There are a million dumpling places to choose from in Edison and Middlesex County but this one stands out above the rest. The service is very friendly and patient (and American friendly). The food comes out lightning fast. Everything is very reasonably priced. Best of all, it's all delicious. I tried stuff outside of my comfort zone and I loved it all. My favorite were the pork juicy buns (soup dumplings) but the most unique thing was the pan fried noodle which was like a crispy deep fried noodle that would soften as it sat in the sauce. The golden lava buns were sweet and rich and perfect for dessert. read more

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After visitation for a beloved family member while in New Jersey state, my party arrived super early and waited 1.25 hour for opening on a Saturday. We were second standing outdoors waiting in this big fat long line. Immediately upon opening for the day the line nearly forced entry near stampede and this cafe was immediately packed to full occupancy of patrons with free seating. The Yelp reviews are accurate and truthful. The food is great. This is a small cafe with only approximately eight tables. I do not recommend large parties of five and greater. It is no-frills, but not exactly "hole in the wall" type that lack in aesthetics for upscale lavish atmosphere but the deficiency is resolved in the food quality. There is one sole functioning restroom in the whole business, ergo, stand in line and wait. We entered hungry in a lugubrious sense of deep sorrow, but exited hunger pangs fulfilled. When exiting upon completion of our lunch meal, there was a line that quickly formed outdoors waiting. Unfortunately, access to this cafe in Edison, NJ is by car only and there is a free parking lot that is shared with neighboring businesses located in a small shopping complex. There are no business cards, and no takeout menus available. Customer service is efficient as the staff worked methodically hustling busy to take orders and fulfillment. Our male waiter was attentive to respond to our inquiries and make suggestions based on our desires. I was able to keep the sales receipt. Price is in the rationale realm of stagflation totaling $41.75. Nota Bene: No table hibernation as the table turnover is fast pace with a line overflowing outdoors which cannot interrupt the flow. My foodie synopsis: Pork steam soup dumplings, 6 pcs, siu2 lung4 baau1, 小籠包, $8.75 Very juicy, flavorful and great. It was served piping hot. This is my favorite default dish for every visit at any Shanghainese ethnic cuisine. However, there were no serving tongs provided for this particular appetizer which is industry standard. Preserved cabbage with pork noodle soup, syut3 coi3 juk6 si1 min6, 雪菜肉絲麵 $9.50 This is a satisfying Chinese comfort food. This noodle soup was abundant with noodles, pork and chopped vegetables. It provided warmth to my very broken heart. Shanghai chicken in wine sauce, zeoi3 gai1, 醉雞, $8.95 A traditional Chinese cold appetizer, aka Chinese Drunken chicken made with Chinese Shaoxing cooking wine. It has amazing flavor and texture to be deliciously enticing. Of course, the cooking wine brings flavor to this appetizer making you want more. Shanghai pan fried U-Don noodle, soeng6 hoi2 cou1 caau2 min6, 上海粗炒面, $11.95 Abundant noodles with good consistency and it not heavily filled with grease and oil. read more

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I may have found my new go to spot in the area. As someone who has spent a good amount of time around Asia and Chinese cusinies Shanghai Dumpling feels as authentic as it gets. The only word of warning I will advise is that depending upon when you come, you may need to wait on line, and the line will likely wrap outside. The inside is a small and "intimate" quarters, so you will likely be around half an hour around lunchtime. The wait staff are friendly and helpful. The soup dumplings are some of the best I've had in the US. Steamed well, appropriately hot, and thick enough where they don't break just from looking at them funny. The turnip cake was not what I expected but also a delightful treat. It featured a flaky crust with shredded turnip inside. The Bao zi was a bit heavy of the breading and a bit thicker than I'm accustomed to, but was also quite nice. The scallion pancakes were the perfect chewy and crunchy consistency. And the steam dumplings were the best I've gotten from a restaurant. What I'm trying to say is, I ordered a lot. And it was all fantastic. You can't go wrong and it's all very reasonably priced as well. I'll definitely be making many return trips. read more

