I normally never write reviews, but in this instance, I feel I must. This small family-owned restaurant is cozy and inviting, with little cute plants adorned on the walls. The food, without question, is spectacular, always fresh and made to order, the portion size is big and the price is fair; I recommend the soup dumpings and the hand-pulled noodles. And the service is the best I've ever received, Ms. Helen and her daughter are the sweetest and kindest people I have ever met. You can tell they really put a lot of hard work into doing what they do. This Szechuan restaurant is by far the best in Downtown! read more

Our second time here, my husband and I came here around October 2025, and we just loved this place. Helen actually remembered us which truly felt welcoming! The food was amazing--the only thing is I would change is the stir-fried flat noodles it had flavor but very plain flavor. Also the orange chicken could've been more spicer but that is just my preference. Definitely would recommend to anyone around the area or even outside the area it's worth the drive! read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Shrimp dumplings - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Ok, I love Xiaolong Dumpling, but I only really go there for 3 things: the mapo tofu, garlic eggplant, and sesame chicken. When I went the first time, I tried their dumplings. They're not bad. In fact, they're delicious, but texturally, the dumpling wrappers are a bit too chewy for my preference. If you like softer dumpling wrappers, go to San Dong Noodle House. However, their mapo tofu is the best I've had in Houston. The lady who runs the restaurant is super sweet and gave me and my bf egg drop soup on the house. Inside the restaurant, it's casual but nice enough for a cute fit. Restrooms are clean and parking is available across the street at the paint building. read more

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Absolutely not reflecting the ratings it has today (4.9 on Google and 4.7 on Yelp). This is at most very mid average. You live in the neighborhood, you want Chinese and you're trying a new place from Cooking Girl and Wanna Bao. Could it be because we were a group of 8? Granted, we were able to reserve that table size. Parking is for 10 when capacity is probably for 45. Outside and inside seating. Buuuut they do have an agreement to park across the street! All ordering is on Chowbus, by scanning a QR Code. Introvert heaven. The menu is standard Chinese fusion. With 8 hungry mouths, some counting for more than 1, we had a lot to feed. Besides the main dishes, most of the apps are definitely not made in house, so we're based on the ability to heat frozen items well. - Crystal dumplings, $12.99 : okay - Egg rolls, $4.99: meh - Edamame, $5.99: okay, as it should taste - Green onion pancake, $5.99: flaky, fun to eat - Dandan noodles, $7.99: good - BBQ pork buns, $7.50: eh, as it should taste - Chili oil wontons, $7.99: chili oil oily, tiny - Soup Dumplings, $11.99: broken leaking upon serving, so they were dry dumplings. - Spicy Chicken Cube, $14.99: actually good ! Crispy spicy. - Sesame Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Beef, orange shrimp, lo mein: all okay, very saucy. They must have had a shortage of dark soy sauce for the Mongolian Beef, lacking color. - Stir fried eggplant and green beans, $12.99: undercooked. Drinks: choose beers between Corona, Sapporo or Tsingtao. Those were super cold and refreshing ! Sake: available, but only two shot glasses per serving. Service is non-existent. No consistent silverware, some had reuable chopsticks, others with disposable chopsticks, a couple with forks. Asking for spoons to eat the soup dumplings was like asking them to fish for the fish (before we realized the soup dumplings were all broken). No change of plates. Can't find vinegar or soy sauce. Went up to the counter to get chili oil. We asked for water cups, we were given those tiny shot glasses. Other tables were provided those stainless steel cups. Had to drink a whole lot of beers instead! Why the difference of service between tables. 5 meat dishes and no rice was provided upfront. Had to request it. First serving was enough for 3 people at most. Had to request more rice to the owner herself, because our requests to the wait staff went fully ignored. Dry rice anyways. Blah. No staff attending us at all really. Over 15 plates of food, imagine the space we needed. We cleaned our table ourselves. Put them on the side. On the other tables. On the corner. We knocked over a bottle of beer. Went to pick up more napkins ourselves to the counter. We ordered three rounds of beers, two rounds of sake. Yes, our online order was submitted. No, not served. Yes, back to the counter to claim. In summary: - Good walking exercises between food to claim the missing food, drinks, silverware, rice. - No food is worth noting or memorable. - Ordering on Chowbus forced some gratuity for a service where we self helped. Ya ya, big group above 6, but they can't handle big group order, so what service are we rewarding again? - The A/C was not optimal. I also smelled like Chinese afterwards. Not recommended. Not going back. Nothing to see here. Look elsewhere. read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Because their own parking is too small. - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

