, but loved the new yorker, the smoked salmon paired really well with the avocado. The curry beef was saucy and had just the right amount of curry flavor, not too overwhelming. The fried chicken in the yummy byrd was good too! Excited to try their other baos next time. read more

Fat Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

AVOCADO FRIES? That has to be one of the greatest things I ever ate at this place. I don't know if anybody else sells these, but Fat Bao should put a patent or a copyright on those fries cause that is those to keep for sure. Nobody else should be able to steal this amazing food idea. On a rainy Monday afternoon, Fat Bao was one of the first things that came to my co-workers mind. I didn't bring a superb lunch that day so I said "Eh, what the heck, let's go there!" Running through the rain and into the restaurant, we were welcomed by the smell of bao's (the bread) and the atmosphere. Fat Bao offers a very nice, chill and relaxed atmosphere with high tables and stools, sit down areas, TV's for news/sports pleasure, and a long aisle in the middle to see the food made, as well as the order counter. The staff are very nice and they treated us very well. I have had many baos before (mostly with peking duck and etc.), but when it came to this place, I had my eyes on the Avocado Fries/Chips. These things are the best around. Crispy outside with a soft inside, lightly salted accompanied with a jalapeno ranch sauce on the side. What more could you ask for? Hands down, gotta come here for the avocado fries, but I hope that I come back to try their baos, heard they were the best around. read more

Fat Bao - Pork belly! So good - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love this place! So many different options. It's my #1 location in Houston for Bao!

I keep coming back. Excellent food, just a bit pricey. $19 for 2 bao and 1 fat fries I'm not so sure I'd come back on that factor alone. I think it's excellent but not at thattttt price point. Maybe once-in-a while splurge. read more

Fat Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

service is nice and prompt -- greeted right when walked in. besides the small gristly piece in the fried chicken part of the thai bao bun, the food was great. read more

Fat Bao - Pork Belly Bao & Spicy Thai Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

O M G!!! Everything was delicious. I was in the area and we were looking for something to eat and I had this place saved, so I was like why not. Place was very empty and tables were far apart for social distancing! It was my first time, so their big menu was a little overwhelming. I got a lot of different baos and all of them was delicious and very well seasoned. I LOVE the fries so much!! One of the baos I believe the pork belly one, I think the cucumbers kind of threw me off but it was still delicious. My favorite one is the spicy thai, it kind of reminds me of Mico's. I will definitely be back and possibly try some other different baos. read more

Fat Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Whenever I'm in the Upper Kirby area and craving bao, this is the place for it. I love ordering their fries, bulgogi bao, and the crab daddy bao. As for the dessert, I like the smores bao (it is so delicious). The service is fast, and the ambiance is casual, like a cafeteria. Nothing too fancy, just a casual spot for bao. read more

This place never lets me down. I decided to walk in because I drove by and I had to grab my favorite Bao bun, crab daddy! A soft shell crab and slaw...just leave me alone after that. Let's not forget those kimchi fries! read more

The best one is the beef bulgogi! Very flavorful! I could do without the Spring Chicken bao. It seems like you could get essentially a grilled chicken "sandwich" anywhere. The bread, of course, is the best part! Pillowy soft and perfectly warm. The avocado chips were surprisingly good! Not too heavily battered, and pairs well with the sauce. A little drizzle of the habanero sauce makes it even better, but might make your nose run. read more

Fat Bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I have been here multiple times and I LOVE their food. The baos are perfect sizes, the options are delicious (I've tried 4-5 at this point) and it's just really a great place. I highly recommend and I'll definitely be going back soon. High recommend the Bulgogi bao and the soft-shelled crab bao. Really amazing and it was my first experience with soft-shelled crab and it was really delicious. A little spicy but really delicious. read more

I am a fan of the baos here! They aren't mind blowing, but they're still very unique and very good! They are a little pricey for a bao, but two baos filled us up perfectly. As an appetizer we had the fried avocado. It was okay, nothing too special and and the sauce was average. We ordered the Memphis, the duck, the crab daddy, and the pork belly. The braised pork belly was very very good in both the "pork belly" bao and the Memphis bao. The pork was cooked and flavored perfectly. The soft shell crab looked better than it tasted but it was still good. I was a fan of the duck bao but I think an authentic peking duck isn't comparable. Overall we would come back because the baos are decently good and it's a unique food dish in Houston! read more

