This is my favorite local spot to visit when i'm craving soup dumplings. I love their scallop…read moreversion and when it comes out piping hot especially. I prefer a thin skin soup dumpling and this did not disappoint. Liu Shanghai is also very affordable and my wallet was happy. There's a decent amount of seats but there might be a wait when it's dinner time. The food here really warms the heart because it's a family owned business!

RATING - 3.5/5 - Cozy spot that can get busy with neighborhood folks. They're mainly walk in,…read moreunless you have a party of 7+, then you get their bigger round table in the back. We were a party of 6 on Father's Day weekend and waited ~10 min for a table. What we got: - Pork Soup Dumplings: 7/10 - the skin was a bit thicker than I'd like, but the taste was there. I loved that we all got individual vinegar ginger dips - Crab + Pork Soup Dumplings: 9/10 - better than the Pork! The skin wasn't as thick for our batch - Scallop Soup Dumplings: 7/10 - not a huge fan of the flavor, but I like that they don't skimp on the scallop! - Shanghai Lo Mein & Shanghai Style Rice Cake: 7/10 - they could've had more wok fry, but good flavor - Fried Wonton in Peanut + Hot Sauce: 8/10 - I really enjoyed this dish! It's not very spicy + topped with a crushed peanut/sugar flavor - so good! - Braised Pork Belly: 8/10 - pretty heavy, unless you eat it with the bao buns. Very flavorful, and may go good with a bowl of rice as well! - Scallion Pancake & String Beans: 9/10 - standard + yummy! Overall, it was a good place for a meal, but I personally had better soup dumplings elsewhere. Otherwise, everything else is alright!

Staffs were friendly. We were the only two people in the restaurant. There's free wifi in the…read morerestaurant. We ate crab soup dumplings and noodles which was good. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambience: 4/5

Had the pork soup dumplings: juicy, tender and soupy. Highly recommended…read more House Special Noodles: saucy, good with the veggies, shrimp,and chicken. Quite good. Stir fry pork with bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus and garlic: good but a bit too salty. Saucy but good. Pan Fried Pork Buns: The bottom of the bun was soggy when it supposed to be crispy. Flavor was mediocre and would not recommend this dish. Service was friendly and bathrooms are clean. Interior was modern and cute with the drawings of the various foods

Food was very tasty and flavorful. I had the basil chicken ho fun with a little spice. The price…read morewas reasonable. And the portion was enough for 2 pp. Service was great. It was quick. The lady worker was both friendly & pleasant to talk to.

I've been here a few times before and had ordered their House Special Ma Ma noodle soup. They were…read moreable to make it nonspicy for me which I appreciated. I remember it being really good. I liked all the toppings that it came with! This time I ordered the wonton and dumpling noodle soup. It came with 3 wonton, 2 dumplings, and some bok choy. Not sure if it was because I did takeout and my noodle soup was overcooking in its container, but the dumpling skin was mushy and falling apart from the meaty party of the dumpling, and the bok choy was also a dull green color. Either it was overcooked or old bok choy. They tasted fine, except maybe one was a bit bitter. I was also expecting egg noodle, but it came default udon noodles (you can ask them to change noodles, I just didn't ask). The broth wasn't flavorful either. Although this dish was a miss, I would come back for their other dishes!! Cash only establishment, or you can zelle them.

TL;DR: PHENOMENAL OH MY GOSH I WILL BE BACK SOON. This will easily be on my list of restaurants to…read morerecommend to any of my friends visiting NYC. Get the "20 mini dumplings + drink of your choice". Seriously, I'm getting hungry just writing this review. Food: I ordered the 20 mini dumplings and drink combo, substituting the soda option for taro boba (+$4), totaling around $18 after tax! The dumplings are mini, but they are filled with so much flavor it's unbelievable. They each have a bit of soup in them that is so flavorful and not salty. There is also a slight bit of crispiness on the outside of each dumpling before the inside just melts in your mouth. It's unbelievably good. The taro boba is also well done. It's not too sweet, and the boba pearls are a unique level of like not that chewy and feel almost like popping boba?! Service: Friendly service! My friend and I did to-go, but the staff were all quite friendly. There is also a kiosk to order from if in a rush. Ambiance: It's a very clean restaurant and spacious. However, since there were so many people waiting for the viral item, we formed essentially a crowd outside the steps. The wait took about half an hour, and then my friend and I walked just down a couple of blocks to the Brooklyn Heights promenade, which has the most stunning view of the Manhattan skyline.

