Waited in line for about 30 minutes with a buddy of mine, not too bad for a Saturday. I had the scallop, original bao, chicken bao, porkbelly bao and the horlick bao. Lives up to the hype and would go again. read more

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3.5 stars for food 2 stars for price The baos are good, but I wouldn't go back and pay such a high price for such small portions after having waited in such a long queue. Even my tea was served in a tiny vessel - for two pounds I would expect more than a few sips. read more

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This small restaurant is worth queuing for and yes you will be queuing. There's very limited seats inside but the turn around is quite fast. I would recommend to go at lunch and a bit outside the usual 1 - 2pm to avoid the queue. The food is delicious, although the portion are a bit small: we took 2 Bao and 1 side each. I could have eaten more, but I was a bit conscious of the price (between £5-£7 for a bun, that ended up being an expensive lunch). That being said, the food is really worth the money and the wait. Service is great. read more

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So good!! One of the best places to eat in London - the hype is real! Make sure you arrive early (10-15 mins before opening hour) to avoid the queue. My favourite items on the menu are: Peanut Milk Beef Soup Pig Blood Cake Classic Bao Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao read more

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You gotta have the fried chicken bao! That was our fav next to the classic xa xiu and veggie bao. read more

BAO - Soho - BAO fried chicken - sooo delicious! - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

I stayed around the corner from this place when I visited London & popped in for a solo lunch in the afternoon, and oh man, was it good! I was sat right away at the counter, given a menu & explained how their restaurant worked. I ordered some baos, fried chicken, and their pickles. The food was AMAZING - the fried chicken is a must get. I was so happy with it and could of eaten atleast 2-3 more platefuls of that. The bao was pretty good as well, I got the pork belly and it was a good mixture of salty, sweet & light. Only thing was the price was expensive, but hey, its SoHo and I was on vacation! Definitely try to go for lunch if you can -- you'll have little to no wait! I walked by one evening after eating and saw the line across the street. That's commitment! read more

Second time at Bao, and we managed to avoid a long queue. Service is always prompt here, and we weren't rushed towards the end of our meal despite it being the peak of lunch hour which was appreciated. The food was good, especially the Horlicks Bao at the end, but nothing out of the world. If you are expecting the quality you would get in parts of Asia, you will be slightly let down. It is also pricey for the small portion sizes. Regardless, it was a decent meal and enough to satisfy any cravings you might have. They also have a good selection of tea. read more

BAO - Soho - Fried chicken Bao - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

Don't be intimidated by the long queue...you're in for some gooooooood shit. The boyfriend and I passed by this place in SoHo on a Wednesday night. I walked up to the door and just as I was about to open it, the host grabbed my attention and instructed me to turn around. Behind me, the queue was going down the street...ha. Fast forward fifteen minutes later, we were in. I think parties of more than two had to wait a considerably longer time, because the place is quite small to accommodate too many people at one table. The service was great from start to finish. The place is more tapas-style, so go ahead and order 3 dishes per person, maybe 4 if you've becoming ravenous from the queue. The waitress recommended to us a great sake (which happened to be the most expensive one ha ha ha), and we tried two of their baos: the Classic and the Confit Pork. Both were on point. The sweet potato chips were too good as well. I've had the hyped Eddie Huang's Baohaus several times in New York, but I think this Bao is better. I'll be back next time I touch down in London town. read more

