The food and service were ok. Nothing I would seek out again. The one thing that was outstanding was the green beans. They had a ton of flavor and I would highly recommend those. Overall score 6.8/10 read more

Ugly Dumpling - Dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Huge restaurant with lots of tables, great ambiance with plants hanging from the ceiling at some booths and the 'Bao Lab' where they're being crafted live. My booth was kind of in the middle of the room and was open on both sides so felt a little exposed and weird, I would have preferred a cozy booth with flowers or in a corner/against a wall. I guess that's on me for not asking to be moved, but it was weird I was sat there when it wasn't that busy. Service could not have been more friendly - both the hostess and my server were so incredibly nice and personable, especially since I was on a road trip and eating by myself. My server went out of her way to make me feel comfortable and to get to know me and was very sweet and attentive, which I really appreciated. I loved that there was a vegan option in almost every category of the menu. I got the Vegan Dumplings and was a little underwhelmed - the dumpling skin was so thin they broke apart easily when I picked them up with chopsticks, which made them even harder to eat. The presentation wasn't great and they were unevenly spaced and kind of deflated and small looking. They were also 90% mushrooms which I don't really like but will tolerate in Asian food, but the flavor was still pretty meh, and I normally go crazy for dumplings. I also got the Vegan Spicy Wontons, which were better than the dumplings and came in a similarly colored green wrapping. They were thicker than the dumplings but were a little difficult to pick up with chopsticks due to the shape. They were yummy but again pretty heavy on the mushrooms. I normally don't like spicy food but have been liking spicy Chinese dishes lately, and these really weren't too hot at all, so even if you're a little sensitive to spice you'd probably be okay with these. My favorite part was the Fruity Yogurt Tea with Boba that I got in the Mango flavor. It was a little frustrating to have to pay extra for Boba when this was listed under the 'Bubble Tea' part of the menu, so you'd think that would be included. My server recommended I get this at 30% sweetness, which was the perfect amount - I can't believe it was only 30% because it was still pretty sweet! It was tasty and came in a cute to go cup that I requested so I could enjoy it on my way home. I was surprised and sad they didn't have any desserts with a Chinese flair, like a dessert soup dumpling or anything like that. I'm glad I stopped in and would want to try the Vegan Soup Dumplings and Cucumber Salad next time - it was really hard to choose this time. I wish I was a little more excited about the food I did get, but the flavors weren't too special or exciting sadly. The branding and name of this place are phenomenal though and made me want to stop in the second I saw it when I drove by, so A+ to the creative team on that! If I were local I'd stop by for some of their happy hour etc. specials they advertise. read more

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Greetings - Regarding my recent visit to the Ugly Dumpling in Hamden, Connecticut. I tried to be diplomatic about this visit, by emailing the local establishment, and trying to reach a manager today, on April 20th, by phone. I rarely go out to eat these days, because it has become expensive, but, on April 3rd, I found myself in Hamden, and I wanted to visit Ugly Dumpling as I had a take-out order a while back. On April 3rd, I sat at the bar, and enjoyed a very pleasant customer experience by the bartender / server. My receipt has been emailed to this company. Now.. I can do math. I am a salesperson, and deal with numbers and percentages all day. Upon a detailed review of my bill, I noticed that the management suggests a tip, based on the food and beverage AND state tax. Honestly, is this necessary? You'll notice that I left a generous, 20% gratuity for my pleasant and knowledgeable server. Additionally, after I processed my payment and gratuity, my final receipt shows additional tip suggestions of 2%, 3%, 5% and 7% !! What exactly is this for? Is this for real? read more

Ugly Dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Nice place with good ambiance and efficient services. Loved their colorful dumplings. Also tried their kung pao chicken which came with white rice and it was lovely. You can also watch through glass how dumplings are being made which is really cool. Totally recommend!! read more