Fat Bao - Crab and Memphis bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Having eaten here many times over the last few years, I thought it was finally to pixelate my thoughts, and review this fine establishment. There will be a sandwich technique here. Yes the pun was intended. If you do not know what this technique is, well, google doth existeh ineth the moderneth era. Eth. The boa's. My go to are the Bulgogi, Pork Katsu, Pork Belly (what...I like pork belly), and the Big Byrd. The bulgogi is fine shreds of the marinated meat seated on a lovingly steamed bun. Apply extra Sriracha and you are off to flavor heaven. The pickled onions offer an amazing juxtaposition to the BBQ like flavors of the bulgogi. I would eat this every day if my fat pants had no limit in size...or... I would eat one of the pork bao's!!!! The katsu is fried pork belly...yes...fried pork belly with the requisite tonkatsu sauce to boot. The pork belly is braised pork belly with hoisin sauce. I suggest you try them both. Every time you eat here. The big byrd. Fried. Yard. Bird. On a bao. I have no idea how they make the basil sauce but it is amazing. Now comes the part of this review that REALLY hurts. It is not often the wife announces she wants ramen...so the minute the words come out of her mouth I make her lock down a date and time and there is no backing out. And I had read so much positive things about the ramen here I waited with bated breath...and wish I had never exhaled. It was in a word...meh...which as I sit here typing my stomach sank because of the love I have for this place. Apparently you get the same broth whether you order the bulgogi or the pork belly ramen. Which in my opinion was a little bland. The crunchy bits that came with the pork belly were pretty good...but seemed out of place to have something that heavily crunchy in ramen. Having no soy in sight I depended on traditional sodium chloride to jumps start a little flavor...which is a bit like going to Goodnight Charlie's expecting an actual Country/Western Bar...it is just wrong. We both got extra egg and of course, I got an extra pound of Naruto...enter anime jokes here...no moron the fish cakes!!! I love those things. The meat was tender...and a little bland. The aforementioned soy would have alleviated this...alas there was none. The noodles were well cooked and provided good slurpage. In the end...it was just...ok...and I really wanted to like it cause I LOVE this place...but it was just an bowl of soup to me. Now. Having griped about the ramen enough...get the Banana Nutella Bao for dessert. But whatever you do, you would be an apocalyptic Muppet to not eat here. I love this place for the bao's and will definitely be back. ROCK solid 4 stars. read more

Delicious bao buns and great atmosphere. It's very rustic yet modern. The service was quick too and lots of food.

Got the bulgogi tacos for $8-9. It was pretty tasty, especially with the cilantro sauce that comes with it. I think if you were very hungry you would have to order more food than this-- it was good enough for a small meal but would recommend ordering a couple more baos on top of the tacos. Fast service and not crowded! read more

Fat Bao - Bulgogi Tacos - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is delicious. We got two chicken ones which were great. We also got a beef one and it was great

Went here on a whim and I'm so glad I did because it was so amazing! Everything was priced so well and I love when the portions are smaller so I have more room for appetizers and different entrees. The spicy edamame was perfect! It wasn't too spicy but it also wasn't underwhelming and just like all the other food, it was steaming and fresh from the kitchen! The french fries were perfectly cooked and not a single fry was soggy or not crisp, truly some of the best fries I have ever had. They had so many different types of fries(loaded fries, parmasean fries, and more!), I got overwhelmed by the selection of fries so I just got the basic ones for todays visit. The sweet and spicy basil sauce on the chicken was absolutely delicious and the bao bun was amazingly soft and squishy. The tofu bao was a great vegan option and from the look of their menu, they had a great selection of vegetarian and vegan options! I've had quite a few bao from all over the country and these were by far the best bao I think I've ever had and they had the biggest bao selection I've seen. Their prices are very fair and it was more filling than I was expecting. I will definitely be back and I can't wait to try the rest of the menu! read more

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I've had fat bao when they used to be close to UH campus and they were amazing. I tried them again a few years later and still amazing. I came in today to eat them and take some pictures and I must've came on an off day because they weren't amazing. Still think everything is good though, they have a variety of different baos and are really creative with the food! read more