Xiaolong Dumpling opened in 2024, is a small restaurant. It has limited seating outdoor too. Food orders were made via Chowbus. Scan the QR code on your table, submit your order, and your food will be served to you. My partner and I had the Hong Kong BBQ bao, shrimp dumplings, crystal dumplings, salt & pepper fish, soup dumplings, and signature fried rice. The BBQ bao, which I suspect was from a frozen packet (I asked the lady, but didn't get a straight answer from her), had a great filling with fluffy dough. The shrimp dumplings were ok, but seemed like from the frozen packet too. The crystal dumplings should have crispy bottoms, but they weren't, which was a letdown. The salt & pepper fish could use more pepper. The signature fried rice didn't have good flavor, and the dish could be drier to be called fried rice. The soup dumplings were good. I loved the flavorful soup inside. I loved their packaged drinks. They were cute and easy to transport around. Service was excellent though. I chatted with the owner, Helen and she was very friendly. There is limited parking outside the restaurant, but there is additional parking available across the street at the paint store. read more

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Cute n cozy little spot although consistency is lacking throughout the dishes. We've been here a few times now and some dishes are hits while others fall flat. The black pepper beef was disappointing and overly drenched in sauce and the flavor was not all that appealing. Of everything we've tried here I'd definitely recommend the biang biang noodles which have the perfect bite and the spicy chicken cubes. I'd only come back if I'm in the area since Helen is always a treat to visit with. I'd still recommend trying it out for yourself! read more

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I would give this place a 3.5 stars , but since 1/2 stars aren't allowed, we'll round up. Super small parking lot, apparently you can use the paint store parking lot across the street. The inside is also small, maybe 10-ish tables outside, but they also have a patio with tables. You order at the table with a QR code and on your phone. I am generally not the biggest fan. We ordered cucumbers and they went to a different table who told someone they weren't theirs so they took them back and brought them to us. I usually order soup dumplings but apparently, on my phone and the app, I just clicked and unclicked the button when I was scrolling. My bad. I really didn't like ordering on my phone because if you have a big group, you have to pass your phone around.... Idk. Just not my favorite way of ordering. The food was ok. Nothing wrong . It was tasty. Nothing screaming unforgettable or craveable. If I lived near by, I would eat here a lot , but probably won't drive out of my way to eat here. read more

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My friends and I came here after spending a day exploring Houston, and we had an amazing time!! The food and tea were absolutely delicious; we had to go in for seconds, and the service was incredible! Helen and Mary are such sweethearts. We will definitely be back! read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This is a perfect Chinese takeout spot. Everything was fresh and flavorful. The extra bok choy in the lo mein really made the dish! The edamame could have used a little more seasoning and the dumplings dough was a little thicker than I would have liked. The beef and broccoli was perfect. I went the day before my birthday and the owner was kind enough to bring out some extra miso soup, it was deep in miso and soy flavors. They were very quick and attentive with service and there was more than enough parking. Also everything was clean, I would recommend! read more

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What a great place! Food is outstanding, service is exceptional. Helen is lovely. Highly recommend!

Located in the Fourth Ward area just south of Allen parkway inside the neighborhood. There is some limited parking in their lot; the concrete is quite broken up and rough so be wary of that; otherwise it's street side parking. There are some indoors and outdoors seating. The owner is very friendly and pretty attentive; ordering is done via scanning their QR code and ordering on your phone. The food came out pretty quickly. The menu is your standard Chinese Sichuan style menu that is prevalent nowadays. Ordered a couple appetizers, soup dumplings (3/5, these were alright flavor wise but definitely not exemplary), some pan fried dumplings (3/5, same, the starch crust is nice looking but the filling was a bit average), and some char Siu pork buns (2/5, was not a fan of these as they tasted pre-made). We got walnut shrimp and kung pao chicken for the mains, shared family style. The walnut shrimp had a very thick batter which fell apart and was fairly oily, the sauce was good but unevenly distributed, and with the shrimp laid on top of cucumber pieces, they got soggy quickly; 3/5. The kung pao chicken was solid but still needed a bit more seasoning; at least the idea was correct and there weren't random veggies in there; 3.5/5. Overall, the staff and service were very friendly but the taste of the food in terms of the Sichuan options inside the loop was a bit below expectation. The carb heavy dishes tasted pre-made and the stir fried dishes seemed definitely more up their sleeve. read more

