YUM!! I've been missing out! I tried the mixed beef & potato. I'm in love! I will be craving this late night now. Such a cute little place too. read more

Pelmeni - Beef & potato - Russian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Really good and cheap. The people working there are always inviting and it is an amazing local spot! They only serve Potato and Beef dumplings but they are absolutely delicious and fairly priced. read more

College favorite! Delicious dumplings and I love it is open late nights! I would absolutely recommend this if you haven't tried it and are looking for something different in bham! read more

Amazing. The best $7 money can buy. Also the fact I can get a soda for a $1 is also very much appreciated versus going to some places where I spend $4 on a coke. Amazing dumplings. You can't beat how amazing pel meni is read more

Can't go wrong with pel' meni's. Just reminds me all those drunken and fun college nights. Their employees are troopers.

Pel' Meni is whatever you need it to be. It can be a quick place for lunch, an inexpensive date spot or a place to sober up at 2am on a weekday. Whatever you need Pel' Meni for, it won't disappoint. They serve meat or potato dumplings for $7. A menu can't be found at Pel' Meni, because they ONLY serve these two types of delicious dumplings in one generous sized to-go style container. Modifications to dumplings can be made. They can be served plain or the original way- with a sprinkle of slightly spicy sauce and powder. If you're feeling adventurous, ask for a mixed bowl or some sour cream on the side. The restaurant itself is somewhat hidden amongst other businesses. While the building is older, the staff keep the space clean and inviting. There's even a wall of records that customers are encouraged to peruse and play as they wait or eat. I've lived in Bellingham for several years and Pel Meni' is a must try eatery for locals and travelers alike. read more

It's easy, simple food but there is a reason folks show up in droves for it. Of course, there's a lot of drunk folks flooding in during last call, but the record collection slaps (ABBA Gold on vinyl!?) and the minimal staff works hard to keep the typical undergrad chaos to a minimum. Super happy they're one of the remaining staples of this city of subdued excitement! read more

Meat or potatoes! That's all you need to know to have a great experience here. Open late and full of character. The best midnight snack but also delicious anytime of day! read more

I can't exactly recall the details of my whole "being there" HOWEVER I do recall the feelings of a good time; albeit surrounded by young children who felt the need to touch vinyl and pretend the record player was their own scratch track. The facts are: I am always provided two sour creams upon request which is wicked cool, my stomach almost always hurts in the morning and while there could be some other components to that I'm thinking the meat perogies aren't helpful, I usually get to watch someone fight with their boyfriend which is just free entertainment, and the staff is a patient bunch of loonies that deserve some good damn tips. Oh I get down with that mango juice in a can too- especially at 2 am. Wouldn't necessarily recommend eating here if you're not drunk/it's not at least midnight. But at the same time I can't even tell you if it was good then... read more

Love this place. They nailed the Pel' Meni and are really close to the traditional ones. I Highly recommend this place.

10/10 recommend late night stops here. Delicious food. Only a couple options so u can't go wrong. Vegetarian options too!

I was amazed at the success level with two items on the menu until my first bite. I prefer potato dumplings but both were fantastic. The record player is nice ambience. I will be back. read more

This place gets rave reviews - it's quick, tasty, and inexpensive. But it's by a long shot not authentic or the best pelmeni you can get. These taste about the same as the frozen pelmeni you can buy at an Eastern European grocery store and make at home. The curry powder was also a surprise - not necessarily a bad one, but I prefer my pelmeni the traditional way with butter and sour cream. Can't beat the convenience, but consider this Russian fast food. read more

Very chill and casual place. It's simple, to the point, they don't sugar coat things but their pelmeni options are good, fresh tasting, somewhat authentic... but very delicious. This is coming from a Slavic lady... the dude at the cash was super cool to talk to, I appreciate that he's not putting on a whole front but just there to talk. Great place to go if you need to be real and have some real simple delicious food read more

It is what it is simple inexpensive goodness Is it like your Babushka would make NO! come on you cant compete with Babushka for down town bellingham limited menu but you cant give drunks too many choices this makes service pretty fast. If you don't know what Babushka is means Granny (Granny will agree) read more

I freaking love this place. So affordable, so tasty, so fast. I can never get enough, I'm always craving these dumplings. Love you guys!