Ugly Dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

So I had wanted to try ugly dumpling for some time, the concept of the fishbowl stark white kitchen reminds me of something out of a black mirror episode. They have a great vegan vegetarian menu and my hubs was excited to go to. He had the vegan wonton soup which was awesome and a vegan noodle dish. Both were great, very tasty. The waitress told us food would come out as it was ready so staggered. I ordered bbq pork dumplings (the picture pulled me in) and orange chicken. I also ordered a lychee martini. The lychee martini came and they were out of lychees so no fruit in my lycheeless martini :( then my orange chicken came out, 45 minutes later still no dumplings so we asked her to check on them, they took another 15 at which point we were kind of done eating so I took them to go. So my experience was a bit marred but the food was good. read more

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Honestly, not too shabby! One of the better Chinese restaurants in the New Haven area! I was a bit skeptical of this place at first because of the reviews and because it's a large chain, however, I was not disappointed. The food was pretty good. Not the most authentic, but close to it. The garlic green beans and spicy wontons were both delicious! The spicy wontons were not very spicy though. I also loved the beef noodle soup. There's not many places around the area where you can get this style beef noodle soup, so I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I would honestly skip the soup dumplings. Not the best, but maybe get it if you've never had it before. Also, the service was got was great. The kitchen was about to close in which they reminded us to order our to go food before which was thoughtful. read more

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I think it's unfortunate that this company would leave someone who was clearly overwhelmed and struggling with the sole responsibility of running the restaurant. She needed support, and it felt like her managers failed her, all apparently to focus on decorations and preparations for tomorrow's one-year anniversary. I can understand management believing she was capable of handling it, but it wasn't particularly busy, and we were the only two people at the bar when we arrived. From the moment we sat down, it was obvious she was stressed. Once we finally received menus and an introduction, she repeatedly talked about everything she had to do and take care of. Much more than I needed to know. As a bartender/server, part of the job is putting on a welcoming face and making customers feel comfortable, regardless of what is happening behind the scenes. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. She tried, but divulged way too much. She also should never have been put in that situation. She's not ready and it's very clear. Instead, I felt like a burden because my presence was adding to her stress. The atmosphere became so uncomfortable that I genuinely wanted to leave. I ended up ordering one appetizer, which didn't even come with the usual dumpling sauce because they were apparently deep-cleaning and preparing everything for tomorrow. But, she lied and gave me the vinegar, soy sauce and chili oil. Not the usual dumpling sauce - I had already heard her tell the customers behind me that the sauces weren't available due to deep cleaning. That's wild- put it in a different vessel. I did feel bad for her because she said normally she's a supervisor but was put in the position of bartending and managing the entire restaurant on her own. She clearly needed help. But as a paying customer, that situation isn't fair to me either. I wanted to enjoy a nice meal, not feel uncomfortable or hear about everything going wrong behind the scenes. They should have had a proper bartender and manager on duty. It is not the customers problem to take on. I would have stayed and ordered more because I was actually starving, but the atmosphere made me want to leave. I had originally planned on coming back tomorrow for the one-year celebration, but after this experience, I absolutely will not be attending. I'll also be opting out of the promotional texts that initially brought me in. Don't send out texts if your staff can't handle the volume. If you're going to promote an event for tomorrow, make sure today's customers are still being taken care of. Decorations and streamers can wait; the people sitting in your restaurant right now should come first. read more

It's unfortunate this place has good food, but the service is awful. I've been to this place multiple times and have witness staff being spoken to about the bad service by customers multiple times. It happens at least every time we go. It never really bothered me until this trip. The waiter with tattoos and maybe fake spiky haired wig waited every table around us that came in with us and after us. We told the hostess and she said sorry she'll send someone over, but still no one came. She proceeded to just look over at me, engaging in a staring contest with me from time to time, I didn't know if she was going to help or flirt with me. Our ghost waiter kept walking around to every other table, clearly avoiding us. It was quite odd behavior, like one of us knew him and had slept with his lover or something. Very strange behavior for a person working in the service industry that I've never met. We eventually left after 15 mins of just sitting there, while they both just looked and giggled as we walked out like school children. It's odd this place would employ such terrible service workers. If you don't want to work in the industry, then don't, but this business's employees are ruining business by being rude and lazy. Not worth the trip until they get better staff. read more

