My friend recommended this place and said it was better than Din Tai Fung. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. First off, there was a lot of parking in this hidden strip mall. When we got there, there was a little bit of a wait, about 10 minutes. The menu was digital and we were able to order from the table from our phone. The service was good, the restaurant was clean and had quite a few tables there. The bathroom was located upstairs, the key was by the register at the front. The scallion pancake was good but I've had better. The dan dan noodles were really tasty, it was like a mix of spicy noodles with peanut noodles and I'm definitely down for that. The XLB was juicy and oh so delicious. The spicy wontons were fresh tasting. The beef rice cake was great but I wish it had a little kick to it. I was a little surprised that it had an assortment of proteins in it. read more

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Hidden gem for sure. Got recommended by a co-worker and it was definitely worth checking out. It's a cute little spot tucked into the plaza with cozy vibes. We had just gotten back from China and were craving Chinese food, so this totally hit the spot haha. We ordered the beef stew soup noodles, fried pan pork dumplings, and string beans and everything was delicious! One thing we liked was how they had QR code ordering and easy mobile payment. It reminded us of being back in China with how convenient everything was. The prices were also more affordable compared to places like Din Tai Fung. Overall, a solid spot with good food & easy ordering. 100% would come back again. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Beef stew noodle soup We enjoyed so much that we forgot to take a photo prior lol - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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This place duplicated the din tai fung menu - as a semi-fadt food casual place. Kudos to them as it's not possible to get into din tai fung any more! The prices are about 30% less. That's great. The food was variable. Most of all, por Xiao bao - the best dish from din tai fung were meh - I would not order again. Hot and sour soup - though different - was quite good. And spicy wontons were excellent. You have to order yourself from a QR code - and service is only for delivery of the meal to the table. In the final analysis it was only ok. It is still pricey for what it is and my favorite part - the Xiao bao disappointed. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Hot and sour soup - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I decided to come here after seeing TikTok reviews claiming it's better than Din Tai Fung. We ordered several dishes, and the pork ears were incredibly flavorful. If you prefer a thicker dumpling skin over the thinner style, this is definitely the spot for you. As for the filling, the flavor profile is very similar to what you'd find in Taiwan. The food arrived quickly, but the place gets busy, so be prepared for a wait! read more

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Really enjoyed eating at this restaurant. Parking is plentiful. Located in a plaza. Kind of a small restaurant but there was plenty of seating when I went with some friends on a weekday evening. Food came out fast and it was all delicious. Staff are at the front and walk around sometimes. Easy to flag them down if you need anything. Loved their hot and sour soup. Easily shareable. The Xiao long bao was delicious as well! Will definitely be back. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Had a chance to visit this establishment finally! Twice even! It's located in a low key spot that is not visible by the main road of El Toro but for the locals who know, this place makes good dumplings. Sometimes you will encounter a longer than usual wait for obvious reasons (peak hours, holiday, or weekends). But their process is pretty streamlined. Orders are taken and paid via table QR code. Quite right for efficiency on their part. FYI, food does come out pretty quick so place your order together. Inside, it's on the smaller side and it's culturally decorated which fits their theme. Food wise, it's one of my local favorite for their dumplings. Love the pork and chive option. You can get it fried or boiled. I like the boiled option to get the good juices mixed with the table sauce. You can try the other variation if texture is your thing. Their noodles are really good here. Love the adente texture of their noodles. I recommend going with 4-6 people to get a variety of dishes to enjoy. Also, they have them frozen if you want to get it for home cooking. Great place. Recommended! read more

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Din Tai Fung but better. Better tasting, better prices. I also really like the concept where you can order on your phone and of course the items yourself and then pay the bill when you're ready through the phone. Service was good on the day we went and started getting busy after we sat down. Inside is very clean and well kept. I am so glad my friend brought me to try this place because it is definitely a gem. read more