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The fat fries were my favorite here! Bao's are stuffed and fat just like their name. Generous amount of filling. There was so much pork belly in my bao the meat kept falling out every time I took a bite. Had to rearrange my meat after each bite. Soft shell crab was good. Wish there was a bit more flavor though. Salmon was my least favorite. Mainly because of the texture. It was all just soft and mushy. Also was not much to it. Fries were the winner for me here. read more

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Was really looking forward to this place after hearing rave reviews from my friend and her insistence on going here while we were visiting Houston. APPS: Their yummy fries were...devilishly good. The fat cauli was also super tasty -- we didn't finish the order because it was quite large and also there were several other less healthy choices to devour. Bulgogi fries were also delicious and extremely decadent, albeit a bit overkill (just a lot going on). The avocado chips were maybe the loser in this category, definitely good but personally something weird happens when avocado gets heated that my taste buds don't agree with. If you are a fan of fried avocado though it may be your thing! BAO: I ordered a Big Byrd, Panko Fish, and Pork Belly. Of those my favorite was the Panko Fish (this was seconded by my veteran Fat Bao friend). My S.O. praised the Curry Beef and Duck. Honestly it may be best to go with a group or a partner and get a bunch just to share and try. You will have favorites but none will really be a disappointment. Also fair warning that these bao are pretty big. I ordered 3 and it was too much (and I can put down a respectable amount of food). Did I still eat them all? Oh yes I did. DESSERT: Banana & Nutella Bao and S'mores Bao. They are as good as they sound. If you want to try it, get it. Beignet Bao Fingers...yes they were good, too. In conclusion, come with a group and #TREATYOSELF because you'll get to try a LOT of tasty food. Then you'll know what you like and come back again and again. :) read more

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This place is so good! I visited my friend who lives in Houston and I was looking for some exquisite spots that wasn't a chain that I could find in California and Fat Bao came up on Yelp. It definitely screams "asian fusion" and very California inspired. I got 6 to go, each a different one, and they were all amazing! Each one is pretty big for its size (think sliders, but a little bigger), but each one has a unique and special flavor. The price is a little expensive, and I was having high hopes for the duck bao, but it was a little dry unfortunately. But I definitely enjoyed my visit here! Nice and clean, friendly workers, and good food. read more

Fat Bao - Different Baos! So yummy. - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I ordered online and came to pick up, service was fast and friendly. I got the Memphis Bao, bulgogi bao, and the pork belly bao. The Bulgogi was definitely the best out of the 3. The pork on the other two was VERY dry, I mean I couldn't even eat some of the pieces. The flavors were ok, I honestly expected more. I would come back to get another bulgogi and maybe try something other than the pork. read more

When searching for the most reviewed restaurants in Houston, Fat Bao is one of the options that pop up. It wasn't really a must try for us but heck, why not. Plus, one of our friends had been wanting to try this place so we decided to have Fat Bao as our last lunch in Houston. The line may seem long but it goes pretty fast. Menus are on the side if you need to look at it. You order first then take your seat. My husband and I got their duck bao, spring chicken bao, new yorker bao (smoked salmon and avocado), and an order of their avocado fries. Their duck bao was stuffed with pieces of duck! It was pretty much overflowing. However, everything was really oily. The duck itself did not have as much flavor as I would have liked but it was super tender. I loved how they included two pieces of deep fried duck skin .. that was yummy. The new yorker was .. just that. It was smoked salmon with avocado and cream cheese as a spread. Honestly, it didn't do much for me. The flavors did not blend in well as a bao and it was forgettable. Their baos are really soft ... I think it would be great just by themselves! The avocado chips are pretty much wedges of avocado that was lightly deep fried. It came with a creamy dipping sauce. They were pretty good because it was just eating avocado. You don't even need to dip it in their sauce because their sauce makes it even heavier than it already is. We shared this with our friends because I couldn't eat more than two pieces. Best part: they had a habanero sauce. Woohoo. It was great because if you don't like your bao or if your bao didn't have enough flavor, just squeeze some sauce. Overall, it's a decent place to grab a snack or two. It's a bit pricey for bao unless you get the soft shell one. Each bao average at about $5 each. There wasn't anything particularly special for me to want to come back but it's worth a try though. read more

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Huge menu, from traditional to Americanized. Everything was great. Surprise huge favorite for our kids (9 & 6).