Dumplings were delicious and it was so fun being able to watch how they are made. We also ordered the wonton soup and ramen. It was tasty, but I've had better. The flavors were enjoyable, but it didn't quite stand out compared to similar places I've visited. Overall, it was a decent experience, but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to return for the ramen. The soup dumplings were definitely worth it! read more

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Wasn't impressed by my first visit. The staff was nice but one or two still needed more menu knowledge. My dumplings were just ok, would like to try again when it's just a couple of us, we had a party of six. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Dumplings lab - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

My wife has a bit of a thing for soup dumplings so this place has been on her radar for a few months since she found out about it. We got there about 6:45 on a Saturday night and there was a 25 minute wait so we sat at the bar. My wife had a toasted coconut mojito which was a bit heavy on the ice given the price of the small glass but it was really good. From the appetizer menu we got the salt and pepper popcorn chicken which was decent but desperately needed a dipping sauce. Glad we had some leftover from our spring rolls and fried chicken dumplings which were both decent enough. Pork and truffle soup dumplings were very good. Beef noodle stir fry was good, but maybe not something I'd get again. Service was very slow. I get bartenders are busy making drinks for the restaurant, but we weren't even offered water and it took like 15 minutes for them to take our food order. The food came out incredibly quickly, maybe less than 5 minutes, but we had 3 of our dishes in front of us before they offered utensils or side plates. Pricing was actually surprisingly cheap (besides the drink). Overall I would come back, but would probably order a few other items from the menu, but would probably opt to a similar restaurant that's closer to our house in the future. read more

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I love finding out about new foodie recommendations on social media, and after seeing some awesome videos about this location, I had to give it a try! I'm a sucker for a beautifully plated meal, but of course, the food has to be delicious. Our family stopped into Ugly Dumpling, and I was immediately impressed by the decor, just by opening the front doors! The interior and ambience were very sleek and modern, with a little bit of an edgy vibe that I loved! The seating area had plenty of options, from seats at the bar to a traditional table top. Our server, CJ, was excellent - very helpful and insightful. I loved that our server asked if it was our first time there and made sure to point out the Bao Lab, where they encouraged us to come back to watch their cooks freshly prepare the dumplings by hand, through an observatory glass. So cool for our kiddos to take that in, since we enjoy cooking together so much. Now, onto the menu! At first glance, we just wanted to have one of everything! Given our limited time and first visit, we opted to try the Ugly Dumpling Sampler, which comes with one of each flavor: pork, chicken, pork and crab, pork and truffle, pork shrimp and spinach, and Szechuan pork. I have always wanted to try soup dumplings, so this was my very first time, and I really enjoyed the variety of flavors included in the sampler. The truffle and the Szechuan were among my favorites! Our server was helpful and guided us through some of the more popular options, and we tried quite a few more, including the Soy Garlic Wings, which were delicious and not to be missed; Salt & Pepper Popcorn Chicken; Ugly Bao Bun; Cream Cheese Rangoon; Pork Chop Fried Rice which actually comes with a pork chop on top of the fried rice; Brown Sugar Boba and a Lychee Martini--looking forward to coming back to try even more options, especially the signature green beans. read more

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On my way to Quinnipiac, I tried Ugly Dumpling for the first time. Nice interior. I sat at the bar and tried the Red Lotus cocktail, and it was very refreshing. Also got the shrimp and pork wonton soup. It was a cold rainy day so the hot soup warmed me up nicely. Since it was their "signature item", I also tried the chicken dumplings (steamed). Dumplings were only ok, and the sauce it came with didn't help. read more