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I had really high expectations for Bao as it had been recommended by so many but left unimpressed (and hungry). BAO is a trendy, overpriced Asian restaurant. There's nothing special about what they do here. Having tasted so many delicious baos in NYC, San Francisco, etc., my expectations were set high. Service was meh. It was our waitress' first day on the job (lovely) and there was no one else to guide or mentor her on her first day. We ordered the Beef Soup (with Braised Daikon), the Guinea Fowl Chi Shiang Rice and various types of baos (Classic, Confit Pork, Fried Chicken, and Lamb Shoulder). The beef soup did not taste like a soup. It was beef broth. It had a weird aftertaste too. The Guinea Fowl rice was OK, nothing spectacular; Also, the rice was cold and not hot like it should be. The baos were OK, but again nothing great. I've had really good baos in NYC so was expecting so much more when it came to London. My favorite bao was probably the Classic (Braised Pork, Peanut Powder, Fermented Greens, Coriander). It was good but nothing outstanding. The Confit (Pork Belly, Pork Sauce, Hot Sauce, Dried Shallots) and the Fried Chicken (Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo, Hot Sauce, Golden Kimchi, Coriander, Sesame) were also good, nothing outstanding. It took forever to receive the Lamb Bao (Lamb Shoulder, Coriander, Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Soy Pickled Chili). I think our waitress forgot to put in the order for the Lamb Bao and we ended up waiting at least another 30 minutes to get it. It was OK but wouldn't rave about it. Nothing impressed me, considering it was rated as one of the better restaurants in London. read more

All of the baos were good, but the thing to get here is the fried chicken--we literally could not stop eating it!! I also loved the charm of this little spot and we were lucky enough to have seats looking out onto the street, which made for great people watching. read more

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Just a few things so you know what you're getting in for. 1. Waiting: The place itself is tiny, so unless you come at a really random time you'll probably have to wait a bit. The line is across the street in front of a sign with their logo. The wait goes by relatively fast though. 2. Fast: The food comes out super fast once inside - with that little space their service is top notch. While in line you might be given a menu to mark down what you want to quicken the pace. 3. Tiny: The place, the food. The bathroom itself is a little larger than an airplane toilet. Make sure you order enough - the bao's are about the size of your palm. I ordered a tea, and the pot was about the size of a Bao as well. Seriously have never been served a drink so miniscule before. You just look at it and are you like - is this a toy? What. 4. Satisfaction: Everything I got here was very good. I would recommend getting the Confit Bao, Pig Blood Cake, Sweet Potato Crisps and Horlick Ice Cream. read more

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A place of mixed feelings. While there was a queue it was nice to have a Sam smith pint from the nearby John Snow while waiting. After about a 25 minute wait on a Saturday night (less than the waiter told us) we sat in a cramped table and immediately ordered: Pickles- interesting flavors, sour Classic bao- good flavor combination of succulent pork and bread crumbs. Lamb shoulder bao- great meat and came with jalepeno kick Pork confit bao- tasty but fatty Beef strips- disappointing dish, thin rare slices of beef with little flavor and far too much fat. Unfortunate as we were choosing between this and the fried chicken. Aubergine- tasty compote like dish on crunchy wonton. Ice cream bao- thought it was all fried, turned out to be creamy ice cream in between a fried bao. 2 Taiwan beers- at £4.5 per can as far less than a pint, hardly a deal Overall the baos were tasty, as well as the aubergine, but for over £40 for the meal, it seemed a little steep for street food. Also wish the couple next to us didn't comment o every dish we ordered. read more

BAO - Soho - Beer beef and bao - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

We chose to eat at Bao following it's rave reviews on both yelp and the Michelin guide. The wait was approximately 10 minutes, although that could be owing to the fact that it was 5:30pm. The restaurant itself is small, however, Bao manages to emanate a cosy non-claustrophobic vibe. I got the daikon Bao and was pleasantly surprised by the crispy crumbed daikon, which complimented the hot sauce and coriander very nicely. Being of part Taiwanese ethnicity, I am happy to note that the bun does in fact remind me of the traditional ones you find in Taiwan. However, those craving the authentic peanut sugar may be hard pressed to find it. Only the classic bao comes with it, although the staff were more than happy to accommodate and give me some anyway! The serving size may be a little on the small side, though with the taste being that good and you being in LONDON, I say it is not bad at all. I highly recommend this place. Irrespective of whether you are a Taiwanese craving a taste of home, or just a keen foodie, Bao will deliver. FYI: They also sell cute bags too. read more

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This is a long overdue review, as I went there about two years ago! It is a small space, so there will be queues during popular times. BAO was a pioneer in London to expose the city to the namesake food, and they did it well. Creative flavours. That was 2-3 years ago - nowadays, places serving bao have mushroomed across the city, and having eaten at other places, I don't think I would queue for BAO again. The food is executed well, but not that hugely different/higher than what you could get at other bao specialists in London anymore. read more