This place is underrated. Best dumplings I've ever had. Affordable and delicious! Open late night for a convenient after bar snack!

Absolutely love this place!! They are so nice every time I go.in, always consistant and will give you as much sour cream as you like! For the price you cannot beat it.and how delicious it is. read more

Be warned, there is no menu. Not even a small whiteboard telling you what to should expect on your food. Not even a competent employee with enough wisdom to warn first-time customers that their food will come loaded with spices. When we walked in we were told, by literally the only person working there (who was handling both cash and food), to choose from potato or meat dumplings. We ordered the potato, assuming they will be served plain. Since there is no menu informing us what will be on our food, we should expect to choose are own additives, right? Nope. The dumplings came loaded with hot sauce, curry and cilantro - three ingredients that are definitely not universally enjoyed. We kindly notified the lady that we didn't know the dish came with so much spice and asked her to replace it with a plain set. Hastily - without giving me much chance to explain my request - she handed me two other cartons of dumplings. I assumed that since it was not a busy day and since she had just served us meatless dumplings not longer than a minutes ago, she would remember that we asked for the meatless option. Still, one of the cartons she handed was a mix of potato and meat, while the other was entirely meat. The food itself was only mediocre and definitely didn't make up for the terrible service. read more

Visited in December 2017 Quick in and out Parking may be difficult because it is downtown or you may just need to wait Food is very tasty, good value at $7. Overall very good experience Will definitely do it again while in Bellingham read more

If you're looking for a high class meal this isnt the place. But if it's late and youre looking for some quick and tasty dumplings for a good price you cant beat Pel Meni. Eat in or take out. Filling, acceptable atmosphere and excellent service. Disclaimer; they're just frozen dumplings, potato or beef, the toppings are what makes them good. The simplicity of the selection is what gives this place its charm. read more

Simple and focused on two flavors of dumplings, potato or beef. Served with cilantro, vinegar and sour cream a great balance of flavors. Love the Vinyl. $7 perfect treat and friendly service. read more

I'll say it now right off the bat: you NEED to try this place. I was a bit skeptical about trying Russian dumplings at first. I think most people would be the same if they heard "Russian dumplings." If I told someone "You need to try this Russian Dumpling place," they would probably say "Russian dumplings? What are those?" Let me explain. I would compare Russian dumplings to regular Asian dumplings as most people would think. However, the dough is more chewy and the filling is less liquid. You can get them filled with beef or potato and it comes in a to-go box. They come dressed with vinegar, curry powder, cilantro, and sour cream (optional). It might sound bad or odd, but trust me, its a great combination. You can add more hot sauce, vinegar, or sour cream if you'd like. The entire thing is $7 no matter what. $7!!!! No frills, no tricks. They only have 1 item on the menu: dumplings. I'd highly recommend beef filling as it's a better value, but potato is good too. I came here twice with my volleyball team over the weekend. A teammate suggested it on Saturday, and some were hesitant at first, but after our visit, everyone liked it so much that we ended up going again on Sunday! They have another location in Fremont if you are closer to there, and it has the same experience as this location, as I have visited both. Once again, I highly recommend this place if you're willing to try something new! read more

Awesome little snack!! The portions are pretty small but definitely delicious. I could eat two servings myself plus a little more.

Amazing food Service is amazing Did I mention the food was amazing I got my whole family going here and even so coworkers read more

Stopped by downtown Bellingham for some quick lunch. Yelp said this place was good so I went in. I asked if there was a menu, and guy at the counter just said "we have beef dumplings and potato dumplings". I said "beef please", and those were the two best words I said that day. If I didn't live two hours away I would eat here every other day. read more

