Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Bao

    4.1 (171 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Bao Photos

    BAO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Bao

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Pork Belly Ramen, Truffle Pork Belly Ramen, Mei Fun Noodle, Curry, Tantan Ramen
    William S.

    A fusion Asian spot with a Canadian twist, which I understand, but some aspects didn't quite hit the mark for me. Overall, the food was decent, but the soup, particularly the pork belly broth, lacked the richness and depth of flavor you'd expect. The pork belly ramen had an overpowering sourness, likely from the pickled mushrooms. I assume this was a fusion take on Japanese pickled bamboo shoots, but the sourness was so strong that it dominated the broth. The ramen noodles themselves also lacked the bite and chewiness of traditional ramen, leaning more on the doughy side. I know it's fusion, but I think some of these elements could be better balanced.

    Kendra C.

    Delicious! Came in with a group of 5 and all enjoyed the meal. We ordered Pork Belly Ramen and 3 Bao Buns featured in the photo. The buns were FANTASTIC and the ramen was good. Staff were helpful as we weren't sure what to order upon arriving.

    Garth D.

    I see it's been 7 years since my last post here and this place is still great. I try to go every time I'm in Victoria. The Pork Belly Ramen was phenomenally good!

    Ramen with their homemade chili oil.
    Tien A.

    A small but cozy restaurant. We had two bowls of ramen and an assortment of bao. The bao were the show stoppers. Oh my goodness were they delicious. The ramen was also very good. The pork belly in the ramen was fried. The eggs were cooked perfectly. Our only complaint was that the noodles were slightly overcooked. If we come here again, we'll skip the ramen and just get bao.

    Menu
    Connie H.

    Pretty much ordered the whole menu- jk Really small place- must order first and then sit- here's the run down: -Korean fried chicken- bibimbab- don't expect traditional bibimbab, it's rice with the fried chicken, pickled cucumbers, kimchi, and a sunny fried egg on top 3.5/5 -General Taos wings- pretty sweet but good 5/5 Classic Twainesse Bao Chinese bbq Bao Buttermilk fried chicken Bao - this one was a favorite Pork belly ramen - just ok for me could use a deeper flavor-the noodles were not silky at all Tongstsu Bao It was all generally good- would return- Bao buns were nice and soft

    Assorted bao
    Mary T.

    This place is legit the best ramen and bao I've ever tasted. Service is friendly and casual. Vibes are cool. Wonderful, wonderful food.

    Veggie tofu bibimbap
    Yojna J.

    First time at Bao's and we had a great time! You have to place and pay for our order before taking seats which was efficient. The ambiance is cute, cosy! The space is quite small but the hosts are friendly, making you feel right at home.The service here is great and the highlight of our meal was definitely the mushroom and black bean veg croquette bao. They were phenomenal, bursting with flavour and creativity. We also tried the veggie tofu bibimbap, and it was also delicious! I highly recommend this place! We are already planning our next visit! Don't miss out on this hidden gem!!

    Outside
    Cindy R.

    Omg this place is 10/10!!! They are quick to serve. Went with a group of 4 we all shared one ramen and a one order or the Baos, it's nice because you pick 4 different Baos of your choice and the pork were my favorite! I will definitely be returning here when I'm Victoria! Would highly recommend the Ramen as well. The place is small but it's cute.

    This was the Pork Belly Ramin.
    Pete S.

    This was a wonderful surprise. We both ordered ramin and it was fantastic. The place is small, maybe 8 tables and 4 seats at the bar. You queue up in line, when a seat opens up you can order then sit. He serving was efficient and the meals are prepared right in sight of the dining room. I loved the atmosphere, our server was also the bus-person. She answered the phones, took takeout orders and was the cashier. She brought us a sample bbq bao with the most tasty meat inside. We're going back and sample more!

    Korean Fried Chicken bibimbap
    Maling S.

    Our final meal in Victoria before heading back home. They don't take reservations so we arrived just before they opened to ensure we get seated. You need to give and pay your order before getting seated so know what you want so many dishes to try! Korean Fried Chicken bibimbap Mei Fun Stir Fry Taiwanese Classic bao Chinese BBQ bao Pork Meatball Banh Mi bao Buttermilk Fried Chicken bao We devoured the delicious food just in time to walk around Chinatown before heading to the ferry to go back to reality.

    Tan tan men! Just okay!
    Annie B.