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The staff was great from when we checked in through out. Our only issue was we had a young server. Or maybe it was the kitchen Im not sure which. Our entrees came out before our appetizers. My husband thought our server looked young. So after every appetizer he said as an appetizer. So we had all of our food on the table at once which was not ideal. But worse things good have happened. We ordered three appetizers fried pork chop, garlic soy wings, and chicken wontons. We ordered all three because we could not decide so we went for it. The fried pork chop was nice and crispy. The soy garlic wings - big, crispy, and we could actually taste the garlic! The chicken wontons were stuffed nicely and had a nice kick to them! I did not like my shredded beef lo mein meal. It was bland. This wont stop me from coming back though. Because my husband got the Mongolian beef with white rice. That was an excellent meal‼ The beef was tender, the veggies were sautéed nicely, and it had a good spice kick! The rice helped tone down the spice. An overall good meal. read more

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Stopped in while traveling and I plan to make note of this great place. Beautiful decore, clean place including bathroom and wonderful customer service from first greeter and throughout our visit. We enjoyed our meal very much. We had dim sum, wonton soup and chicken fried rice. Everything was flavorful, warm and just delicious. I had a bobble mango tea and a Kirin beer in a wonderfully chilled glass. AMAZING MEAL. Ugly Dumpling made me very happy. I will be back. read more

If you like average food, you'll love this place! The appetizers are the highlight of this place, the soy garlic wings were the best thing! The service was wonderful and the server was attentive and sweet! The vibe in the place was cutesie and elegant! The food just wasn't giving.. read more

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I had an appointment near by and figured this was a perfect time to try Ugly Dumpling. I ordered online and did a store pick up. I was so happy with the kind staff that greeted me as I entered. I loved the way the food was packaged helped maintain freshness as I drove home. The braised beef soup was so delicious. The meat cooked to perfection and broth had a depth of flavor I have not often found in a "simple" noodle soup. The dumpling sampler was great so I was able to taste a few flavors since this was my first visit. The bao was perfect food to eat in the car to hold me over u til I got home for my meal. read more

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The service was really uplifting. Easy to get to with plenty of parking. It's very spacious so a large group can be comfortable. The vibe is so upbeat. Food was flavorful with nice portions that can be shared. I loved the soup dumplings. They didn't fall apart easily and the soup inside was the perfect temperature to enjoy. They have a full bar and some signature drinks that were refreshing. Even though it's a chain restaurant, it doesn't feel thqt way. If you overeat you have stores nearby to walk it off. read more

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This place is awesome! Tried it on a whim tonight because it was halfway between my friend & I and we're so glad we did. From the moment you walk in, the staff is welcoming and extremely friendly. They have a Bao Bar where they make all the dumplings in a glass room that they encourage you to check out and watch the process. We tried the spring rolls, crab rangoons, ugly dumpling sampler, braised beef noodle soup, and chicken stir-fried noodles -- all delicious, no complaints! I also got the peach iced tea (with your choice of degree of sweetness) with mango popping bobas -- sooo good! Very reasonable pricing too -- all of that was $60 pre-tip. I will be raving about this place (food & service) to everyone for the foreseeable future. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Dumpling sampler - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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I loved the concept of this place and really wanted to like it, but I couldn't have been more disappointed. The waiter was super nice, but our food came out at the same time (SO FAST, TOO FAST) and everything wasn't even that hot. The orange chicken was almost cold, the rice was pretty bland, and the Mongolian beef was just alright. The soup dumplings were the only thing remotely worth getting. I wouldn't return. read more

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I sat at the bar for my first time there! The food as good, the green beans were packed with flavor as well as the soup dumplings. They give you plenty of vinegar and chili oil on the side. The service was good and the ambiance is bright and welcoming! read more

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I visited with a large group of friends and had a great time. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. He made good recommendations and was patient with our large group of split meat/no meat eaters. I started with the lychee berry margarita which was sweet and refreshing. For food, our meat eaters side ordered the soup dumpling variety (these were good, not great, the highlight was the pork and truffle), the fried pork chop (my least favorite, this was dry, cold and chewy) and the braised beef noodle soup (tasty, but the broth was not particularly warm and the noodles weren't exactly conducive to sharing, too long!). The highlights were the spicy pork and shrimp wontons (flavorful, though not too spicy) and the sesame noodles (still too long, but delectable!). Yummy food for the price. read more