The was a perfect spot for a rainy day lunch. It was my first time in, so I didn't expect a wait for a Tuesday afternoon, but lesson learned. Expect a bit of a line, but don't be deterred because it will move quickly. We were celebrating, and also pretty excited to finally try Lao's, Oh! And did you know they were one of Yelp's top places to eat in Central Jersey this year? That's one of the reasons that brought us in, so we definitely got too much food. Everything was incredible! What we got (& loved): -crab & pork soup dumplings -cucumber with scallion -Shanghai pan fried noodle -Preserved egg w tofu in spicy sauce -pan fried pork buns My favorites on the table were the cucumber & the soup dumplings. I loved the broth in the soup dumplings and they weren't too thick and doughy. They were delicious and were the first thing finished on the table. The cucumber with scallions was a cold and refreshing dish and perfect for a little crunch, especially with so much fried food on the table. The tofu with preserved egg was also served cold and was very tasty. I loved the bit of kick that it had, and I usually don't love spicy food. The Shanghai noodles were delicious, but keep in mind the noodles are deep fried. I think next time I come I will swap this for one of the udons. And the pan fried pork buns were delicious, but a little too doughy for me, especially with so much other food on the table. We took A LOT home and there is so much left on the menu I can't wait to try. Service was so friendly and even with a line out the door, didn't rush anyone. They brought food out quick, offered lots of suggestions and were great. Can't wait to stop back in. read more

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Small restaurant the line extended outside. We ordered pork soup dumpling, crab soup dumpling, wonton soup, crispy noodles and to go beef scallion pancakes and pan friend buns. The wonton soup was pork and vegetables but my sister found a piece of shrimp in it and shes allergic to seafood. The wonton soup was also bland but the soup dumplings were delicious and so was the crispy noodles. read more

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Great little spot in a strip mall serving delicious dumplings and noodle dishes. I have been here twice and each time grabbed the last available table. The servers are polished and helpful. It's a true hole in the wall and worth a visit. read more

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tldr small restaurant serving Shanghainese classics like soup dumplings and noodle dishes with great value and authentic flavor i've been coming here for many years and this place rocks!! we get their famous pork soup dumplings, shanghainese fried noodles, and spicy pork noodles. everything here is affordable but also comes in smaller asian portion sizes which is great if u want to try more dishes. famous pork soup dumplings wrappers are very thin and pork soup is meaty and flavorful! it's always piping hot from the steamer. my favorite is the spicy pork noodles - in a light meat broth, the minced spicy pork is addicting to find and complements the q noodles. Shanghainese fried noodle is probably the weakest dish but it's got tons of veggie crunch and a nice complement to other more flavorful dishes overall a great place to warm up with comfort chinese cuisine! service is decent but seating is limited so be prepared to wait food 4.5/5 service 4/5 ambiance 4/5 value 5/5 read more

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Dined here today, March 7, 2026. Ordered the pork soup dumplings, crab soup dumplings (preferred), pan fried noodles with pork (plenty of toppings) & 8 treasure rice pudding. You also get an accompanying soy sauce, vinegar ginger. Not the biggest restaurant and depending on when you go, you might have to wait. Free hot tea was appreciated. Nothing was bad and there was a lot of soup in the dumplings. Nice they also give you a small soup bowl in case the soup does drop out, you can just drink it from the bowl. Still prefer thin skin dumplings. VERY reasonably priced food. read more

Limited seating here, so fortunately we came in at an off-peak time and didn't have to wait long for a table. Their soup dumplings are really popular and they are a solid choice. I really enjoyed the picked vegetable with fish soup - nice flavor if you like sour and spicy. The scallion beef pancake was also excellent. The sesame noodle was disappointing, the peanut butter taste was a bit too strong. Overall an excellent meal and we would definitely be back! read more

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This tiny little spot is a big deal. There is a chance you will wait to get a table, but it is worth it. The food is spectacular and they run an efficient operation so you won't wait too long. I have been here 2 times. Both times, the dumplings were great. I tried the Shanghai Spicy Minced Pork Noodle Soup this time and it is something I would get again! read more

Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling - Pork dumplings - Shanghainese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