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It's a great place in lake forest it was first time and all food made fresh , the service is great. Their food is amazing 8/10. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Cozy and popular restaurant frequented by families. The interior of the restaurant was extremely cold when I visited, so I'm glad I brought a sweater despite the warm weather. No complaints about any of the dishes or the prices. My party of three ordered the pork and shrimp XLB, pan-fried pork and shrimp dumplings, beef noodle soup, green onion pancake, and bok choy. As a SGV native, I was very pleased with the tastes and textures of each dish. I noticed that the pork filling for the dumplings seems to have quite a bit of soy sauce due to the darker brown color but it is not overly salty. Shrimp in the dumpling fillings were super plump. The green onion pancake was artfully fluffed and crispy, much better this time than during a previous visit to the restaurant. Beef noodle soup was a little spicier than expected but nothing crazy, with chewy noodles. Veggies were flavorful and not overcooked. Overall, these five dishes set us back approximately $75 after tip so I was very happy with the price as well. No comment on service because the staff does not interact with you, other than to seat you and bring your dishes and water to the table. read more

Amazing dumpling restaurant!!! Love this place and good price. Interior - Inside is small but was able to fit a group of 9. Love the art and the historical art wall. Love how you can see people making the dumplings. Food- everything was good. We basically order almost everything. Everything was good. We ended up ordering a total of 4 beef noodle soups for our kids because they wanted more. We got 3 xlb and everything else. We highly enjoyed all of it. Service - very attentive. Great. The bathroom is outside upstairs. My husband enjoyed the user friendly ordering app. Will totally come again. read more

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Heard good things about sunny dumplings, can confirm they were true. Saw a lot of older regular folk so I knew it was fire. Really liked everything I tried! Service isn't extremely fast but everything is handmade so it was worth. You can watch the ladies hand folding the dumplings in the front. I would recommend to arrive a little early to avoid lining up, but lot of people ordered takeout. We got: - pan fried dumplings: pretty crispy and juicy inside. Filling is purely pork, good flavor - pork and cabbage dumplings: personally this is a favorite combo for me and I think they did it really nicely here. Skin is slightly thick and chewy. - fried cabbage: got a lot of vinegar notes, really liked this. Will be coming back for sure! read more

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Visited on a Saturday night 2hrs prior to closing time. Order was easy to place using the QR code available at the table. The restaurant itself is very brightly lit. The tables are put together pretty closely. Family friendly and good for large groups looking to have a cheap meal easily shared. But if you get overwhelmed by noise, lots of movement happening with servers, children, big dogs, loved up and oblivious couples in your peripheral vision and other stuff happening, I highly recommend not coming here to dine-in. I personally really didn't care for kids shrieking and coming up to the table or crawling under my chair, and overhearing other people's conversations that are less than pleasant. I thought I was going to choke on my food with so much happening from seemingly all different directions. Talk about sensory overload! Food quality here was ok. My favorite item was the dan dan noodles. Portion was on the smaller side so I wouldn't attempt splitting it between two adults or anything. I did, and both parties ended up with 3 bites to eat at most. The shrimp wontons were delicious but not spicy at all. The texture and flavoring was just right. The wontons had a nice silky chew to it. The dumplings itself were tasty and fresh but on the lukewarm side somehow. I wouldn't mind reordering again but I highly recommend eating it onsite right away. Now the item in question not pictured is the scallion pancakes. It never arrived even after we were done with our entire meal. They basically forgot to serve it to us altogether so we asked to have it to go because the check was already paid. The box was full of pre shredded pancake with lots of stale old oil overpowering all other textures or taste of the item. I don't understand why it came pre shredded like that. It made it not any easier or better to eat them. What it did accomplish was leaving me with the feeling of eating someone else's half eaten food. The service was on the faster end but not polite or friendly. Even with forgetting to serve the scallion pancakes, there was no apologies given and the takeaway box was literally tossed to our table with no acknowledgment whatsoever. Not even an eye contact or anything. Very very rude. Would I return again? Perhaps on weekday lunchtime or any off peak hours. And I would have to be pretty desperate for dumplings read more