The bao is not bad. Slightly smaller than I expected. I still prefer traditional Bao in Taiwan. read more

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Omg! It is totally worth the wait! It has been a while since I got this foodgasm and although London food scene is very attractive, only few restaurants can hit the right spots. I tried the chicken and the lamb bao and both were flavourful and perfectly balanced. The sweet potatoes fries are a must and the garlicky scallop was a nice spicy touch. I didn't try the iced/fried Horlick ice cream because I was having desserts in an another place but would definitely come back! Nevertheless to say that the team there is efficient and super nice! Super recommended! read more

BAO - Soho - Lamb shoulder bao - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING. Hands down favorite meal in London so far (I've been here 2 weeks). A friend and I ventured over at around 2 pm and all the seats were full, but we were the only ones in line so we got seated after about 2 minutes. They immediately gave us the menu and we marked our orders on the provided paper (an interesting but efficient system). We ended up going for the classic bao, scallop, guinea fowl rice, and the fried ice cream (dessert) bao. The scallop wasn't my favorite - the sauce was too salty, and I personally don't think it was worth the 3.5 pounds (especially since the dish came with literally only one scallop). The guinea fowl rice was just alright, too - nothing special in my opinion. You might be thinking, then, why 5 stars? PURELY BECAUSE OF THE BAO. The classic bao - oh my god. It was absolutely FANTASTIC. The different components - braised pork, vegetables, peanut powder - combined incredibly, and the resulting taste was heavenly. The dessert bao was also really good (although I may be slightly biased because I'm a huge fan of sweets) - not AS good as the classic bao, but still definitely worth getting. Words cannot capture how much I loved both the classic and dessert bao (but especially the classic). I will for sure be back for more! Some notes for future visitors (which I highly encourage): the place is tiny, the service is quick, and the food (especially the sides) are slightly overpriced in my opinion for the serving size - with the exception of the baos. Which are completely worth it. read more

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What we ordered: FOOD - Daikon Beef Soup, Taiwanese fried chicken, scallop with garlic, short rib rice, classic bao, fried chicken bao, daikon bao, Horlick ice cream bao. DRINKS - Kopitee (coffee jelly in black tea with milk foam), milk foam tea (iced green tea with milk foam). Pros: The flavours were solid for each of the dishes. A highlight definitely was the short rib rice, and its combination of flavours. Most of the dishes featured picked veg, and it balanced out the flavours well. The atmosphere was decent with minimalistic design and decor. Cons: Portions were extremely small, and over- priced. Our bill rounded up to £52, and we still left feeling hungry. Drinks were underwhelming because 3/4 of the cup was full of ice. The servers felt unorganised because we were asked whether there were any missing orders multiple times. Verdict: it was a good experience for my tastebuds, and definitely something worth trying once, but be prepared to eat a second meal after. read more

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Overated but good price. Queueing for 20 minutes before getting inside! Surprisingly the cheapest dish turns out to be the best one on the menu the classic bun and the sweet potatoes! I order myself blood pudding cake, classic and confit pork buns, sweet potatoes fries, grill mushroom with century egg and order the lamb bun and and fried chicken according to the waitress's suggestion which is a the worst two dishes among all the food! I love the sweet potatoes fries! Very unique! The blood cake at the first was good and then it become too fatty for me. The confit pork is not very flavourful as it was described by others. The lamb bun got nothing special and the chicken was tasteless read more

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Always one of my favourite places in soho! Expect to wait like 20-40 mins. The food here is flavoursome and beautiful to look at. Almost a shame to eat it! I always order the scallops and the classic bao. They are so different and it's like nothing I ever had anywhere else. The food looks small but I always end up stuffed. They recommend to order 3 - 4 dishes and I think that's the right amount. Would cost you roughly £15-18 including service charge. Also be prepared to eat next to a stranger as it's a small place and there's really limited tables. I love the tote bag with the man eating the bao. So clever and a great souvenir for only £5!! The staff are lovely, quick service and very attentive. Amazing place! read more

