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    Serious Dumpling 正经生煎

    4.0 (1.3k reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

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    Recommended Reviews - Serious Dumpling 正经生煎

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    Reviews With Photos - Serious Dumpling 正经生煎

    James L.

    Extremely burnt curry beef shen Jiang bao. The regular shrn Jiang bao was also burnt.

    Beef Pancake - 牛肉卷饼 ($12.50)
    John D.

    Bao Down Serious Dumpling is one of several restaurants operated by Hong Kong-born restaurateur and author** Chris Yeo, who also owns Straits (Santana Row); Sino (closed); Roots & Rye (Los Gatos); and The Province (San Jose). Serious Dumpling, as the name implies, focuses on classic Chinese and Taiwanese street food, snacks, and bao--but with modern twists. The Good: * Friendly service * Full selection of alcohol, from sake and mixed drinks to beers on tap and in bottles. * Great branding--I love their little dumpling logo. * We both absolutely loved the Garlic Noodles (蒜蓉炒面), which were definitely the star of the show--perfect texture and a great garlicky flavor. * The humble Beef Pancake (牛肉卷饼) has quickly become one of our favorite Taiwanese apps. Thin slices of beef wrapped in a tasty, crispy scallion pancake make this a fantastic bite. * The Spicy Pork SJB (辣猪肉) is another delicious bite, with a crispy bottom and a juicy, pork-filled interior. * The garlic string beans (蒜蓉四季豆) were another surprisingly delicious side. Tbh, we only ordered them thinking we should get some veggies in, but they turned out to be one of the highlights The Meh: * DTSJ means having to find and pay for parking. There is some street parking available (free on Sundays and City holidays), but your best bet is the San Pedro Square parking garage The Ugly: * Some of the Rainbow XLBs (彩色小笼包) came out already popped from the kitchen, which is kind of a bummer. I'm not sure what you do in that situation--do you complain and ask for another, or just suck it up and vent in your Yelp review? I'll let you guess my course of action. ;) Conclusion: Fine spot to get your dumpling and noodle on **Chris Yeo co-wrote "The Cooking of Singapore: Great Dishes from Asia's Culinary Crossroads" https://a.co/d/0j7KqEUD⁠

    Pork & shrimp XLB
    Katie R.

    Awesome spot in the heart of downtown SJ for some traditional and more unique dumplings! We ordered the original SJB pan-fried soup dumplings, boiled lamb dumplings, pork & shrimp chili oil wontons, pork & shrimp XLB, garlic noodles, and cucumber salad. My favorites were the original SJB, which were unbelievably soupy, and the boiled lamb dumplings. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We came in on a weekday afternoon and it was surprisingly busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Even though there was only one server working, the service was great, and the food came out quickly.

    LeeLee C.

    In SJ downtown, so parking is slightly tricky but you can park at a parking structure nearby and it's free for the first 90 minutes. The service is good and deserves a 4 star. Although it's an online menu, we ordered via the server and food was freshly made. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The tables are not big and we had to shuffle dishes around.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food quality wise was not that impressive though. We tried: - coke chicken wing: does not taste like coke chicken wing, lacking the fried element on the outside, more like a sweet soy sauce chicken wing - pan fried buns: ok, has juice inside, but some part of the bun was too hard. - regular XLB: tasted ok as there's soup inside. The wrapping can be thinner. - rainbow XLB: the most disappointed dish. They were almost all broken when we tried to pick them up. The pink one I got was curry beef and it just tasted weird. The green one which we presumed is spinach wrapping is actually a veggie XLB. - Garlic noodle with spam and veg: This is the best dish of all. There are slices of soft mushroom, good garlic flavor, we had spam and cabbage added. $13.60 for plain noodle and toppings such as protein and veg are each $2-$3 on top. -Garlic Kale: also good, chopped garlic brought up good flavors and the kale are fresh. -Ube buns: freshly made and not overly sweet, good size and quality, but 4 for $13.5 is not that affordable. Total damage before tips is $104. I think I still prefer Shanghai #1 for pan fried buns and other Shanghainese dishes.

    Loco moco
    Jessica G.

    Food was delicious but the dumplings were smaller than expected except for the pan fried soup dumplings. Those were a decent size but unfortunately burnt/over cooked on the bottom. Flavor profile was good esp the garlic noodles and garlic steing beans, they were not too salty. Sadly the loco moco beef patty was a bit too firm and dry. Not enough gravy. Service was good. Someone made sure we put on name on the list when we were waiting at the door. A server check on us every once in a while. Took a while to get more chopsticks and the paper check. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance was great. Not too loud. Spacious enough for groups to be apart and not too close thay you bump into others. Cozy. Up to date. Clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]1 unisex bathroom.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Anthony I.

    Serious dumpling is solid, great for a quick stop in, shrimp & pork hit the spot! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great service and atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Anthonyxibarrax

    Harmanjeet K.