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Great service and great food. Will be a go to place for me. If you want authentic food with great taste. Come here. read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

Helen was so warm and welcoming! She greeted each table group and gave complimentary egg drop soup- We ordered the Char Siu buns- homemade with sweet bbq pork stuffing. My ginger fish was mild heat but packed plenty of heat. Steamed rice was delicious with the fish and gave it a balance on the heat. Flounder pieces were large and silky smooth! Hubby enjoyed his huge serving of Singapore noodles and we def had to doggy bag it home for another meal. Topping off the yummy meals was the sweet sesame balls- perfectly fried with crispy outside and chewy inside. Red bean paste wasn't too sweet but just the right touch for dessert. Very attentive service. Street parking with limited property spaces. Good menu choices with variety of hot teas and drinks. Small dining area with only 10 tables. Scan QR code at table to order. Pay at table on iPad. read more

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The food at Xiaolong Dumpling was delicious! We love xlb soup dumplings so when we saw this restaurant on Yelp (with the solid 5 star ratings), we had to try it. We came on a thunderstormy Sunday and got a table right away. Parking in front of the restaurant was very limited, but we were able to easily park around the corner on the street. We ordered the pork soup dumplings (xlbs), rainbow, pork soup dumplings, green, onion pancakes, stir fried green beans, and the signature fried rice with beef. All of the food was so good! The fried rice was delicious, the string beans had the perfect crunch, the green onion pancakes had the perfect crisp, and the soup dumplings were tasty! We enjoyed all the food. The "rainbow" soup dumplings were just pea green in color, not actually rainbow colors...and it is a little sweeter than the regular xlbs. The restaurant was casual and staff were welcoming. The waitress was friendly and talkative. She checked on us once in awhile and made sure we enjoyed our food. The only thing was that we ordered the sesame balls, but it never came out. The waitress took it off the bill. All of the food we had were really good. read more

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I placed a takeout order so we could watch the basketball game. We had green onion pancakes, chicken with garlic sauce, and some pork dumplings. Everything was delicious, especially the dumplings. The restaurant is located in an old Texaco gas station. The interior is very cool so I will be back to eat there directly. read more

This is a rating solely for this experience and the two dishes ordered below. Food 1-2/5. Friendly staff 5/5. I first came here during their soft opening about 1-2 years ago and was impressed by the friendly Chinese owner's genuine passion for authentic cuisine. That made this second visit disappointing. The ambiance is still the same- casual friendly clean vibes. Tried two chef's specialties: the Tofu & Shrimp was decent but tasted toned down and Americanized, missing the aromatic depth of traditional preparation (also the egg tofu was replaced with general firm tofu and it's no longer really a 铁板 iron plate dish, it was likely cooked in a wok and placed in an aluminum foil on the iron plate). The Mountain City Hot Pot was the bigger letdown--"Mountain City" refers to Chongqing, known for intensely numbing, fiery hot pot. What I got was mild, with barely any má là (numbing-spicy) punch. The broth lacked the rich, chili-laden complexity that defines the real thing. The ingredients of the hotpot were also a big let down with lots of potato, few tofu pieces, beef and some shrimp. Overall the freshness and variety of the ingredients were not satisfying. It feels like the menu has shifted to appeal to a broader audience at the expense of authenticity. They also recently got top 100 restaurants on Yelp so I'm really happy for them and the customers that enjoy the food here. Yet you can tell this place is filled with zero Asian customers. read more

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My best friend just moved to Galveston for school and we met up for a meal in Houston. We decided to get dinner at Xiaolong Dumpling in Houston. The parking is pretty limited but there's additional street parking in the neighborhood. We were seated immediately and greeted by the owner, Helen. I was wondering how this place got so many reviews (good reviews too) for such a new restaurant. Throughout the whole night I could clearly see why, Helen is such a welcoming owner/waitress and makes sure you have everything you need. You genuinely is interested in everyone who walks in and sparks a little convos here and there. She even gave us free hot and sour soup on the house. You order your food by scanning a QR code on the table and placing your order on the website. My friend and I ordered the eggplant with garlic sauce, crystal dumpling, and stir fried flat noodles with beef. They were out of soup dumplings but everything else made up for it. The stir fried flat noodles and a good som flavor and the beef was very tender, no complaints there. The crystal dumplings were pretty solid too, they had an addicting crispy crust and were full of juice. The star of the show however were the eggplants with garlic sauce. My friend was skeptical when I ordered it but I sure did prove him wrong. They were by far the best bite of the night. Eggplants were soft and full of that garlic flavor with some spice too. We were eating it with the noodles at first but then we later got a new batch of rice which elevated the dish even more. I can't recommend this place enough. read more