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When I read about a Taiwanese bun house that had opened up close to work, I had to try it out. As I approached Lexington street I could see what looked like an ad hoc bus stop - it was in fact the queue for Bao! A bit anxious that this may take too long for a lunch break, I joined the ever growing queue. After a short while a Bao staff came out and took in the solo diners - including me! The restaurant atmosphere is cosy, and the staff members are polite. The menu is simplistic yet informative. I went for the crispy chicken with sesame buns with kimchi! Mmm! A small bun, but boy does it taste good! The peanut milk is also very cool and something I talk about at dinner gatherings a lot. Overall 4/5, as cost was a little high for what you get - getting there early for lunch is advised as the queue can grow very fast! read more

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We had to queue across the street and have people gawk at us from the fishbowl, but this was one of the best meals we had in London! ---- APPETISERS ---- Beef Soup Braised Daikon: 4.5 stars £3 for a small bowl but flavourful, hearty, spicy beef broth like Korean kalbi stock. Guinea Fowl Chi Shiang Rice: 3.5 stars ---- BAOS ---- Classic: 5 stars The bun is irreproachable, the meat is complex and also perfect. The sweet peanut powder on the pork is an incredible touch. Lamb Shoulder: 5 stars Spicy Indian curry sauce. Confit Pork: 4.5 stars Fried Chicken: 3.5 stars ---- TEA ---- Oriental Beauty Tea: 5 stars Served in a 160ml Yixing teapot. I am very picky about my 东方美人 so I was very impressed at the quality of the tea! read more

Completely full on a Tuesday night and we queued up for around 15 minutes before we got a table. What we ordered: Fried chicken bao: loved the bun and the flavours. Scallops: just one piece and wouldn't order this again. Not great. Taiwanese chicken with ketchup: just regular fried chicken with ketchup over it. Wouldn't order it again. Horlicks ice cream bao: loved this. Soft bun and amazing ice cream Taiwanese whiskey: delicious. Must try Peanut milk: tasted like snickers chocolate and I could have finished a whole bottle of this. SOO GOOD!!! Would go back for the sweet stuff for sure. Cute place but could do with more of a variety. Excellent service. read more

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I went here with a small group of friends - one of whom who had already been. As such, we got a good idea of what this place was about. According to my friend, Bao started out as a small-time market seller who received financial funding only recently. The result is that Bao is the hottest Taiwanese "designer" cafe in London currently and the extraordinary queue across the street confirms. Apparently, there was a two-page spread in the Telegraph on how this business grew. Queuing can take as long as a half hour for 4 people but it's worth the wait so plan in advance! They do not take bookings. The menu itself consists of "small eats", "Xiao Bao's" (Small Bread) and "sides". Unsurprisingly, many people come here to try the "Bao's". The menu doesn't lie when it says the Bao's are small - I can probably eat one in less than 2 minutes so it is advisable that you get at least 3 or 4 to be satisfied or a combination of different dishes. Being new, I was recommended the "Classic" which was a Bao filled with Pork Confit. Admittedly, it tasted more like pulled pork but it wasn't disappointing as the meat was so very tender and surprisingly quite light. I liken the Bao to the taste of Mantou (饅頭) so expect it to be very sweet tasting. The next Bao I tried was Lamb Shoulder with picked chilis - this was much nicer so I highly recommend this one. The spiciness is average and the lamb comes in tender chunks. Most definitely, I'll be getting this next time again. I read a previous Yelp review to try the Sweet Potatoes I was keen to try these. I don't find it anything special but it's a good dish to share around the table as a starter. Note that these are fried. I think my favourite dish was the Beef and Daikon soup. It's light and very brothy - you don't get anything in the soup besides 3 small daikon sticks which tastes like they're supposed to taste like. The soup itself is very tasty with just the right amount of salt added and an explosion of sweet onion. read more

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foods is great but the service is very very slow..the portion is tiny...you can eat in less than 5 mins. The prices is not cheap but trendy place for young crowd. remember not to go in if you are super hungry. it is like a chinese tapas place. read more

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Tasty, tasty food .. I didn't know I liked steamed buns until I went here! Friendly service, nice space .. Expect to queue! The highlights for me were the deep fried chicken bites as well as the pork belly bao. read more