    Surprisingly small restaurant but some seriously good dumplings steaming here! It wasn't crowded for weekday lunch and we were able to grab a nice corner. The hostess was very kind in taking our order when we were ready and helped us by joining two tables together since we order a LOT of dumplings. We ordered the following: Chicken potstickers: Juicy, steaming hot, thick coating but crisp from the bottom, delicious umami and my most favorite out of everything we ordered. 5/5 Pork and shrimp sui mai: They were tough but tasted good. I've had better but these were good as well. 3.5/5 Garlic noodles with added egg: These were disappointingly sweet with a fried egg on top. Canned garlic did not help the dish at all. 1/5 Giant xiong long bao: Massive dumpling with little pork filling but a lot of hot soup that can be sipped with two tiny straws. I'm a hot soup and broth lover so this was massively amazing for me. However, the dumpling completely stuck to the steamer basket from the sides tearing the dumpling apart. I would have loved to take the whole thing home and eat it later but it was a mess so left the whole thing after drinking the soup with the help of the straw. Still 4/5 since the soup was AMAZING! Chicken xiong long bao and pork xiong long bao: Very similar to chicken steamed dumplings we've had at other places. Little soup in the chicken ones but tasty . 4/5 for both Chicken wonton in chilli oil and pork and shrimp wonton in chilli oil- Tiny portions but great flavor once you add their soy sauce, vinegar and amazing chilli oil. 5/5 Pork and shrimp sui mai: Delicate and delicious. 5/5 Shrimp har gao: I've had better. 3/5 Chocolate xiong long bao: Chewy, warm and delicious. Loved them!! 5/5 We will retun for the chicken potstickers and other offerings! They have a nice menu and a very hard working kitchen staff! Lived watching them steam dumplings for us!

    Corporate event
    Jonathan B.

    I've been for several business lunches and had a chance to try much of the menu but haven't been able to take photos... Shrimp & Pork Wontons: excellent and the dish to get when you don't know what to get. I like a little extra chili oil. Pork Xiao Long Bao: nvm, THIS is the signature dish. I like the pork and shrimp version even better. Garlic noodles: Ask for egg to be added. Not too garlicky but with a defn kick. Garlic string beans: underrated. Get these and you even feel like you're being healthy. Beef pancake: sort of a Shanghai version of a burrito. Decent but a little dry -- not my fav. Steamed Curry Beef Dumplings: very juicy inside. A touch of curry. Quite good but I like the XLB better. Small room with lots of light. Staff helpful. Will keep coming to lunch.

    Pork XLB
    Sparkles P.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]All the vibes of San Pedro Market, great ambiance, but a cozy inside spot with delicious food and good service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had pork XLB, pork and shrimp XLB, chicken potstickers, garlic string beans, and jasmine rice. It was a clean sweep of yum. My future SJSU student said she will be back lots next year!

    Garlic Noodles, garlic string beans, chicken wontons in chili oil, curry beef sjb
    Neil Arden D.

    (San Pedro Square) Food: original giant soup xlb (8.5/10)- enjoyed the flavor and texture of this dish. It is steamed so the container has holes which causes the soup to pour on the plate. You will have to use the straw on the plate to drink the soup. Garlic noodles (9/10) very flavorful and is probably the dish I enjoyed the most. Noodles were cooked well. Shrimp added more texture and flavor Garlic string bean (7.5/10) string beans were cooked well but lacked flavor. Chicken wontons (6.7/10) won't really buy this again. Small and lacked flavor. Had to add chili Curry beef sjb (8/10)- little hard on the bottom but the beef and soup tasted well Ube chocolate buns (7.8/10) I expected more for this. You can't really taste the Ube and it didn't have much chocolate inside. If they added more chocolate I would have graded this a lot higher Setting: plenty of seats, clean, and offers table sizes for small to larger groups. Tv available if you want to watch sports etc Service: server was great. Checked on us if we needed water, recommended some dish, and was updating us on when our order will arrive. Price: price is fair. Not too expensive or cheap Parking: San Pedro square garage or side streets

    Maisie W.

    3/5: If I'm only rating the food, its 2.5/5. Its terrible. Starting off with the fried pork and shrimp dumplings, as soon as I took a bite, all I could really taste was the oil and the meat inside was just mediocre. I didnt eat any of the dough. Now, the shumai, I dont know what meats they use but this is definitely not an authentic human. The beef noodle souple was the only dish that was actually ok. I gave it a 3, only because the waiters are great. Will not be back. If you are familiar with asian food, specially if you are from around SGV Area in Southern CA, this place unfortunately will not satisfy your cravings.

    Cucumber salad(凉拌黄瓜) Pork&Shrimp SJB (猪肉虾仁) Garlic Noodles        (蒜蓉炒面) Chicken Wonton in Chili Oil (6)(鸡肉抄手)
    Lasya R.