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I love this place, and it will be my go-to when I crave authentic Chinese food! This restaurant has been only been open for a year, and it is such a hidden gem! My boyfriend and I were hungry, so we ordered quite a bit of food. We got a free sample of the hot & sour soup which was so good and comforting! We ordered Biang Biang noodles, crystal dumplings, shrimp fried rice, and the orange beef. I wish I took more pictures of the food, but it all tasted so so amazing that I couldn't resist. Each dish was delicious, but The Biang Biang noodles and the orange beef were my favorite. The noodles were so chewy and covered with chili oil, it reminded me of the hand pulled noodles you get in NY! The orange beef had a light crisp, and the sauce was sweet and tangy and perfect. The inside of the restaurant is super clean and cozy! There's plenty of seating for couples and smaller groups, and the ambiance was nice! I will say parking is a little difficult since there's only a small lot, but I think you'd be able to find streets parking as well. Lastly, the service was amazing. Not only did the food come out super fast, but the owner, Helen, is one of a kind! She was amazingly sweet and so so thoughtful and accommodating. She made sure to check up on me and my boyfriend and made sure we were enjoying our food. She would also strike up fun conversations with us before and after our meal, and her hospitality is unlike any other. Thank you, Helen for running this amazing place and being an incredible owner!!! We will definitely be back for the food and to see Helen again of course! read more

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Yelp did not disappoint with this one! Headed over to grab some Asian fusion and this place was cute! It's in an old gas station in a cute little neighborhood. The stuff was friendly, and complementary! You order the food on an app and submit it. It was a cool concept. We had egg rolls, crystal dumplings, Hot and Sour soup, and split the orange beef. Everything was delicious! The orange beef was tender and not overly sweet. The hot and sour soup was divine! I've been craving some "New England quality" Asian food (IYKYK) and this hit the spot! read more

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What a lovely place and the owner (Helen) is so hardworking, welcoming, and conversational! I can see she really cares about the restaurant and her customers, she went around all the tables to check up on everyone. There's not much parking outside the restaurant so it can be hard to find at busy times but there's side parking nearby. What can you expect being in the middle of the town. Also a smaller restaurant so I don't recommend for large gatherings. A good place to take a friend for casual outing. Everything we ordered was very good, especially the Biang Biang noodles, cumin lamb, and spicy chicken. The cumin lamb was not too gamey which is hard to do, the spicy chicken had good batter-to-meat ratio, and the noodles had GREAT flavor. QR code system and you order on your phone: worked very well. If I had a suggestion, it might be to turn down the A/C and bigger portions but I love local places and the service is A+. I will be back and hope to see it grow! read more

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After I saw this show up on the Yelp Top 100 Chinese restaurants, I still had medium expectations. Side rant...sometimes a place will start out with a really inflated rating and maintain it because it seems like everyone who writes a subsequent review feels the need to agree with the high rating. However...that was not how I felt after eating here, so it was a pleasant surprise! We tried three dishes: vegetable egg rolls, chili oil wontons, and biang biang noodles. I thought everything was very good! My favorite dish was the biang biang noodles. I was especially unsure about this one because I haven't had very good noodle dishes in Houston. Sure noodles can be tasty, but if the rest of the dish is bland or boring, it's a waste. We tried this one with the addition of beef, and it was a really good decision. The beef was tender and the whole dish had such good flavor with the chewy noodles. Spicy, without being overly so. The vegetable egg rolls were spot on for what I've had and enjoyed elsewhere. The chili oil dumplings had a prominent sesame flavor, and I really loved it. It felt like the perfect amount of food for two people, and didn't break the bank. Just some notes on the restaurant itself. Limited parking, but it wasn't hard to find a spot on the street on a Thursday night. When we walked in, there wasn't a sign to wait to be seated or to seat yourself, so we picked a table. Helen came out from the back and introduced herself to us. She was incredibly nice and gave us a complimentary bowl of egg drop soup, which was good. We placed our order using the QR code on the table--you don't just look at the menu with the website, you can submit your order as well. It's a small place, so I wouldn't come here with a large group, but I think it's a great place to check out for a cozy dinner. Prices seemed very fair. read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - E2. Chili Oil Wontons E2. ( 6) - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Cane on a whim looking for dim sum for our last meal in Houston. So glad we chose this restaurant because it was excellent. Started off by getting greeted by Helen whom was very pleasant, super attentive, and made out overall experience worth it We started with some hot and sour soup it was delicious and flavorful. For our mains (which we shared and were nice sized portions) we ordered the La Zi Ji (chicken cubes), Stir Fried Green Beans, Szechuan Spicy Shrimp, Shrimp Dumplings, Soup Dumplings, and Flat Noodles. Every dish was amazing, full of flavor, and definitely worth ordering. I would totally come back to this restaurant and highly recommend it for anyone looking for delicious Asian food. read more