BAO - Soho - Pork belly bao - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

Walked past the queues several times, getting more curious each time. On my last attempt the kitchen had just closed. In luck at last and I'm munching my way through the set lunch of classic bao, spicy fried chicken and aubergine rice - well worth the wait! read more

BAO - Soho - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

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I've been here on several occasions. The food is the best I've ever had. It's authentic from what I can tell, and ingredients are fresh. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the wine selection is awesome. read more

3.5 stars. The bao were delicious. I had the classic and the lamb bao. Both were perfectly spiced fun little sandwiches. Expensive for how tiny they are, but really a delicious little bite. The trotter bits were also extremely excellent. Yum! Aubergine with crispy wontons were not very good. I would definitely pass on that one. I would also pass on the milk foam tea. Very bland and boring. Overall a very expensive little lunch, but loved the bao. read more

Hot diggity buns! Bao's sandwiches really shine but you will pay the price in terms of GBP and time. Thankfully a friend got here early so I didn't have to wait but the line filled up fast at lunch and they didn't seem rushed to get us out for the next customer. Food came fairly quickly once ordered although any drinks will take awhile even if seated at the bar. I had a refreshing milk foam tea which is what it sounds like: oolong tea on ice topped with a thick milky foam that is fun to drink but steep for the small glass at £4. The standout dish was the fried chicken bao. It came with a sesame bun, perfectly cooked chicken and kim chee with sauce. You will drool and you will devour it. The side dishes I enjoyed were the bbq scallop: note you only get one for £3.75 which is overpriced but tasty. The aubergine dip with wonton crisps were yummy and best for sharing although I could have used more crisps. Skip the beef soup with plain daikon, a bit dull. My friend enjoyed the fried daikon bao but not as much as the chicken. Be prepared to pay more for small bites but leave full and happy. Personally I wish they would do take away so I could grab some bao and go. read more

Loved this little bao house in Soho. If you're the claustrophobic type you may want to check out the other location. I, however, loved sitting at the bar. The small format space reminded me of being in Tokyo and who doesn't want to be reminded of being in Tokyo? Also, being at the bar facilitated my ordering of drinks. I ordered a few of the bao including pork belly, lamb and fried chicken. They were pretty delicious and succulent. A bit on the pricey side for bao, but on the other hand that didn't deter me. Food quality was top notch, service was excellent, and the vibe was buzzy without being obnoxious. I also appreciated how the staff managed the queue to ensure diners inside weren't rushed or pressured while outside people queued up in an orderly fashion with an overwhelming and palpable sense of longing that made being on the inside feel so awesome! read more

This has become a must-visit for me whenever I get to travel to London. I usually dislike these "popular"/"hip" places that have lines, but Bao really delivers. Plus, even if you absolutely hate waiting in line, it's gotten manageable enough recently that on weekdays, my party has always gotten in with the first seating so long as we show up before the noon opening time. As far as the "xiao chi" / small plates, IMO the fried chicken, scallop, and guinea fowl rice are the standouts. My favorite bao are the lamb shoulder and the original, although I find all to be quite good and I often disagree with my dining companions as far as our favorites. And obviously with my sweet tooth, I think it's a requirement that everyone should have the Horlicks dessert bao on every visit. I love that they have Kavalan whisky available too - make sure to give it a try if you haven't! read more

Awesome place!!! Really good and affordable food. Kind of sliders are so tasty. Sake make me happy:-))) read more

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Wow. I can't think of any word that describes this restaurant better than "wow". The food is just unbelievable. I ordered the classic bao and it was sooooo goood! I had to queue up for about 15 minutes and I was really hoping it was worth it... well, it surpassed my expectations by about 500 miles. I can't wait to come back. read more

Delicious, dreamy Taiwanese baos with perfect varieties like pork confit, fried chicken, and ice cream. When we got to BAO around 5 PM, there were already 15 or so people in line in front of us and we ended up waiting around an hour. The interior is very cozy and I often found myself bumping elbows with my friends sitting beside me, which just opened up more opportunities to rave about the food between bites. Yes the menu is small but each item is deliciously made, and worth every second of the wait and more. read more