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We went 45 mins before they closed & had trouble getting a seat. When we sat down the waiter was really nice and accommodating. The food however was unfortunately not good. The cucumber salad was supper vinegary and they had gnats in the restaurant which ended up falling into the cucumber salad. As far the dumplings they had no flavor. The food unfortunately was very disappointing. The waiter was nice enough to take it off of the bill. The location is super pretty & the tables were nice. However the food quality was poor. I was really excited to try the food here, unfortunately it was not a pleasant experience. read more

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we had take out, but the ambiance is something like California Pizza Kitchen. The food we ordered varied from terrible to decent. the garlic green beans were very good, but the chicken dumplings were under seasoned and the wrapper was gummy. The spring rolls were mushy and inedible. read more

what a great place and experience at Ugly Dumpling! This restaurant features Dim Sum, Shanghai Style Street Food, and all different kinds of Dumplings! I absolutely love the look on this place, it's inviting and modern. And it was so hard to pick what to get since they're so many amazing options and at such a reasonable price too! The szechuan Pork dumplings were one to remember - they certainly brought the heat but the brought was flavorful and delicious! One of the best soup dumplings i've had in Connecticut. We also got their Steamed BBQ Pork Buns and I will say, they were a bit underwhelming. The ratio of bun to filling was not balanced at all and I just felt like this dish was missing something overall. However, their Beef Noodle Soup and Noodles with Beef and Szechuan Peppers were so delicious and vibrant. I can't wait to go back! read more

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Service is slow and our order was messed up. It's a new place so I won't fault them for that, it happens. We went on a busy Friday night. We were seated quickly. The food is tasty. There's a lot of different dumplings options. Everything we ordered was good. I would definitely go back. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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I recently visited Ugly Dumpling and had a bit of a mixed experience. The food itself was absolutely delicious every bite was full of flavor, fresh, and clearly made with care. The ambiance was also incredible, with such a warm, stylish atmosphere that really enhances the dining experience. However, the service left a lot to be desired. It took quite a while for our food to arrive, and unfortunately, one of my dishes never even made it to the table. The staff was friendly but seemed overwhelmed, which made the experience feel disorganized and slow. Despite that, the quality of the food and the beautiful setting made it clear that this restaurant has great potential. With more attentive service and better communication, Ugly Dumpling could easily be a five-star spot. read more

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I'm giving 2 stars because the staff is friendly, the take out was quick on even a busy night, and the food was hot when we got home. The chicken and broccoli was tasteless. My husband had to dump soy sauce and pepper on it to give it flavor. The chicken was tender, but lacked any flavor at all. The dumpling sampler was colorful, but that was about it. Two of the 5 dumplings were edible. The rest were just gross. Worst dumplings I've ever had. We will not be going back here. read more

Rating: (6/10) Visited Ugly Dumpling in Hamden for the first time last night. They've only been open for about a month, and I've got to say--the place looks really nice inside. It's spacious, well-lit, clean, and has plenty of seating, including booths and a full bar. The staff was super friendly and welcoming, which really set a good tone for the evening. I sat at the bar, and the bartender was great--very knowledgeable, personable, and knew the drink menu well. I first ordered a Lychee Martini, but it was way too sweet for my taste. I'd rate it about a 2/10. The bartender kindly swapped it out for a Gun Smoke Cucumber Vodka drink (forgot the exact name), which was decent--not amazing, but drinkable. I'd give that one around a 4.5/10. For food, I tried the Fried Chicken Dumplings. They looked good, but flavor-wise, they were just okay. Not much seasoning or anything that stood out. I'd give them a 4/10 as well. Six dumplings for $7 isn't terrible, but for about $20 total (including my drink), I was hoping for something more memorable. That said, I really have to give credit to the staff--they were the highlight of the experience. Super kind, attentive, and professional. Because of that, I'm willing to give Ugly Dumpling another shot--probably during the daytime to try something else off the menu. Overall, I'd rate it a 6/10 (or 3 stars). Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service, average food and drinks. Hopefully, next visit will be better. read more