My family and I were nearby for an event and stumbled upon this restaurant for dinner. Little did…read morewe know, this was the viral restaurant that makes the tiny dumplings! We were skeptical about this restaurant but it exceeded our expectations and we can't wait to return! We came on a weekend for dinner so it was busy! We were able to snag a table and seeing how busy this place was, we knew it was going to be good! We had the pork XLB, chicken feet, pork & vegetable wontons with spicy peanut sauce, noodles with scallion and peanut butter sauce, beef lo mein and the beef ribs. Everything was delicious! The highlights of our meal were the pork XLB and the beef ribs. The pork XLB were made fresh to order and they were flavorful and juicy! Definitely on my list of best XLB I have ever had. The beef ribs were also delicious! They torched it table side which definitely added a nice touch! Considering how busy they were, the service was immaculate. They were also very attentive to details since we had a kid with allergies. We will definitely be coming back soon. This place is also right next to the Court Street train station which makes it very convenient to get to!

Four of us had dinner here on Labor Day evening. When we arrived, we were told to expect a fifteen…read moreminute wait for seating, and it was pretty much on the dot. A carafe of water was promptly brought to the table. We took a long time with the menu because it is extensive, and wonderful. We finally agreed on Crab & Pork Soup Dumplings, Kau Fu, Dry Sautéed Green Beans with Meat, Salt & Pepper Squid, and Shanghainese Style Rice Cakes. The Kau Fu arrived first, and was truly exceptional, with large, firm, and juicy chunks of seitan, and a good sprinkling of large, not rubbery tree ears. My friend who said she didn't like seitan tried it, and liked it a lot. Kai Fu has a slight licorish flavor, and is a little sweet. We finished every bite. Moving on to the soup dumplings, the broth was delicate and the skins were thin and tender, altogether the best I've had in a long time. The green beans were perfect, seared and crispy, as they should be, with ground pork and a little pickled veg. The rice cakes were appropriately chewy, and we enjoyed the baby bok choy, mushrooms, and shrimp in the mild sauce. The squid was the only dish that wasn't perfect, being a little bland and a tiny bit too chewy for the size of the pieces. The service was attentive without being too much. We were offered hot tea, and a second carafe of water, without having to ask. The noise level from the other diners was a bit high for me, but I put my hearing aids on the noisy/party setting, and I could hear my friends, which was the important thing. We all agreed that we needed to come back again (and again) to try other dishes. I especially want to have the Hong Kong style Hot & Sour soup, which you can't get at most Chinese restaurants.

Every time we come to NY this is definitely a must go to place. The food is amazing the service is…read moregreat as well. It can be a bit crowded but that expected from a place this good. We travel from California to New York as a family multiple times out the year and we always make it here before we head on back home. I love the Asian style ambiance that this place has. I would definitely recommend this place to any one traveling and has a thing for Asian cuisine

Okay soooo...I totally understand why Mr Bao ends up with some pretty average reviews. This is not…read morea place where I would tell you to walk in blind, point at the menu, and expect magic. Some things are definitely better than others. BUT - after going a few times, I really think this place is a case of learning the menu and playing to its strengths. Once you know whats worth it and whats just ok, you can put together a genuinely great meal here. This time around, the star of the show was the Chef's Choice jiaozi which gives you one of each dumpling they offer. That was a GREAT move. They were colorful, satisfying, and even better with a side of the spicy chili sauce which I highly recommend adding. I also want to give credit where it's due: the soup dumplings here are delicious, and I have also really enjoyed the fried rice and the spicy noodle dishes on past visits. So yeah, I get the mixed reputation....But I think Mr Bao is one of those spots that rewards a little menu knowledge. Order smart, skip the mid stuff, and there is a very solid meal waiting for you.

Love this place but only quibble is that it's a bit pricey so we can't order very often being on a…read moreBrooklyn budget! Would eat there way more if the price wasn't so high. $16 for plain noodles is rather steep. Food is delicious tho

Came in late in the evening on a Thursday while it was quite busy, but my party of 2 was seated in…read moreabout 10 mins. Service is super efficient, to order food you use a tablet at the table and order drinks from the servers. The dining room is beautiful and kind of peaceful. I saw quite a few large parties so this spot seems good for groups. We started with the truffle pork soup dumplings which might be the best I've ever had. The soup was the perfect temperature and so so flavorful. I would come back just for the dumplings. The mapo tofu and sauteed green beans came next, and we ordered two sides of plain white rice which came in a generously sized bowl. Portion sizes are large here, we had plenty of leftovers. We went for more familiar dishes, which were so well done, but all the different dishes flying through the dining room looked incredible. Will definitely be coming back to explore the rest of the menu.