    Food- 8/10 Delicious! There isn't many yummy places to get Asian food in Victoria, BC, and this is one of the few! I really loved the fried tofu bibimbap since it was so flavorful and the tofu was very crunchy! I would highly recommend ordering the dish. Cleanliness/Looks- 10/10 Everything is very clean, and they are very thorough in checking for vaccine cards/ID with vaccine proof. FYI- the times for open/closing on Yelp aren't accurate! They are closed Sunday AND Monday, and they do a 4-5 PM closing period to clean the restaurant. This was super frustrating...

    Porshe T.

    The balance of incredible flavors I was searching for in Victoria. This is the best food I've found hands down. Get literally anything. I had the pork belly ramen, and the fried chicken bao and it's EVERYTHING. Come here.

    Ramen galore ($15/$16): pork belly, tan tan, char siu, and chicken karaage - all nice, but small - you'll be wishing you had more!
    Jack W.

    === 1. VERDICT/VALUE Refreshingly different, at a price. It's a toss-up - really high prices for Chinatown, coupled with small portions because we did takeout? I hoping dining in provides for larger portions because one shouldn't have to drive thru McDonald's after eating the mains just to feel full. But then the food was decently flavored, so it's 3 stars for now until I'm able to try it again! === 2. FOOD Bao offers a slightly different take on the usual dishes: Ramen: - Pork Belly ($15) - Tan Tan ($15, with soft egg) - Truffle Char Siu ($16) - (Chicken) Karaage ($16) ...all were nice but in the takeout containers were horrendously small, particularly for the price, and so it's good we went elsewhere to eat after this. Bao: With flavors like Shanghai Black Bean, Tonkatsu Chicken, Taiwanese Classic, Chinese BBQ, and Pork Meatball, it's great to try flavors you won't find elsewhere. Savor every bite though, because each delicacy is $4.50 or $15 for four! === 3. SERVICE & ENVIRONMENT I only did takeout, so from that perspective, the service was good and reasonably fast after ordering in-person. The environment looks to be an oasis in Chinatown - something intentionally dim, cool-looking, and clean in contrast to much of what is in the surrounding blocks. The space is small there may have been a step or two to get inside - either way, the limited space will pose a challenge for wheelchairs and strollers. Parking is best found at a meter on the street outside or in the municipal lot up the block on Fisgard Street.

    Cucumber salad

    See all

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Greg K.
    19
    14
    6

    8 years ago

    Food rocks. Best bao ever. Always feels understaffed or a bit fast foodish because of counter service. Still is a must try.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chuck B.
    10
    33
    35

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    I tried Taiwanese classic bao...... maybe the review brought me high expectation but the bao was little bit disappointing.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J L.
    0
    6
    0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Josh V.
    68
    55
    12

    9 years ago

    These little Bao Buns are deceptively delicious. Way better than the Noodle Box that was at this location before.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sam B.
    51
    2
    3

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Thoughtful update to traditional dishes! A hit out of the park! Great customer service, casual dining, and good beer too!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amanda J.
    705
    42
    8

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kat G.
    0
    61
    2

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of G S.
    3
    27
    0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    The Bao's were good; however, the Ramen broth was way too salty. The broth also seemed to only have a soy sauce base and was undrinkable.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary V.
    19
    127
    0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 4 of 5

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Korean 372 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Block Kitchen + Bar

    Block Kitchen + Bar

    4.6
    (66 reviews)
    0.4 km
    Locally owned & operated
    Vegetarian friendly

    Drove down from courtenay to meet with a friend to go to the…read moreCity & Colour show and she suggested the Block as she had been before. Ambiance was great - super warm and welcoming which was magnified by the host. Super lovely. Then the wait staff. Whoever is hiring/training is doing a great job! Not drinking right now but the cocktail menu was super tempting. Every menu item sounded great. We got some help on ordering from our servers and Tanya picked ones she had enjoyed before. We also sat right beside the pick up window so it was fun seeing food come out! The food was fantastic. See pictures for what we ordered. Not sure if I can remember the names of everything but it was a perfect combo!!

    So straight up this place went and took us to places we hadn't been prior to eating at the Block…read more Overall a very enjoyable experience for sure, but you cannot pigeonhole this place, which is a very good thing! We are big fans of traditional fare, but the Block is a place we are so glad we experienced and will certainly return utilizing the knowledge we garnered during our first experience. A big thank you to for helping us through picking one price fixe January exploration of your local restaurants and filling it with other ala carte additions. As we often do we ordered far too much food, wanting to explore everything off a menu that is far reaching. Not sure if our additions worked with the price fixe menu, but we sure enjoyed checking everything out. The interior is interesting with the addition of structural steel in the space to keep this heritage building (I think) standing tall for a few generations. We sure hope it's still here for a long while and will most likely come again the next time we are in Victoria. That is saying a lot as there are a wide range of restaurants in the neighbourhood, but you do want to check the Block out!