I love the ambiance. my husband actually said it's like a Grand Hyatt hotel lobby, bar, and restrooms. the service was nice, and the food was surprisingly yummy. we had spring rolls, cucumber salad, two bowls of braised beef noodles (broth is mind blowing; tendon are so soft, beef really juicy and fresh), and a Mongolian beef (terrific). I suspect the fried rice may be a bit Americanized in terms of taste and ingredients, but those that we had were really authentic. The guests next to us had kung pao chicken and we thought they look and smell good, too. next time we'll try the buns. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I like the concept and the atmosphere is nice. Service was friendly. My husband and I split a few dishes: Mongolian beef 5/5, wings 5/5, pork/shrimp wonton 4/5, variety soup dumplings 3/5 and surprisingly the pork dumplings rate only a 3. They were out of noodles?? Mongolian beef portion was small. Prices were high. More like a 3.5 rating. Might be a nice place to go with a bunch of friends or coworkers but not good enough to add in a regular rotation since B.C.E. there are many good Chinese restaurants in the area. read more

Amazing experience! Will definitely be returning. Lilly's attentiveness as our server & explanation Of the various options was greatly appreciated read more

Came in here around noon on a Saturday, place was pretty empty apart from a couple of other patrons. We were looking forward to try their cucumber appetizer which they shockingly said they were all out of despite the restaurant opening only 30 min beforehand. The waiter said if they don't have the cucumber dish then he would bring us some edamame instead but never did. I got the sesame noodles which were super overcooked and mushy. The sauce was good but the chilli oil was no spicy at all. My friend got the vegan dumpling which were alright. We were hoping this place would be worth the visit with how much hype it was receiving but there are plenty of other dumpling houses to go to. Service and food need improvement. The restaurant itself is lovely. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Food was nice and fresh. They had a great variety of items and each had a great flavor. I enjoyed the cucumber salad, green beans, and wontons. Definitely would try again and get a few more items. read more

I don't know why they rated this place low, maybe because it was in their soft open stage? I think the food is pretty progressive/ get everything ugly for that extra impact. I would suggest the dumpling sampler. Service gotten better, remember this is a new restaurant. Ambiance is pretty expansive, I really like the bao lab which shows you live your dumplings being made. Give this place a shot and you tell me. read more

We thought this was such a fun restaurant to try! My 11-year-old found it and requested it for his birthday lunch. He has been obsessed with dumplings lately. We got a bunch of different soup dumplings. We really liked most of them, but found the crab dumpling to be very fishy. We also got a noodle dish that was very tasty. We have talked about going back a couple of times and can't wait to try it again! read more

Best dumplings I've honestly ever had. Go check them out. I would highly recommend! read more

Service was AMAZING! Our server was very lovely and was great at describing the dishes, their favorites, and recommending for first timers. The ambience was nice and clean service overall 5/5 Now for the food.. not great. The noodles with diced beef and szechuan peppers were terrible. The noodles were oily, the dice beef was very chewy, dry, and had a bunch of bone pieces.. The soup dumplings were ok, truffle is the winner of the samplers. Again, a piece of bone upon the first bite of the pork bun. I really tried to like it, maybe I got the wrong items, but the food was not good. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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It just wasn't impressive for the price. It's pretty mediocre Chinese food marketed as fancy.

I loved a dumpling spot in Boston, so I was so excited to find this in CT! I can't speak to authenticity on the dishes, but I can speak to their tastiness! The place is beautiful inside with lots of seating options and every time I go the staff is so kind!!! They always ask if it's your first time and introduce the Bao Lab. I've tried the pork soup dumplings, pork dim sum, and chicken dim sum so far, but I want to try their stir-fry next! All the dumplings come with a sauce that I think has a good tang. The meats are on the sweeter side and the outside is soft. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Pork dim sum, chicken dim sum - Chinese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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