BAO - Soho - pork confit - Taiwanese Near Me - London, XGL

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This place was delicious but really quite expensive! My boyfriend and I ended up just having a couple orders of bao and eating a more full meal elsewhere. If you're looking to splurge a bit, this would be a great option because the food was quick and yummy! read more

We came here around 6pm and surprisingly the line wasn't as long as I expected. About 6 couples waiting ahead of us. Which was about a 25 min wait. Quickly the line became very long - so try get there early if you don't wanna wait. Inside is very small. Although not cramped you're very close to other people. Not a problem for me, to be honest, but we were sat next the worst couple ever - the GF was too loud and actually the worst person I've encountered in a long time. I won't go into it too much butttttt they were annoying and distracting. :-) Staff are very friendly and everything is served quickly and promptly. #Win The food is very good! Like very very good. The bao were tasty - we had the classic, lamb shoulder and fried chicken. I liked the classic a lot - tender pork with amazing flavours. The fried chicken was lovely also. I didn't enjoy the lamb as much - I thought it was a bit too spicy and oily. The beef strip was amazing! So tender and the flavours were subtle but delicious. The trotter nuggets were great. I'm guessing by the name it's pig foot meat that shaped my fried nugget. The sweet potato chips were good; chunky, battered and had a nice drizzle of hot sauce on them. Now here's my problem. The portions. And I am not a big eater. The bao are much smaller than the pictures suggest. I can easily pick one up with my forefinger and thumb. The server recommended 2 each but I think at least 3 is needed. The beef strip is not a strip but more tiny patches of meat - delicious delicious meat, did I mention. The trotter nuggets were okay - I think about 4 of small nugglets were in a portion. The chips - there were no more than 10 fries in there. C'mon! So to conclude, I like Bao. I really like the food. I just can't eat here unless I plan on eating afterward or if I eat 4-5 buns and 2 starters each. read more

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I love bao (the food). Amazing, really, when they're done right. But I just don't understand a 30-60 minute wait to eat only "ok" bao for 1.5x the price. The fried chicken bao is the only exception, but I am starting to see near comparisons for slightly less money and significantly less wait time popping up in places like Ippudo. Speaking of Ippudo, their bao are (1) bigger, (2) less expensive, and (3) frankly, better. The restaurant does provide some interesting interpretations, with ice cream and sweet bun bao for example, but there is something really unsatisfying in each of their new creations. They've moved away from rich flavours and small bites to simply small bites of semi-ordinary flavours. The high mark-up and relatively novelty will certainly keep them in business, but it certainly won't keep me going back. So go once to check it out, because we all know you will, and because it's a cool concept and the line offers an air of exclusivity for those "in the know" - this is why I took a chance! Unfortunately, however, this place is remarkably similar to Barrafina on Frith St. in one key way: they will get strong reviews because of this air of exclusivity and novelty, but not because what should be real drivers of rating, the quality and quantity of food that you get, in the right ambiance, for the right price. read more

Walked past here when it was closed and made a note to self, this looks interesting. I was drawn by the image of a man stuffing a Bao in his mouth and I liked the illustration. One night in soho, we're trying to decide what to have for dinner and I remember Bao and head over there. I walk into the restaurant so happy and excited to see what a cool place this was, only to find out that there are 30 other people excited and waiting in line across the street! But the line moves quickly and we're in and order cocktail (not the best place to order drinks) and start ordering lots of small dishes and baos. The pickles are a must, order two or three of them as you won't want to share, very small, but you'll want more! The baos were just what I had imagined, salty, yummy meat with a soft sweet bun, yum! Totally reminded me of San Francisco's Chairman Mao food truck. read more

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Mmmmm good. You've probably heard the main con- if you don't go at an opportune time you will certainly wait for 30+ minutes- but once you're in you're treated to delicious steamed buns and other treats. My faves were the classic bao, fried chicken bao, and the fried chicken bites. It might get another 5 if they can lower the prices just a teensy bit and, for goodness sake, move to a larger location now that it is here to stay in London! read more