Oh man. This is truly a home town must and if it's late, and you're a little toasty, it's a REQUIREMENT. I had some friends in town and of course, in recalling the Hamster Party Days gone by, a reference to this place came up. I know I've been there a bunch of times... but couldn't recall the EXACT experiences. Most visits were, I'll admit, while under the influence of shots and twerking soooo - yeah. The dumplings are delicious and you don't need to worry about how you know that. You do, it happened, even if you don't remember how. This visit was in broad daylight, for lunch, and stone cold sober and you know what? They passed the test with flying colors. This isn't a regretful drunk experiences that you shun in the light of day - nay nay! Dive in for a midday meal folks and it's just as delightful as you thought it was that one time. They're made form scratch in house and served with all the sour creams and a yellow curry powder - there a slice of rich brown bread atop and it all soaks up your end of the night fears - or your midday blues as it turns out. The local gal working there has tales of nights gone by and was super friendly. A record player pumps the sounds of a large vinyl collection found by the check out counter. Casual tables, good for late night. read more

OMGSFG... put more in my mouth, let's see how many I can stuff in there? I was mistaken and drove all the way to Bellingham, not knowing it was the same business as in Seattle, C'est La Vie... still, it was so damn delicious I bought 2 bags of them frozen and cooked them at home. The sour cream, rice vinegar with the curry and the cilantro is perfect. Staff were super nice and let me go check out the space up the stairs where my store used to be... so nice! Cool records (from the old store next door I'm guessing, hey Chuck!) and a great deal for sure. I'll always dumpling when I'm in town. read more

Young people making old food- well. There is no menu, just two items to choose from: meat dumplings or potato dumplings. I asked for a mix. I love the Korean spin, gives it a little kick. Great choice for pitstop. read more

Back in 2010, my wife (the early adopter in the family), was futzing around on the internet, and found a thing she called a Yelp review. Apparently, people go to places, then write little stories about their experiences for other people to read. I remember being pretty blown away by what a cool idea this was. Peers offering their impressions and opinions to peers. Pretty brilliant. Anyway, this review she read to me was from someone in Seattle, and the gist of it was: whatever you're doing right now, wherever you are, get in your car, and drive to Bellingham. Don't think about it. Just do it. And when you get there, find Pel' Meni Dumplings, and hold on tight. Because you're about to experience one of the most amazing things that has ever been put in a mouth, anywhere on the planet. And I thought to myself? Whoa. I live in Bellingham. Where the hell is this place, and how do I get summa that in MY life? So we hopped in the car, only to find a skinny little spot tucked between a flower store and a used clothing boutique, across from a paint store, that we had passed a thousand times without noticing. Fancy? Nuh uh. Menu? Don't got one. Your choice is digital. Get dumplings with meat in them. Get dumplings without meat. Those have potatoes in them. Green salad? Not here. Side dishes? Um, nope. You apparently didn't get the digital part of my story. It's like that classic Saturday Night Live skit with John Belushi. Cheebugger, cheebugger, cheep, cheep. No hambugger. No fry. They do dumplings. Thassit. But they do them so well, it's just perfection. Walk in. Order a meat, and a potato. Step back. They're going to put them in boiling water for you and you're going to wait about five minutes. Flip through their giant vinyl collection, maybe put something on the turntable. When the dumplings are ready, ask for the sour cream. It's free. They'll give you a couple slices of homemade rye bread. Also no charge. Then fill a little plastic cup with hot sauce, and another one with vinegar. Squeeze bottles are on the counter. Pay like 12 bucks to the person behind the counter, leave them a nice tip, then find a table and open up your little clamshell of amazingness. It's then that you will have an involuntary reaction. Your eyes are going to roll back in your head. This is OK. You'll shiver just a little bit. Don't panic. You won't have any control over this, but it's fine. Remember to chew. Focus. Come back to the sound of my voice. And put another of these steaming bliss pillows in your mouth. Repeat as necessary. Or until your dumplings are gone. Then thank me. Because the little morsel assaulting your taste buds and finding its' way to your stomach has just changed your life. Forever. You're welcome. read more

For once the masses got it right. This place is fantastic. The food, the atmosphere, and Jackie. You could tell she was tired but she still was fantastic. It was worth the unexpected trip to bring my daughter back up to Bellingham from Kent. My kid, the 21yo, said it was great and she was right. Normally she has the taste buds of a dog...as in no taste at all. I will come back. read more