Service is fast and reliable - you order from an iPad and the dishes come out. The space is a bit…read moretight, but typical for Manhattan. The inside is decorated very nicely. - Salted Ham Mixed Rice, (5/5): it was nice and savory, slightly salty, and it also had like little bits of pork fat in it and it was sooo flavorful. And the crackly bits of rice were so good - Qianlong's Favorite Eel, (3/5): the sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking, and the eel meat was a bit rubbery. I can see this being a fave if you like sweeter savory dishes - Grilled Beef Rib and Peppers, (4/5): the meat is soooo tender, and falls off the bone. It's very black pepper forward, and you can tell the entire dish is coated with cornstarch given the thick sauce. it was again, a bit on the sweeter side for me, but other than that it can be enjoyed by those who don't do well with spice - Ginger & Chili Frog, (4.5/5): lots of pieces of frog, and it wasn't spicy at first but it builds. You can really see and taste the ginger chunks- it is definitely very ginger forward with several different pao cai chillies (very sour, pungent, and spicy!) - Che Li's Pork Belly, (3/5): I'm personally not a big fan of pork belly, but my friend loves this! I see a lot of people order this, so don't take my word for it, try it yourself! - Sautéed Water Spinach, (3/5): pretty standard, tasted fresh, not much seasoning - Spicy Hunan Beef, (4/5): a very hot dry spice that goes well with rice. The beef texture was inconsistent, which knocked down some points Overall, I enjoyed my experience here and I would come again.

Amazing spread of cheap eats, the soup dumplings were juicy and filled. Service was really quick…read moreand attentive. Honestly couldn't complain as all the food was great for the price. Ambiance can get pretty busy during lunch hour but other than that not too hectic. Love this spot for a good cheap dumpling vibe.

I liked the pan fried buns but my bf wasn't a fan of the flavor. I thought the soup dumplings were…read morea but bland but my bf liked them so really depends on your preference. Since this is the express version, you use the kiosk to order and they bring food to your table and you busk your own table when you're done. I like that even though its express, the soup dumplings still come out in steamer baskets. Not much to say about ambiance but they had decorated for Christmas with a tree so I could see that they still put in effort in the express location

I always come to this restaurant. They are so budget friendly and healthy. Low to no oil, low…read moresodium but absolutely delicious in every dish. Quantity is quite light but very satisfying and filling to hit the spot whether ver hungry or just a snack, this always worked for me. This is one of the most soothing, low priced, and balanced healthy but absolutely delicious meal. I like the sit down area is always clean and enough space. There is no time limit but I definitely would try to be respectful to not hog the seat too long. This is a pay first and choose your seat later.

Affordable restaurant with a speciality of duck noodles. Not something I really enjoy but they also…read morehave other noodles, dumplings, wontons, Xiao Long Bao. There is a ground floor and a lower level for seating so usually there is no wait. I like their how they have a few combo selections which is kid friendly. They have cups on the side and sauce trays so it's easy to split the food. This is self service so no tip is required.

I've been meaning to try this place for a while and finally got the chance to today. Not very busy…read moreon a Sunday afternoon so seating wasn't an issue. Our host/server was very prompt in greeting us with menus and ice waters. We ordered crab and pork soup dumplings, steamed rice rolls with hoisin and peanut sauce and oxtail in curry sauce. Everything came out within 10min of ordering and was piping hot. Crab and pork soup dumplings- the tops of the dumplings were fairly dry but the soup and dumpling itself had a nice flavor Steamed rice roll w/ hoisin and peanut sauce- Exceptional! The rolls were soft and light not sticky and dense. They were cut up bite size and the sauce was ample. I grew up eating from Cheung fun carts which are and still are easy to come by BUT the actual good ones are hard and far to come by. E Noodle definitely invokes that nostalgic feeling of being a kid and your parents dragging you to Chinatown early on a SAT/SUN morning so that you can carry the groceries but you knew your one reward was being able to see the elderly Cheung fun lady w/ the cart...Next time I will def add fish balls. Oxtail w/ curry sauce- we def enjoyed this dish and was pleasantly surprised at how tender the oxtail was. Can't wait to comeback and try other items on the menu.

Wontons are the star here - fresh, thin-skinned, and tasting home made. The soup was a bit salty,…read morebut the rice noodles hit my cheung fun craving, even though I wish they were flat, wide noodles with a little bok choy for a heartier lunch. The container they used to separate the noodles from the soup was a genius idea; I was worried there'd be no broth left by the time it arrived, but everything held up really well. The preserved egg and pork congee was just okay, but overall they clearly do wontons and noodles well. I wouldn't do delivery again, but I'd happily come back for takeout or dine-in and try more dishes.