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The service was friendly from Helen. We were one of the first customers when they opened up on Memorial Day Monday at 11am. Parking is simple if there's no one there. There's 3 spots right at the front and then some disability parking. There's also a sign inside saying there's parking across the street at the paint store. We walked inside and there's a handful of tablesv. We were seated at one of their booths. There's also outdoor seating. It's just way too humid in Houston. They had just mopped so they left the doors open. We were sweating. She was sweating. I liked the rainbow dumplings, chili oil dumplings, orange beef, and salt and pepper shrimp. Fried rice was average. We could skip this next time and the regular pork soup dumplings since the rainbow dumplings tasted better and are cheaper. The orange beef was crispy. Comes with white rice. Not bad overall. I'm just a bit clumsy and made a mess. I spilled my water and couldn't eat my rice that well with the big spoon in a flat plate. We would be back if we're in the mood read more

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Amazing amazing experience!! I was on my big back big back mission while I was here in Houston... and i saw the amazing reviews! I had to grab my guy to come with me to feast on deliciousness!! Let the pics speak for itself. The owner Helen was a great host to us! The soup was delish! It was so good we went back the next day! If only H town was a few miles from me ... Definitely recommend !! read more

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Why 5 stars? Because this might be the best Chinese food I've had in Houston to-date. --- --- --- Back when we lived in Tampa, we had a go-to Chinese restaurant that always consistently delivered when the craving struck. Since moving back to Houston 3.5 years ago, we have yet to find a place that matched good ol' Yummy House, but I think we finally found it. (In fairness, there are probably a hundred amazing places, but I just have yet to visit one, especially since most of our visits have been to places up in the north 'burbs.) On a drive from our house, en route to visiting family in League City, we opted to make Xiaolong Dumpling our lunch stop. 4.8 stars and over 150 reviews? I didn't need to see much more evidence to support this decision. It turned out, 150 people were not wrong. We ordered 4 dishes and each one was a no-doubt 5-star experience. Crystal Dumplings with Pork Honey Walnut Shrimp Biangbiang Noodles with Chicken Mongolian Beef I have basically no notes. The biangbiang noodles were a bit oily, but too tasty to care. The sauce to dip the dumplings in was amazing. The honey walnut shrimp was basically a shrimp donut and absolute perfection. We even took a few in a to-go box to my family, and they were a big hit with them too. And the Mongolian Beef was cooked/seasoned exactly the way I dreamed it would be. In addition, we spoke to the owner quite a bit since it wasn't too busy while we were here. She engaged a lot with our son and talked to us a bit about her experience opening and managing the restaurant. She could not have been a nicer soul, and I'm so happy for her and the family that they have been so successful. I really hope to see their popularity continue - they deserve the love from the Community! read more

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Love that this restaurant is in my neighborhood! I would recommend the spicy chicken cubes and biang biang noodles!! Great service and homey vibe read more

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Nice little family owned restaurant that converted an old neighborhood convenience store into an intimate Chinese restaurant. Great food and super nice service. Loved the mountain city hot pot and the fish swimming in pickles! Great flavor and huge serving to share with others. Thank you Helen for your incredible hospitality. read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Garlic cucumbers, mountain city hot pot, chili oil wonton, Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce, & signature fried rice. - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

Enjoyed the food quality including the soup dumplings. The Beef noodles was Amazing. Helen was so charming. read more