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A small dumpling house dishing out freshly hand-made dumplings, other simple tasty dishes, and filling soups. You can often look toward the kitchen and see a couple of aunties making the dough and wrapping the dumplings in question. Imagine a casual, fast Din Tai Fung and you're pretty much there. Service is quick; after being seated you scan a QR code on your phone and manage everything virtually, while staff brings out steaming hot food to your table. The XLB are delicious, fattier and with thicker wrappers than places like DTF or Paradise Dynasty, resulting an a heartier and more homey-feeling experience. They come the usual chili oil, black vinegar, and ginger, too. The other dumplings are also juicy and tasty, and come in soup form or in the case of wontons, either pan fried or tossed in chili oil. We come here regularly and usually leave with 1-2 bags of *very* reasonably priced frozen dumplings to enjoy at home. My Taiwanese partner gives them at least three thumbs up all around. Sunny Dumpling House can get packed at times, but it's always worth it coming for hot, fresh, juicy dumplings and bowls of noodle soup. Even and its busiest it's still to me a more pleasant experience than any day at a fancy dumpling house like DTF, and I suggest it to everybody who asks me for recommendations in the area. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Pork and shrimp Xiaolongbao, spicy pork wontons, and assorted rice cakes - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Cucumber salad with garlic, shrimp and pork dumplings, and beef soup. Everything was delicious, love how they are made with detail and care. I will be coming back. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Cucumber salad with garlic, shrimp and pork dumplings, and beef soup. - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

We wanted to have a light dinner tonight and since it was cold we were thinking hot soup sounded great. We are from Northern California, so I don't really know what places are good. I stumbled upon this great little restaurant. We ordered hot and sour soup, beef noodle stew and a plate of 12 pork dumplings. So much delicious food! We should have ordered less because there was a lot and we are traveling. You can even order the dumplings frozen to take home (if you live close by). I wish we were closer to this little gem! Oh, and they make the dumplings fresh right there! read more

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I went there for dinner with my kid and a friend. We didn't order any veggies. We went there for their dumplings. We order the XLB for sure. Pan fried dumplings, steamed dumplings and pork spicy wonton. I can't eat spicy food and they have a non-spicy version !!! The place is pretty small. Really like a hole in the wall place. Customers seem to be all locals. Many families with young kids had dinner there. The ordering is very easy. There is a QR code on each table. Scan it with your phone and you open a tab. You can open tabs for individuals or tab for the whole group. When you pay, just close the tab and pay online. It is a heaven for introvert like myself. They do close early. We were there on Friday and they close at 8pm. So plan to go early. They also sell frozen dumplings that you can take home to enjoy. Two ladies in the back wrapping dumplings in lightening speed behind plexiglass. So you know you are eating authentic goodies. Will definitely go back. read more

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Definitely a great little restaurant! Everything we ordered was delicious. The dumplings, the soup, the green beans, the mushrooms--all were delicious! Service was fast, efficient and continuous, they were hopping with a busy crowd. People in, people out then more people in!! Also as others have mentioned, prices are Very Reasonable. read more

Super cute and tasted pretty traditional! Ordering from the barcode on the table made everything super easy!!!! Food came out in a timely manner and the dumplings were really juicy and tasty!!!! I'll definitely be coming back! read more

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Great dumpling spot! I haven't had this spot in awhile and glad to see it's still good! XLB were juicy and delicious. Almost as good as Din Tai Fung and cheaper and without the wait too! The onion panckaes were good too and very crispy. You can self order here with your phone and service is prompt. This place can get busy for weekday lunch. Would recommend this spot if you're looking for a DTF alternative! read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Onion Pancake - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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We got chive and pork dumplings, shrimp and pork Xiao long bao, spicy wontons, beef noodle soup, cold seaweed, cold cucumbers . Loved it all and love the price and portions. Service was good too. read more

The food was delicious. Especially the assorted fried rice and chow main. We ordered the shrimp and pork dumplings too.