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Has a very small no frills dining area with few tables. Came a few minutes before opening on a Sunday to find a line already formed. We opted for takeaway instead. Got the salted duck, Shanghai chicken in wine sauce, pork soup dumplings and rice cake with preserved cabbage and pork. Both the salted duck and the chicken in wine sauce were served room temp and tender (both had bones). Not too salty, but good flavor. The stir fried rice cakes were not clumpy mess, nor were they too greasy or hard. Dish was perfectly cooked with the rice cakes at the perfect chewy consistency. The star was the soup dumplings (not pictured). Skins were thin but firm and held the soup and meat well. Meat was juicy, soup was plentiful. The vinegar and ginger dipping sauce accompanied the dumplings well. Worth a visit! read more

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Authentic, affordable, no frills Shanghainese joint specializing soup dumplings and noodles. The pork soup dumplings are a must-order - they come out hot and fresh, and they're huge and super juicy. The spicy wontons are also a big favorite, which comes with an addicting peanut sauce mixed with chili oil. Some dishes are a little oily, but otherwise really solid and tasty Shanghainese food overall. read more

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Very small place but don't be afraid of waiting, it's worth it! This place has an authentic vibe, amazing soup dumplings (and other small plates) and friendly staff. Their other menu items are fantastic as well, with the "Shanghai pork cake" being another instant favorite (it's a lot tastier than I'm probably making it sound). Lovely little place, great for lunch or a quick snack, very reasonable prices. And for what it's worth, there are no pictures for this review because we just couldn't wait and dug in right away! read more

Edison, NJ - wow, is this place good! Casual authentic absolutely LEGIT Shanghaiese dim sum, appetizers, small plates, and noodle dishes. The food is delicious and inexpensive. We ordered some of our usual favorite items to try: Definitely get the XLB/SOUP DUMPLINGS and PAN FRIED BUNS which are outstanding. Super soupy and top notch. The thinly sliced and perfectly seasoned SPICY BEEF TENDON is possibly the best I've ever had. Addictive. Loved the PORK WONTONS IN SPICY SAUCE, dressed in a slightly nutty sauce and dunked in chili oil. The PAN FRIED NOODLES are done correctly, with a sautéed cabbage-mushroom-pork topping ladled over crispy fried noodles. LION'S HEAD NOODLE SOUP: although the broth is rather bland (fine as I got it for my toddler and prefer it this way), the noodles are long and al dente, and the meatball is huge, fluffy, with flavor that's on point. THE BEEF SCALLION PANCAKE WRAP is likewise enormous, but I like my scallion pancake to be thinner, daintier and more crisp. The TURNIP CAKE also suffers from a case of too-thick pastry, even as it's well-stuffed with shredded turnip. The inside is tiny, with only 12 two-seater tables that they combine for larger parties, and there is inevitably a line at dinnertime, but it moves pretty quickly as the turnover is brisk. Super fast but warm service and the dishes came out rapidly one after another too...but that's ok as we inhaled our food! read more

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This is a no-frills spot where the food is solid. The service is friendly, attentive, and efficient. While the seating can feel a bit tight in certain areas, it's generally easy to find a spot if you're coming in with one or two people. However, you may need to wait for a table for larger parties. The staff is very good about clearing away dishes once you're finished. There are many delicious options, but since it was our first time here, we stuck with the basics. Here's what we ordered: ~ Crab Meat & Pork Steamed Juicy Buns (XLB): These dumplings were a great size. While the skin isn't paper-thin, it's still delicate enough to be careful with when picking it up with chopsticks. Be sure to have your spoon ready, as the soup inside might spill when you take your first bite. The soup had an amazing, aromatic fragrance, and the flavor was heavenly. These XLBs were done brilliantly. 5/5 stars. ~ Spicy Beef Tendon: Very flavorful with just the right amount of heat. 4/5 stars. ~ Rice Cake with Preserved Pickles & Shredded Pork: The pork was beautifully sliced and evenly cut. The balance between the preserved turnip and shredded pork was perfect--neither one overpowered the other. The rice cakes were soft with a nice chewy texture. 5/5 stars. This place is a must-visit for a hearty and delicious meal. Surprisingly, they also offer sweet dim sum items, which I consider desserts. Some examples include Shanghai Eight Treasure Rice Pudding, Shanghai Rice Balls in Sweet Rice Wine, and Floral Eight Treasure Taro Pudding. It is easy to find parking as the eatery is in a plaza mall. A solid 4.5/5 stars read more