This place is exactly what it is. Beef or potato Russian dumplings with cilantro, curry, and sour cream for $7. Sodas are another dollar. It's been in business for a long time with such a simple menu. Nothing says comfort (or drunk food) like little pockets of meat and potato swimming in curry sour cream and cilantro. It's hot, fast, cheap, healthy enough, and locally made. If it's not broken, don't fix it. And this place is perfection. read more

Was suggested this place by the campus tour guides on my visit to WWU and it was amazing! The beef ones were the best and the toppings and sauce hit the spot :)). read more

I went to grad school in Bellingham...and managed to party as hard as the undergrads. I'm paying for it now (in more ways than one). That said, most food-serving establishments in B'ham close super early, with a few scary exceptions. After an epic night of drinking and dancing at the Nightlight, I literally stumbled into this nondescript hole-in-the-wall, and when my turn in line finally came, I was simply asked: "meat or potato?" Bewildered, I answered "both" and was treated to a heavenly pile of pierogies (Russian dumplings-like ravioli). Half were stuffed with savory meat (beef? who knows/cares) and half were stuffed with seasoned mashed potatoes. Simply amazing. I had them with tons of sour cream and hot sauce. Subsequent sober visits have confirmed that this place holds up to the rigors of daylight. *sigh* this is one of the reasons I miss Bellingham...but not enough to move back! read more

You want: - potato dumplings - beef dumplings - hot sauce on the side Oh wait, that's the whole menu. Yep. read more

I love dumplings! Who knew? Closest I've had were perogis at a czech wedding in Chicago in 2002. Late-nite munchies, yes, it was awesome. But somehow we were craving them for breakfast too, which is the sign of a great meal! We had meat and potato dumplings at this super-sweet Russian diner in the heart of Bellingham. We beat the bar crowd by a minute or two and were amazed at the culinary brilliance those little doughy treats can bring. Kudos to the solo guy taking orders and steaming up the food. Bellingham has undeniable charm and big food-cred thanks to gems like this! read more

I've had both the meat and the potato dumplings. I don't like the potato ones because they're too peppery but that's okay because lucky for me, I eat meat! The meat ones are most delicious. They top the little dumplings with oil, hot sauce, and cilantro. They'll give you sour cream and a slice of dry wheat bread on the side. I like this place for the most part. I've been there many many times. I don't care too much for the styrofoam containers they put our food in. I wish they'd change that. Also, the place isn't always busy so would it kill the staff to clean the tables more often? read more

Never had Russian dumplings prior to this visit, so don't have much to compare them to, however, I loved the food here. You get a lot of food for not a lot of money. It's all cooked to order and it comes out very hot and fresh. I tried the beef and potato, and really, you can't go wrong with either. Both were absolutely delicious. I tried some of the hot sauce they have there which is excellent as well. Great, friendly service. Can't wait to come back and get some more dumplings! read more

So the question here is "meat or potato"? And which ever way you go, your tastebuds will be happy and your stomach will be full. On my first trip to Pel' Meni, I had the meat on the advice of the very friendly and helpful dumpling slinger at the cash register. Dusted with curry and sporting a couple of sprigs of cilantro and a side of homemade rye bread, the dumplings were pure heaven. Grab some sour cream and some red sauce and you're good to go for a couple of hours. I daresay these little meat pillows would soak up some serious Russian vodka, but that's purely conjecture... There's a sweet turntable with some vintage tunes and the windows get all steamy in the winter on Friday and Saturday nights. Great place to take your friends for a late night nosh! read more

Having lived in an apartment directly above this place, I know way too much about this place to give it five stars. Also, I was around when they were like $4 a box, so I'm a little resentful that I didn't get a life-time membership discount or something for being an OG. Too bad no one I know works there anymore. (Yes. I'm old as shitakes.) But most mentionable - even for someone whose taste palate has broadened beyond college snacks, I still can't resist the taste of warm potato dumplings spicing up my belly. The sour cream, the spice, the cilantro!!! It's perfect pre-emptive starchy hangover-away food. You'll never regret it. I never have and never will. read more