Nice quick spot where you don't have to interact with your server. Would prefer more varied protein options.

We really enjoyed the food here. We ordered cucumber, thin onion pancake, green beans, soup dumplings (take 15 min), dan dan noodles, pan fried pork dumplings. So good! Agree the wrappers are thicker than DTF. Less soup but no less flavor. I have never had the thin onion pancake presented already taken apart which frankly is exactly what I do with them. The pancake was especially delicious. Very flakes. The pork shrimp soup dumplings had a big chunk of juicy shrimp in it. Not skimpy. There are QR codes at the table for ordering or they will come by to take an order. So you will need a table to.place an order. They have counter ordering also. Must be for take out. I thought they were helpful. They provide a pitcher of water at the table which is nice for someone like me who likes to drink a lot of water. I thought the place was quite clean. They cleaned off the table well. Not sticky and very clean. Its not super bougie. Im there for the food. Its in the corner next to a Montessori. Good signage. Lots of parking. Looking forward to returning. read more

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Got to try this place out with my coworkers. We went a couple minutes after they opened and it was almost packed. You scan the QR code on the table and order through your phone. This is convenient especially when you don't feel like talking to any of the workers. Food: - Dan Dan Noodles: This was my frist time trying out dan dan noodles and I love how it had peanuts in it. It gave it a nice crunch and the dish wasn't too spicy. - Sauteed String Beans: LOVE LOVE LOVE this dish! This was a big hit in our table! The string beans was so flavorful and still had a bite to it. - Juicy Pork Xiao Long Bao: Yummy! Love the soup ratio they had in it and it was flavorful - Nappa and Pork Dumplings (fried): This was alright but still ate it! - Shrimp and Pork Wontons w/ Spicy Sauce: this was another favorite! The spicy sauce was not spicy at all but everyone loved it. Overall, the food was great. There's always a line so make sure to stop by! Another tip is to call ahead to pick up! read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Good, authentic dumpling spot tucked in a strip mall with ample parking. Clean interior and ordering and paying is all done via QR code on your table. We ordered a good variety of dishes to try and the steamed Napa cabbage, pork dumplings along with the xlb and pan fried pork dumplings were consistent in flavor which was good. The fried rice had good wok "hey" heat but the best thing was the green onion pancake! They serve it different from other places. It's served almost in a shredded state in a rattan basket and was super crispy. Had just enough green onion flavor too. I would get two of these. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Xlb & steamed pork, Napa cabbage dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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It's been a few years since I last dined inside Sunny Dumpling House. We arrived shortly before the wait got to be too long for dinner. Usually we arrive when the wait is ridiculous so we just leave. We were in luck this time around. It seems they've updated the inside decor. It's much nicer than the last time we were here for sure. What I still don't like is that the restroom is outside of the restaurant and upstairs in the building. The building is older and the restroom needs some upgrades, but that's not the restaurant's fault. You order through the QR code on the table which is a bit different for me...and something I need to get used to. I definitely accidentally closed the ordering page over ten times instead of hitting the back button. That was quite annoying but it's fine. We ordered; 1) xiao ling bao with shrimp and pork - absolutely delicious. 2) pan fried dumplings with pork - this was also very good and surprisingly juicy. 3) Dan Dan noodles - ugh. So good. 4) spicy dumplings - very tasty 5) wonton soup - note that there are no noodles in this dish. It is still yummy though. 6) green beans - a generous portion (thank you for that) We LOVED everything we ordered. Everyone with their first bites, just looked across the table at each other, eyes rolling from the deliciousness. I forgot just how good Sunny Dumpling House is. We left while giggling like silly kids and already planning to return next week. read more