    Came in with no expectations, but WOW! This place gives Din Tai Fung a run for its money, with pretty similar menu items and that same delicious taste! All the dumplings and noodles were super flavorful and served fast. The only thing is that the items tend to lean on the sweeter side, so just be aware of that. I wish we got a few more "spicy" items to offset it. Service was quick and the servers were really helpful in deciding what to order. Inside is pretty nice, and when we went for dinner on a Monday evening it was pretty empty and quiet inside. Definitely will be back!

    Pork and Shrimp Shumai
    Jess B.

    My family and I decided to eat at Serious Dumpling for a birthday dinner and really enjoyed it! The location is great. It's surrounded by bars, restaurants, and dessert spots, which makes it a perfect place to start (or end) a date night or hang out with friends. My family and I ordered quite a few things off the menu, and honestly, everything was good. Our favorites were the garlic noodles, ube XLB, and curry SJB. The food came out quickly, and the servers were friendly and efficient. The interior is modern with seating inside and outside. The inside though isn't the best setup for larger groups. Our group of 5 sat pretty close to another table with just a small divider between us, so it felt a bit tight. Prices are on the higher side, and for the portion sizes, it's a bit hard to justify. Although, that's somewhat expected given that it's in downtown. That's really the only reason this isn't a full five stars.

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    11 days ago

    My husband and I loved our experience here! The service was great and the food exceeded our expectations. We will be back!

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    Page 1 of 33

    Serious Dumpling 正经生煎 Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Serious Dumpling 正经生煎

    How is parking around 6:30-7:00 pm?

    A parking structure is right in front and parking is better than you would think. Although anywhere in downtown San Jose on a weekend or Friday parking won't be easy to navigate.

    Are there enough options on the menu for vegetarian?

    A handful of the dumpling styles had a vege option. Not plentiful but doable.

    Do you accept reservations?

    They only take reservation for 6+ people

    View All 5 Questions

    Leung Noodle

    Leung Noodle

    4.1
    (261 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$

    I've had Leung Noodle bookmarked for so long and it did not disappoint. It's pretty popular at all…read morehours (even during the morning when they open) so be prepared for a slight wait at times, but service is quick. I love how customizable the menu is. You can order soup or dry style, then choose between 6 different types of noodles, then finally choose your broth. The possibilities are endless! We went with the classic which was dry, combination noodles (which includes egg noodle and rice noodle), and nam vang (shrimp and pork). This is their most popular order and you can't go wrong! If you order it dry, it comes with a side of soup. My issue with Hu Tieu Nam Vang at other restaurants is that sometimes it's too dry and there's not enough sauce. Not a problem at Leung Noodle! They have a perfect amount of sauce that coat all the noodles really well. Tons of meat too - I'm not even able to finish it! They have sides that you can use like pickled garlic and chili spice. Would recommend getting a side of Chinese donuts too. It pairs really well with the noodles!

    It was decent. I'd rate it a 3.5 stars. I thought the portion looked small but it turned out to be…read morejust the right amount. The wonton is not good. Needed more flavor. The fried shrimp dumpling is not worth it. Legit looked like har gow but they deep fried it. Broth was good tho. The noodles had a nice chew. Although, I couldn't really tell if they used 2 types of noodles: egg noodles and Hu Tieu because of the dark sauce already mixed at the bottom. Service is a bit stand off ish. Funny how I can understand what they are saying. Prompt service tho. I'd come back if I was craving some Hu Tieu Nam Vang.

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    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar

    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar

    4.4
    (481 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Mom and pop known for Hu Tieu Nam Vang, which is a Vietnamese pork and seafood noodle dish. Place…read moreitself is clean, with a little parking lot, and service is nice and fast. Close to SJSU. I got the Hu Tieu Nam Vang dry style with both the hu tieu (rice noodle) and mi (egg noodle). It was very tasty and a texture lovers dream. Bouncy noodles, crisp veggies, succulent pork and shrimp. The broth that comes on the side has a nice sweetness. Overall, great food and highly recommend!

    It's been about a year since my last visit, and I'm so glad I came back. They're well known for…read moretheir Nam Vang noodle soup, and it did not disappoint. The broth is fresh, clean-tasting, and the portions are generous. They also offer a great smaller portion called the Baby Noodles, which was perfect for the kids. The restaurant appears to be family-owned and operated, and everyone there is incredibly kind and welcoming. They regularly checked in on us, kept our water and tea refilled, and made us feel well taken care of throughout our meal. When we packed our leftovers to go, they even offered to refill our soup container for us--now that's exceptional service! It's the little things like that that keep customers coming back. They're currently offering 10% off during the month of July to celebrate their 10-year anniversary, which makes it an even better time to visit. I'll definitely be back and look forward to continuing to support this wonderful local business.

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    Serious Dumpling 正经生煎 - chinese - Updated August 2026

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