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Michael DeLa Cruz's google review convinced me to visit. Forgot to take pics but the golden lava buns are like crack read more

Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling - Shanghainese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

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It's been several hours later, and I'm still full from the lunch, usually this restaurant have a long line but for whatever reason, there was not really a line, waited and gone in. I've been here a few times but since I haven't need to wait in line for a long time, it made the food more enjoyable. I wasn't starving or anything, ordered a myriad of XLB, among other dishes; absolutely delicious. Very yummy! Always a repeater! read more

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Everything here is so good. Everything! Came here with my mom and aunt and I was super pleased with every dish we got! The crispy noodle dish, vermicelli soup, soup dumplings, and pan fried dumplings were great and nothing was particularly overpriced! It's a really cozy spot that just feels right to eat in on a rainy day. I'm excited to return already! read more

Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling - Shanghainese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

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An awesome find! The service was quick and friendly. The food was delicious! The soup dumplings were cooked to perfection, and each one did, in fact, contain soup. The udon noodles were also another great dish. My husband gave the ramen top marks as well. The pricing is very fair and portions are generous. We were happy to go home with leftovers. The only downside is the restaurant is on the smaller side, so it can get a little tight with seating. I would definitely recommend and would return. read more

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All I can say is wow, Lao Wu's is truly a hidden gem. Very small is 11 tables but is you like soup dumplings and noodles this is the place to go. Had to wait for a table but that allowed me to survey the food coming out. Service was prompt and good and foods games out hot and fresh. Order the crab meat and pork juicy buns, seafood shumai and finally pan fried u-don noodles with spicy meat. Only comment was I thought the noodles were a bit salty but assume that was because of the spicy bean paste used. Will for sure be back!! read more

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7:30 PM on a Saturday night in October. Less than a 10-minute wait for my party of 7. Ordered food we really liked before and this time tried the house special crispy noodle and crabmeat soup dumplings. Everything came out hot and the timing was good. We had to stack our soup dumpling plates so we had enough room for all the food. A mere $105 not including tip for the 7 of us so that's a huge plus. Pretty much a no-frills atmosphere but that's what keeps the prices reasonable, and the place is clean. read more

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We have been eating with this restaurant group for a few years, and this location is my favorite by far! The crab and pork soup dumplings were incredibly juicy with an impossibly thin wrapper. The Shanghai pan-fried buns were also juicy and flavorful. The beef scallion pancake wrap was also very flavorful, but I had hoped there would be more beef. It was also a little on the oilier side, but the sauce did a decent job of cutting the fat. The Shanghai pan fried noodle was not what we expected because the noodles were crunchy from being deep fried, so we didn't really enjoy it. However, the soup dumplings were phenomenal (truly some of the best I've ever had), so I would stick to just them and the pan-fried buns next time. read more

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My food was bad and I'm so confused by these other reviews. I ordered the beef soup dumplings. Good amount of food for like 10 bucks but the filling was just bland and the juice tasted... moldy. The dough was good though. I ordered the pork wonton soup as well for another $10 because it's the most popular dish and again... that moldy taste. My stomach was doing backflips afterwards. It was deeply unpleasant. My food took 55 minutes to make too and that was on a Monday night. All the seating is bumper to bumper so a party of over 2 people is going to be an issue. There was 1 waitress RUNNING from person to person so service was slow because there were like 25 people crammed into a 14x14' room. The whole thing was crazy. read more

This is my FAVORITE restaurant in all of New Jersey. I usually don't eat that much but I always get surprised on how much I can eat whenever I come here. My favorite is the beef scallion pancakes! It's the most juiciest and crispiest beef scallion pancake you'll ever have! I have to come here at least once a year to get my LaoWu's fix. Literally every dish is so good and my mouth is salivating for the next time I come back here. read more