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Upon arrival, the restaurant is in a strange location with no other food-related shops nearby, and the parking lot is quite narrow. Stepping inside feels like walking into a 1990s hair salon. The bright white lighting casts an unflattering yellow hue on everyone's face. A small showcase of elderly staff making dumplings is the only charming aspect--it almost feels like your grandparents are preparing your meal. Service was odd--one friendly woman, one robotic, expressionless man, and neither very attentive. The woman only responded when I asked for the restroom key. Cleanliness leaves much to be desired--tables were sticky, and the restroom, outside the restaurant, required a key from staff like a gas station bathroom. Unfortunately, the food is entirely inedible: Pork Xiao Long Bao: The dough is thick, the meat filling minimal, and the soup inside is a gluey yellow jelly rather than a clear broth. After just one bun, my stomach already felt bloated. Fennel and Pork Dumplings: The fennel is unpleasantly mushy and overwhelms the entire dumpling. The pork filling is undercooked, making the whole thing a joke. Spicy Wontons: Hardly spicy, with thick wrappers and meat filling that's indistinguishable--you have no idea what you're actually eating. When we asked for the bill, we left much of the food, and none of the staff seemed to notice--leaving uneaten food must be normal here. Despite the many 5-star reviews online, my experience didn't match the hype. It's possible that the convenience and low prices attract lots of praise, or that some reviewers rate generously--whatever the reason, the food I had was far below expectations. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Zero service, harsh white classroom lighting, and disgusting food -- topped off with a thick, gluey "juice" that made my stomach hurt - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I placed an order online right at 4:30. It doesn't let you place it earlier for dinner time. Based on the reviews here, I took my time picking it up. The order was estimated to be ready by 5:07 pm. I got a text at 5:20 that it was ready. The food was great! I got the pork spicy wontons, xlb, dan dan noodles and shrimp & pork shaomai. I like that the dan dan noodles comes with a lot of protein. I don't always eat spicy but I still enjoyed the pork spicy wontons. I didn't like the dipping sauces that came with our order but that's just a personal preference. The shaomai was the best part of the order. This is one of the best shaomai that I've ever had and I've tried a lot because that's my favorite dim sum dish. I would have given this review 5 stars if it doesn't cost 12.99 for 6 pieces. Everything but the shaomai was fairly priced. You get a decent amount of food for what you pay. read more

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Great Green Onion Pancakes, but Skip the Dumplings We really wanted to love this place, but it seems tailored more for a Western palate. The dumplings were a bit of a miss--the dough was too thick on the guotie and the fillings weren't that good. The Xiao Long Bao lacked juice. While the green onion pancake was delicious and well-made, the rest of our large order didn't quite hit the mark for authenticity. read more

What a hidden gem! Literally hidden in the back corner of a small plaza, you'll walk through the door to immerse yourself in a Chinese restaurant beautifully decorated like the olden days in China. Their pan fried dumplings and green onion pancake are our family favorites. They even have bulk frozen bags of dumplings, wontons, and XLB for sale. read more

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It's nice to have this high quality dim sum place in the neighborhood. Green onion pancakes are thin and crispy which is my favorite. Xiao Long Bao and Pan Fried dumpling are soupy just not as good as I had in Shanghai, but still really good. My friend love all of them and his favorite is spicy wonton. At last, We got one bag of frozen dumplings which is good for quick meal at home or camping. read more

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Deceny dumpling place in Lake forest area. Everything can be made fresh here. They also selltogo frozen dumplings . Beef noodle: they use yellow egg noodles, broth is not spicy at all Spicy wonton: one of my favorite in here, really good sauce flavor and the fillings comes with pork or shirmp Tried their Xiao long bao and it was okay, not too impressive All and all, Every dish was good ,we have been here 4 times already and food is very staple. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Beef noodle - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Honestly, everything but the soup dumplings were good. The service was quick considering the place was full. The green beans and fried rice was delicious. It's a must get. I would pass on the soup dumplings because I found the dough to be too thick compared to the soup ratio. read more