Authentic. If authenticity is what you seek, make your way here. There are too many Panda Expresses and PF Changs around when you can just come to Xiaolong Dumpling for a fraction of the price and double the dopamine. The kind woman operating the restaurant is helpful and friendly. She will make sure that there is absolutely nothing on the menu that will be confusing for you. We ordered a hefty amount of items on the menu to try as we knew the drive here was a trek and reheating these types of food will not degrade the flavor whatsoever. Crystal Dumpling - 7.9/10 - Standard dumpling with decent filling. The skin was a bit too thick for my liking but the flavor is well done and intense. Xiao Long Bao (Pork) - 8/10 - Nothing that pops out at you but definitely hits the spot if this is what you are craving. The skin did not break when picked up and the soup is not too salty. General Tso Tofu - 10/10 - Wow. You almost forget that you are eating a soy product here. The crispiness and intensity of the sauce will make you beg for more. Definitely order this. Biang Biang Noodle - 10/10 - Real ones know that this dish, although simple to make, is TOUGH to perfect. Not for this establishment. The noodles are snappy, the sauce is the perfect balance of sichuan peppers and chilis, and the amount served is well worth the value. Honestly, you can just come here for this dish alone and leave satisfied. String Beans with Eggplant - 8.5/10 - I love eating family-style alongside a vegetable dish. This is it. Generously portioned and snappy string beans. No complaints. Crispy Scallion Pancake - 8.2/10 - Just a very well-made pancake blessed with a stellar amount of scallion. Great snack to have while waiting for the entree. Green Peppercorn Fish - 9.5/10 - For the price, the value is there. You get a generous amount of fish and the soup base is not overwhelmingly salty. Eating this over a bed of rice was heavenly. It reminded me of a simpler time at home when my mother would make this. Thank you for this memory. I absolutely cannot wait to come back here again. I probably will try other items on the menu, but probably not. read more

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The staff is super friendly! That is just the start - the food is delicious- we had their soup dumplings and Dan Dan noodles, among a few other things and it was yummy. The broth in the dumplings was flavorful. The food came out pretty quickly, and ordering is via your phone wiyh. QR code so y there is no waiting to order. read more

The service alone is a great reason to come here. When we first sat down on a busy saturday evening, we were asked to order through this ChowBus QR menu, which initially felt a bit impersonal. Since we were headed to another spot afterward, my friend and I quickly placed a few orders, and unfortunately, missed the soup dumplings on the menu (at least we didn't see it at first glance or it was sold out) That said, the hot and sour soup and spicy chicken cubes were both incredibly flavorful and well-prepared. The chili oil wonton appetizer, however, were a miss for us. The texture was off and the filling didn't taste very fresh. The real standout of the night was Helen, the owner, who actively checked in on each table. After learning we had wanted the soup dumplings but missed them, she surprised us by bringing out a complimentary order at the end of our meal. We offered to pay, but she kindly declined, saying it was our first visit and she just wanted us to enjoy the experience. Helen's genuine hospitality and attentiveness throughout the night really stood out and made us feel welcome, something that's increasingly rare these days. A few notes: Parking is limited; street parking is your best bet. Cozy atmosphere, it can get busy on weekends. Seating is first-come, first-served. I'll definitely be back to try more of their menu! read more

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I absolutely loved my experience here. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed like family. The owner has such a warm and genuine energy she wasn't just serving food, she was sharing her passion and creations with us, and you can really feel that in every bite. The food? Simply amazing. I can't even put into words how delicious everything was. The dumplings were perfectly delicate yet full of flavor, bursting with freshness and authenticity. Every dish had so much care and detail, it honestly felt like the kind of meal you never want to end. The service was just as wonderful. Everyone was attentive, kind, and made sure we were comfortable the entire time. You can tell this place is run with so much love and pride. read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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When they say "hidden gem", Xiaolong Dumpling is a true hidden gem. Tucked in the neighborhood of midtown on Taft street nestled in between West Gray and Fairview. Minimal parking, so park along the street. Cute patio on the outside. It's small but quaint, and the owner Helen really works her ass off. You clearly see her going around all the tables with a smile on her face asking if everyone is okay. She's rolling her cart to pick up dirty dishes, or dropping off food. You can tell how happy she is when people are dining in her establishment. Service is top notch for sure. The food is just even better in my humble opinion. My friend and I ordered a variety of dishes to share and knowing us, we get a lot just to split it to take some home. Helen gave us complimentary egg drop soup and hot and sour soup to share. I always love me a good egg drop soup. It's one of my go to meals to make at home. But it just doesn't hit the same as the restaurants. What a treat to start our meal. You order through a QR code and send in your order to the kitchen. It's almost like a doordash/uber eats visual, if you will. Cumin Lamb This was so tender, flavorful, and juicy with every bite. Get a little spoonful of rice and some cumin lamb, and ooomph. You're off to a great meal. Stir Fried Green Beans ugh I love a good flash fried green bean seasoned with garlic. I just don't know how they get it perfect every time. You still get a crunch in every bite. You know, a little health added to your meal. Always a staple to your meal. Spicy Fish Fillet with Soft Tofu The tofu is so soft and flavorful. I don't always eat or love tofu dishes, however when I find a good szechuan fish with tofu, I'm always down for a good one. And this dish was delectable. Just about everything at this point goes so well with plain white rice. oomph Mochi Ice Cream to my surprise I enjoyed this little splurge. The mochi was thawed out and the ice cream inside reminded you of some type of soft serve flavored milk. I can't describe it, but we devoured it. Hidden Gem? 100% read more