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I'm upset that it took me this long to try this place out! I had a fantastic experience and I can't wait to go back. Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling is conveniently located in a plaza with a parking lot. Although the lot is a decent size, the restaurant is fairly small. I would recommend dining with 2-4 people max. I ordered the scallion pancake, juicy pork dumplings, and the pork wontons in a spicy sauce. I thought the peanut sauce in the spicy wontons was a little overpowering, but everything was fantastic. I'm already planning my next visit to the restaurant! Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

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The pork soup dumplings taste great at first bite but I find after a few the salt in them becomes overwhelming. The dumplings themselves have a perfect thin dough and rich broth within. I didn't like how the scallion pancakes were deep fried and also I felt they were lacking in taste. The tables are very small and you are seated very close with other patrons. I felt a bit claustrophobic especially as the restaurant was full when I was there. Also afterwards I didn't feel great- the meal was too heavy for me overall. read more

Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling - Shanghainese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

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Good food, not the most amazing dim sum I've had but there wasn't any item I didn't like. The favorite was the pumpkin dumpling or something like that. So good. Good service. It's a small casual establishment, so just know if you are looking for ambiance. It's just chill. No complaints. read more

It was my birthday and my friend treat me to dinner here at Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling in Edison, New Jersey. It's my first time in this restaurant and I'm so excited to try their Authentic Shanghai Dumplings. That night there was a long wait because the restaurant is too small. Once we're seated, we ordered Pork Steamed Juicy Buns, Beef Steamed Dumplings, Spicy Beef Tendon, Pickled Egg Drop Soup and the Lions Head which is a pork meatball in brown sauce. I'm Asian and I'm very much critical with Asian cuisine and to be honest, this restaurant didn't meet my expectations. Their Beef Tendons and Lions head tastes weird. The pickled egg drop soup tastes awful. The only dish that I like was just the beef dumplings which tastes quite good. The service was good though and the lady server was very nice. I may not recommend this place to friends for now but I want to go back again to try others in their menus and maybe I may be convinced to give them the remaining two (2) stars. read more

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We waited to get into this small but very busy place. As tables departed the excitement built. At last we were seated. We got the beef scallion wrap which was delicious and had that beefy goodness but not too fatty. The crab meat and pork steamed juicy buns were fantastic. Every bite a delight. Golden lava buns were good but I'd skip next time. We ordered too Much food but we managed to polish off the egg yolk shumai which were terrific. So in short worth the journey and worth the wait. Love this place can't wait to go back. read more

Cozy gem in Edison. The food was good, the service was excellent. You may wait a bit to get a table but it is worth, especially on this cold days. I enjoyed and I will definitely go back to try more staffs. read more

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Food: This has got to have one of the best xlb/pork soup dumplings in NJ. Better than Tasty Moment and some of the Fort Lee / Pal Park restaurant's soup dumplings!!! We ordered: pork soup dumplings/pork juicy steam buns, vegetable dumplings/ steam buns, golden lava bun, and noodles with scallion oil. All delicious. Service was fine...not amazing but not bad. When we entered the store, there were no greetings or acknowledgment. However, it was pretty busy and all the table were filled so it was probably because of that. Once a table was free, the servers/workers signaled us to come sit down. They were nice and quick...didn't talk much but again, it was busy and hectic. Ambiance: the place is small. It had a mix of a Chinese takeout with a small restaurant look/vibe. It felt authentic. Place was filled with customers coming in and out. If you come here, be prepared to wait by the door for a bit as it's always filled...a table was not empty for more than a minute once people finished eating. read more

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If you're looking for authentic Shanghai-style cuisine, this is the place to go. The food was extraordinary. Every bite was so fresh and flavorful. The juicy buns were filled with so much soup, and the sauces accompanied all the dishes beautifully. The only negative thing I have to say is that I wish I could have tried everything on the menu! I will definitely be returning to try more including the stir fried udon and rice cakes. For a bonus they offer complimentary hot tea which is a must for this meal. The space is small but cozy. It feels like a special place where families regularly return for what they know is a fantastic meal for a super affordable price. Not to mention, the service was wonderful. We had a few questions for our server since it was our first time here. He was very helpful and made some great recommendations for us! Thank you Lao Wu! read more