I love everything about this place, it hits the spot! I love coming here when I'm just a little hungry, and I go for pork belly (so tender and delicious) or curry (creamy and meaty). I have no complaints :) read more

Fat Bao - Steamed and fried bao - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love this place!! They make amazing buns my fav is the Thai spicy chicken! I've tried the ny one too but that one was meh. I've also had their fish fat fries. they are amazing and super filling so don't make the mistake of thinking the fries are a side dish the read more

When I was in Houston, my cousin and I were on a food tour of sorts. We tried to fit in as many different kinds of foods in the span of three days. That meant that whenever we ate, we had to make sure that we didn't eat too much at one restaurant. There were no second chances if we ordered something that we didn't enjoy. I got the Crab Daddy and the New Yorker. The Crab Daddy was great! The soft bao with the crunchy crab and sauce were delicious. My second bao was the New Yorker... If waiting in line to renew your driver's license had a flavor, it would be the New Yorker. It had such a dull taste. Whatever smoke flavor the salmon had was overpowered by cream cheese. One bite into the New Yorker made me regret not going with a safer choice like the Memphis or Pork Belly. I just wanted to try something different, but that risk soullessly bit me in the butt. All that being said, the bao were better than any bao Oklahoma has to offer. Each one was so soft and pillowy. We can't turn back the hands of time. So many regrets... read more

Came here for the "last lunch" we'll have during our Houston trip. This was on my list of places to visit because I had a friend who visited Houston a few days before hand and she had came here as well. I've always liked the traditional peking duck baos and been mildly craving for something like this for a while now. The restaurant is decent sized with a good amount of seating. You go up to the cashier to order then sit at a table with your number. Besides the "Crab Daddy" which was what had gotten me wanting to come here, there was also the "Duck" (of course) and the "Pork Belly" that I tried. My friend had ordered the "Avocado Chips" which I got to try as well. Soon after I had ordered, I saw someone grab a bottle of what looks to be hot sauce and sit at the table. The bottle was soon replaced at the rack by the drink fountain so I decided to go check it out. HABENERO ! GASP ! quickly stole it for the table. HAHAHA ! That bottle went back n forth between us. It was good hehe The baos had came out pretty quick. Simplest of all, the "Duck" is roasted duck, pickled cucumber, green onions, hoisin sauce. Very simple like a traditional duck bao except they had given MUCH more meat than you'd usually get with "duck skin chips" on top that is super crispy. The "Pork Belly" is similar to the "Duck" except its braised pork belly. Everything else like the pickled cucumber, hoisin sauce, green onions is the same. The pork belly is cut in a thick cube. Definitely a braised texture in the pork belly. Both the bao's from the "Duck" and "Pork Belly" was seemingly oily. Not sure if its "dirty prep" or its done on purpose. xD Not a concern for me. One thing I'd prefer is the green onions, instead of diced, to have the green onions julienned, like you'd normally get with a duck bao. Diced falls away too easily. XD Last but not least, the "Crab Daddy". Its a bao w/ a whole Soft shell crab, spicy mayo, Asian slaw. Lighter than I had expected. Not sure what they do to fry the soft shell crab nor do I know what they use to batter it, but its a bit different from what I'm used to. It was yummy overall. All these baos were great with that habanero sauce. XD Adds a nice kick without overpowering any of the flavors of the baos. Oh Avocado fries ! I think they were fried in a similar batter as the soft shell crab. Simple "wedges" of avocado served with a side of a creamy, almost would say an avocado sauce. LOL Quite "heavy" in combination but was nice to share as none of us could eat that many. There were probably 10-12+ pieces in the order. Overall, is a nice place to go for a small lunch or snack. Pricing is not bad. Baos ranged from 4-6 bucks each. Would come again and maybe try some other ones, or maybe the same ones again. xD read more

Fat Bao - Pork belly, crab daddy, duck - Chinese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Bulgogi tacos Bulgogi bao Delicious Pork belly was dry. Onion rings was delicious and the sauce we both loved. Customer service was weird but nice. read more