This is more of a hole in the wall type ambience. Not the trendiest not the cutest, but the food was fantastic and the owner was super sweet. We ordered the green beans, wontons, baos, bang bang noodles and Crystal dumplings. Did we order too much for two people absolutely. But we would do it all over again. My husband even said things were the best green beans he's had. The food was so good. I would even bring my Asian parents with me. Iykyk. read more

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Absolutely love this spot. Biang biang noodles were incredible 10/10. I don't even really know what it was but flavor was so good. We added chicken that was fried and super tasty too. MUST ORDER this. Walnut shrimp was so impressive 8.9/10. Shrimps were massive, had a unique creamy sauce, and yummy walnuts. Comes with white rice. Chili oil dumplings had a tasty peanut-inspired sauce they swam in. 7/10 Give a hole in the wall feel. The owner, Helen, is the sweetest - just like everyone else says. You order on your phone and Helen wheels the dishes out on a cart. read more

Xiaolong Dumpling - Walnut shrimp - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Excellent dumplings. The crystal dumplings were a unique presentation of "upside down" dumplings with what looked like a sheet pan layer of crispy crust holding the dumplings together. Excellent eggplant dish. Soft cuts of flash cooked eggplant in a sweet and savory sauce. You order from a QR code menu on your phone, which was a little different. The order of the dishes is random, and the runner had to be reminded that I ordered a beer. The app did not work for payment, and I took care of that at the desk. A pleasant experience that scratched the itch for dumplings. Reasonable price. Would repeat. read more

The food was great and the service is second to none. Helen the owner is a lovely lady as is her daughter. We will definitely be back regularly. The experience was amazing. read more

Needed a Chinese food fix and started googlin and came across this establishment located in 4th ward area, mind you this is outside of the traditional china town, and in an area that has several Asian restaurants nearby. Parking is somewhat limited to maybe 5-10 spots? but it's located in a neighborhood, so you could park on the street or on someone's lawn if you so choose. Was seated by the Mama san, and she was super friendly. I had read about her in previous reviews, and she is as nice as they come. I ordered the xiao long dumplings, and a braised beef -hand pulled noodle dish. Food was hot and delicious, the noodle dish had a nice kick to it, and the dumplings are on par with other good/average dumpling spots. I also ordered a fried rice to go, which was not too oily, and with fresh toppings. I would come back. Didn't have a stomachache so it passes the cleanliness test. read more

A quiet little place with a great atmosphere. Lively and fun. The food was simply phenomenal. Truly authentic soup dumplings and an amazing selection of family-style shared plates. I went with the spicy edamame, fried shrimp, and of course, the soup dumplings. Helen, which was our server, and I believe the owner as well, was super kind and sweet, tending to us quickly. Overall, this will be a spot where I visit regularly. read more

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My favorite restaurant I've been to in the last few months for sure. It has already become a craving just thinking about it. I'll have to go back soon. My first time I went with some friends and we got a mix of things. It can be a little hard to catch driving by and the parking is on the side. Everything was so fresh and delicious tasting!!! My favorite being the eggplant in garlic sauce (delicious sauce!!!) and the egg drop soup (super savory and good for sickness or cold weather). The tofu as well has this amazing crunch to it but isn't full of oil like other places! The oolong tea is so yummy as well. The owner is so so kind we got to talk to her a bit and I saw her again picking up take out another time. Super cute inside and phenomenal food! Please come visit!!!! read more

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