Sunny Dumpling House is a great alternative to avoiding the long waits at Din Tai Fung. I was worried that it might be a hole-in-the-wall and was pleasantly surprised to see that it had been recently remodeled. Like DTF, you can watch the cooks making the dumplings by hand. You access the menu and order via QR code. The pork xiao long baos were piping hot and very juicy, with a slightly thicker wrapper than DTF. The spicy wonton were not very spicy (and I'm sensitive to spice). Their green onion pancake was unusual - very crispy and flaky, reminiscent of a croissant that had been fried. Will be back to explore more of their menu! Plenty of parking in the lot. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Pork xiao long Bao - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Sunny Dumpling House is amazing! The dumplings are really good and super tasty. They actually remind me of Din Tai Fung, but I honestly prefer Sunny Dumpling House. The flavors are fresher, the portions are great, and everything tastes homemade. I also like that you can order from the QR menu on your phone and pay right from your mobile super easy and fast. I definitely recommend this place if you love delicious dumplings. So tasty! read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Not too many Chinese restaurants in Lake Forest, so it was great to find this nice dumpling house. Food was affordable and came out very fast. The pork xiao long bao had lots of flavorful soup and a good amount of pork filling. read more

Sunny Dumpling House - dan dan noodles - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Used to love this place, but not anymore. This used to be one of our family's favorite go-to spots, but our visit yesterday completely changed that. We were disgusted to find a fly floating in the soy sauce dish I poured some for my little boy, and he was the one who pointed it out absolutely gross! They keep a soy sauce teapot on every table and you cant see inside until you pour it on your sauce dish! It makes you wonder how long that's been in there and how often they actually clean or change out the sauces. It's really disappointing because the food used to be great, but this shows a serious lack of cleanliness and care. Sadly, we won't be coming back. read more

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I feel like a lot of DTF dupes are still pretty pricey, so I really appreciated how affordable Sunny Dumpling House is while still being yummy!! They have QR code menus that you use to order from your phone, and you pay with your phone at the end too. So, the service is pretty limited and they only really come by to give you the food, but no complaints! We ordered the shrimp fried rice, shrimp and pork XLB, and the pork pan fried dumplings to share between the two of us. Our total before tip was just a little over $40, and we ate till we were full and still had leftovers!!! That's honestly crazy considering the total for me alone at DTF will be $40 on a light day. I will say the shrimp fried rice was just okay, the rice was pretty sticky and got worse as it cooled down. However, the XLB was solid, and the pan fried dumplings were very good, definitely my favorite out of the 3 items we ordered and they come in huge portions. The pan fried dumplings were soooo delicious and crispy with a SUPER juicy pork filling. I'll definitely be coming back just for these! read more

Sunny Dumpling House - Pan fried pork dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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First tried Sunny Dumpling House at Taste of LF and had to check out this place to see what else they offered! It is hidden away in a random strip mall that we'd honestly never ventured into before, but inside was super cute and well air conditioned for the hot summer day. Best XLB ever - bursting with flavor! We also really liked their green beans, perfectly seasoned and great for sharing (there were four of us). Beef chow mein was good as were the pork + chive dumplings. My wife's favorite were the spicy wontons and our friends loved the pork and shrimp shumai. Super easy to order using the QR code at the table, service was great and food was brought out in good time. We will definitely be back! read more

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Solid dimsum, now I wouldn't say anything here blows my mind, but if you like the flavors of DTF then you'll probably be content with the flavors here. The service was really nice, we came in pretty late on a thursday afternoon and didn't realize they closed at 8pm and we didn't feel pressured to leave or anything, but we did notice them clearing everything out and quickly finished the meal when we asked when they closed. Food came out relatively fast too, but also there weren't a lot of customers in at the time. The store itself is on the smaller end but overall is a very casual place to eat. If you had a quick craving for dimsum and don't want excruciating wait times and a high price tag then I would definitely prioritize here. Overall for food: Honestly, with places like this I would always recommend going in and trying. For me nothing was really mindblowing, but I also grew up on this type of cuisine so my pallet might be a bit harsh for judging. I think this is one of those situations where the food tastes exactly how its listed so if you're craving something on the menu then it won't hurt to try! read more

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