    Photos
    From local craft beers to exotic cocktails, we have a drink for you and that special someone.
    From local craft beers to exotic cocktails, we have a drink for you and that special someone.
    Duck Spring Rolls with Nam Jim sauce.
    Duck Spring Rolls with Nam Jim sauce.
    Admiral Sho Cauliflower with marinated and fried cauliflower bites, General Tso sauce, sesame, chili thread.

    See all

    Admiral Sho Cauliflower with marinated and fried cauliflower bites, General Tso sauce, sesame, chili thread.
    The Tropical Island Restaurant

    The Tropical Island Restaurant

    3.7
    (31 reviews)
    4.2 km
    $$

    The food and service is wonderful! Love the coconut soup. We enjoyed the young woman who is always…read morekind and super helpful, regardless of how many tables she is serving.

    Review Template ===…read more1. VERDICT/VALUE With a menu from across a variety of Asian cultures, Tropical Island tries to everything to everyone and at least for this one takeout experience, it does - falling short only on portion size. === 2. FOOD Our order was takeout and so the portion sizes were small (see photos for scale of the smaller tin pans with chopsticks); however, the quality of the food was decent overall! Chicken Satay ($13) Four skewers come at this price with some sort of mild-ish spicy oil-based peanut sauce on the side. The chicken is relatively meaty and tender! Beef Vegetable Delight ($19) With lotus root, carrots, onions, celery, and broccoli on tap with thin slices of beef, this is a dish you'll enjoy with rice or another starch. Green Beans ($19) One of the recommended house dishes by the server; it was decent - no minced pork like that found in Chinese restaurants, but it does have red and green peppers and onions. === 3. SERVICE The server at the counter was good and professional, balancing myself, app-order delivery drivers, and dine-in guests. The staff here seemed to speak English and Manadarin. The food was prepared fairly quickly, tho this may be due to having only 4 tables of dine-in guests at the time of order. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It's not a looker - it starts with narrow hallway with two small bench-type seats for those waiting at the counter, before opening into an older seating area. Wheelchairs and baby strollers should fit well enough once you get through the hallway. Parking is interesting - a few spots are located out front (watch out for one with a small Do Not Park sign on the wall) and there are a few more spots across the alleyway.

    Photos
    Coconut rice: yum :)
    Coconut rice: yum :)
    Complimentary pineapple for dessert: thank you Tropical Island!
    Complimentary pineapple for dessert: thank you Tropical Island!
    Cashew Mixed Veg: another good thing!

    See all

    Cashew Mixed Veg: another good thing!
    The Cozy Place Restaurant

    The Cozy Place Restaurant

    4.5
    (133 reviews)
    0.1 km
    $$

    === 1. VERDICT/VALUE Pretty solid choice based on one…read moretakeout visit: decent food and good service! === 2. FOOD Stir-Fried Dried Green Beans ($19.95) The winner is this category would be Tropical Island Restaurant on Shelbourne; however, The Cozy Place offering would be close behind it. Decent with some crunch still; you can get it spicy or not. Ma Po Tofu ($19.95) You can order it meatless or minced pork; it's somewhat authentic. It does have some heat to it (for those sensitive to spice); however, it's pretty solid! === 3. SERVICE Service was good and professional on call-in, payment, wait, questions around the menu, and when the order was ready. English was fluently spoken by the lady working the front and the man cooking the dishes behind her. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It's a long, narrow restaurant - your group of 6, maybe 8 could fit at one table in the front. For everyone else, you're accommodated in tables of 2's or 4's along the wall. If bringing a wheelchair or baby stroller, I would stick to the table in the front. Parking is all metered on the street - note that the city has their parking enforcement office basically across the way working until 8pm, so put payment into the meters upfront even if you're coming by to do a quick pickup!

    At the suggestion of the umbrella shop owner in the alley we tried Cozy Place . Food was good…read moreespecially the boiled fish in a spicy soup and the veggie eggplant. We had the Gung Po chicken which was a bit over done. Service was friendly and service was quick

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Stir-Fried Green Beans ($19.95): tasty!
    Stir-Fried Green Beans ($19.95): tasty!
    Menu page 2 of 3 as of July 2024

    See all

    Menu page 2 of 3 as of July 2024

    Bao - korean - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...