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Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai is legit. Having been to several Shanghai restaurants, I was dismayed by many impersonations and tomfoolery by just adding sichuan peppercorns and hot chili peppers to a stir fired dish. Lao's has authentic cuisine, flavored and cooked to perfection. We ordered: * Spicy beef tendon. Snappy, spicy and lots of spicy oil. * Crab Meat & Pork Steam Juicy Buns. Buns were nicely sized, filled with pork, crab and lots of soup, contained in a wrapper that was sturdy but yet delicate enough to tear if handled roughly. * Rice Cake w. Preserved Pickles & Shredded Pork. Nicely flavored by the shredded pork and preserved turnip. Rice cakes with soft with some chew. Service was friendly, attentive and efficient. Smallish table was cleared of serving dish once finished. Ordering was easy by pointing to items on menu. Dining area is limited. I would guess 6 or 7 tables. It is a bit cramped. Not good for large groups. Definitely on my list of good eats and will return for other items on their menu. read more

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Small seating area with limited tables, so definitely show up early and expect to wait for a table during the dinner rush. We ordered a bunch of different dishes, but my favorites were the crab and pork 小笼包, cold jellyfish, chicken in wine sauce, and noodles in scallion sauce. Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for some authentic dishes. read more

Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling - C2. Crab Meat and Pork Steam Juicy Buns - Shanghainese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

Of all things I tried, surprisingly the simple Scallion pancake was very good. Nicely fried and flavorful. Tried both fried and steam buns and they nailed them well. Prices are affordable. Can't get reservation and it is first come first serve on a small restaurants so prepared to wait. read more

Overall, had an ok experience at Shanghai Dumpling. It was empty when we arrived on a Wednesday afternoon. What's nice is that you can order straight from the kiosk. Prices are very reasonable. Our party got the Steamed Vegetable Buns, Bok Choy, Pork Dumplings , Chicken and Spicy Sauce and Green Tea. Our orders took about 10-15 minutes max. The portions were plenty. I throughly enjoyed the Bok Choy , Vegetable Buns and Pork Buns but probably could've done without the chicken. It was very difficult to eat since there were tons of tiny bones inside. It also would've been nice to have a bigger spoon for the soup dumplings so we didn't lose the broth when we picked it up. I'd be willing to give it a second chance and try some of their other dumplings, along with their tofu dishes! read more

Lao Wu Authentic Shanghai Dumpling - C1. Pork Steam Juicy Buns C7. Vegetable Steam Buns Bok Choy - Shanghainese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

Got the mixed vegetable soup and I have to say the portion size is well worth the price. Seating is kind of limited and this is more of a hole in the wall place, but the food is definitely good if you like shanghainese style. Service is also very fast and accommodating, would stop in again for a quick cheap eat read more

It was well worth the wait past lunch time. Small venue but service was efficient. We had the crab and pork juicy dumpling , chive spring roll, spicy pan fried iron with minced meat, and the beef scallion wrap. All delicious. Would definitely be back. Perhaps 2pm is a good time to avoid a line on a weekday. read more

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This place has the best fried pork soup dumplings. I also recommend the pork minced noodle soup. This is a hole in the wall with great flavor. I will say seating is tight but you're here for the food not the ambience. The waiters are quick and attentive and the line moves. read more

Wanted to write this review because we were super disappointed... We had duck tongue in wine sauce, Shanghai soup dumplings, fried pork bun, pork wonton in spicy sauce and Shanghai short turnip cake.. Duck tongue 2/5, it's overly salty, and it's just salty and a hint of sesame oil Shanghai soup dumplings 3/5 Good enough but definitely not the best. a little on a bland side, but the vinegar helped. Fried Pork Bun 2/5, the dough is very thick, the meat filling is super salty, and the only flavor you can taste is saltiness, nothing else. The only good part about these bun is the crispy fried bottoms. Pork Wonton in spicy sauce 1/5, this dish is so bland....... It serves with chili oil and peanut sesame butter. It has a hint of sweetness but nothing else... we asked for hot oil on the side trying to save the dish but it didn't help. Shanghai short turnip cake 4/5 this was crispy and crunchy, and did not feel greasy. But again, the filling is on the bland side. Overall, their dishes are either super salty or super bland.. and there is no other flavor besides saltiness. read more

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