The soup dumplings are: so. good. (insert fire emoji) I've tried Dough Zone a couple times up in Seattle, so I was excited to see a Houston location. The Q-Bao & Pork Xiao Long Bao are both good enough to come for those dishes alone. The ginger vinegar sauce is next-level amazing. We also enjoyed our pot of Jasmine tea. We were wholly unimpressed with our other dishes, though. The Szechuan noodles were a little TOO al dente... which I didn't even know was possible. The steamed potstickers were lackluster, at best. We didn't finish either dish and did not feel compelled to even take them to-go. The service was quick and friendly. Guests can choose table service or can easily take food to-go, by ordering from 2 electronic kiosks at the front. That said, the atmosphere is fast casual. Ngl, it's kind of giving pei wei vibes (which is a bit different from the west coast sister restaurants, I've visited)... not in a bad way, though. We took the rail / Uber, but there is a parking lot outside. I cannot speak to how busy it gets, though, since we didn't drive. Giving 4 stars because I will absolutely be back - but I will just probably *only* order a feast of just the soup dumplings and bao. read more

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Surprisingly, there was no wait on a Saturday afternoon. The staff were very friendly! I felt very well taken care of. I got my orders in a timely and understandable manner. After tasting the food, I'm willing to wait for it. I got the pork wontons in chili sauce first. The wontons were small but thinking about the price for the quality, I say it's reasonable. The wontons were cooked perfectly. The wrappers along with the pork fillings went down my throat so smooth and it was quite juicy. The Xiaolongbao looked as if it was cooked by order which was what I usually prefer. The wrappers for these were consistent in texture and a solid thickness. Each one had an excellent amount of broth as well as pork filling. The broth was very tasty and hot. As I lifted the dumplings, the bottom was not soggy or stuck to the paper. The minced ginger went very well with it. The beef pancake roll was very interesting because it was probably my first time trying beef like how they made it. Some parts were tender but it reminded me of beef jerky as I ate it. I loved the pancake part, though: crispy fried. There were plenty of space inside the restaurant but it's unfortunate that parking spaces were limited to them. The Togo box and bag was pretty! read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Pork Xiaolongbao - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Bao and dumplings were delicious. Went for lunch, spent about $50 for 4 people.. not bad at all now a days!

Great soup dumplings, food was delivered quickly, and impeccible service. I will be back.

Shockingly cheap price for a pretty good quantity of food. Order at your table with a piece of paper and a pencil.

I ordered the pork & shrimp potstickers, pork wontons in chili oil and the beef noodle soup. If you want real authentic Chinese food, this place is not it. Better off going to chinatowns San Dong Noodle House. The wontons were as tiny as my pinky with barely any chili oil. The noodle soup was bland. No pickled greens, no bok choy. The potstickers were okay, but might as well buy the frozen ones and make at home. read more

It's like the Panda Express of dumpling spots. It's ok if that what you're looking for. It's not authentic but there's a market for that I suppose. It's decent. The pancake was flavorless. The beef noodle soup was good. The soup dumplings had almost no soup in them. The wonton soup was bland. The staff was nice. The restaurant is clean. We ate the noodles and that's about it. read more

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I'm a Seattle native and very familiar with Dough Zone cause that's where the chain originated. I was surprised to find the menu differs from the ones in the surrounding Seattle area. Located in Midtown, Dough Zone is located in a strip mall type location with its own small parking lot! Definitely a plus for the restaurant cause of Midtown parking but the lot isn't quite big enough for all their customers. So don't be surprised if you have to wait for customers to leave or circle around a few times. The soup dumplings were juicy and decent, though the skin still isn't quite as thin as DTF. The fried potstickers were fantastic and easily a favorite of the day. They serve things like pan fried crispy bottom baos, dan dan noodles (these ones aren't our favorite compared to others in Houston), green onion pancake (a bit too thick and doughy and not flakey enough), and pickled spicy cucumbers! The menu is expensive and some items are better than others, but the soup dumplings and pan fried potstickers were probably the favorites of the day. Would definitely consider coming back when in the area to try other dishes.. the service was a bit slow when we came, so they need to improve on that. Good addition to Houston and excited to get a little bit of home in H-town! Who doesn't want another option for Sze Chuan and soup dumplings?! Interior was new and modern. read more

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Plenty of parking at this location. Loved the convenience of marking a paper menu and service was great. I also liked the interior decor. Not sure why, but the food tasted better in Houston compared to Seattle. The pork xiaolongbao, sweet & sour cucumber, fried wonton with sweet & spicy sauce, and fried pork/shrimp pot stickers were all delicious! I'll definitely come back to try other food options. read more

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We came here for lunch on a Monday and was pleasantly surprised that they have private, free off-street parking. There is a monitor to order to-go orders at the front. There was no wait however, and we were seated immediately. The interior is light and modern and has lots of natural light. There are also a good amount of tables and from our spot, we could see the kitchen. We ordered our usual cold noodles, scallion pancake, and of course a bunch of soup dumplings! The items came out as they were ready and the soup dumplings were the best. I love that the dough is not too thick and they are manageable in size, coming 8 in an order, instead of 5 or 6 big ones at other places. I chatted it up with our server about their expansion goals and paid at our table with the toast machine once we were finished. read more

Food is good. Soup dumplings are decent. Price was great. We came on a Monday night and wasn't busy at all. I would come back. read more

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I know this place is a chain restaurant for dumplings but it's pretty solid. Yes it may not compare to dtf but for the price and the taste it was definitely worth it in my book for a quick, casual dumpling lunch. I love how they cut the cucumbers and it provided a nice crunch to the dumplings. Service was quick and friendly. The dumplings were flavorful and filling. The restaurant is on the smaller side but cute. read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

All their options are affordable! I tried their crab and pork soup dumplings, pork soup dumplings, pan fried Bao, and chicken pot sticker. I really enjoyed the chicken pot sticker and crab and soup dumpling. Definitely a nice place to eat at with your friends and family. read more

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Good food, great prices. I would definitely recommend, I like the concept of writing down what you want so there's no confusion. I also enjoy the ambiance and the polite service that they deliver. Most of the time it is very busy and you have to wait a while to be seated but everything after that is pretty easy and fast read more

Wow! What a wonderful experience!! The food was great and super affordable!! We will definitely come back!!

We were looking forward to trying the soup dumplings but we were informed most of them were out of stock when we arrived (which was right in the middle of dinner and wasn't that late in the evening). Service seemed decent and the restaurant itself had enough parking and tables to accommodate guests. The food, however, was a big letdown. The cucumber dish below had a bit of novelty due to how it was cut/presented, but wasn't that flavorful. Additionally, the non-soup dumplings we tried were pretty bland as well. It felt as though there was no care put into the preparation, but rather a desire to meet the bare minimum. I don't think we'll be back unfortunately. There seem to be many other great food options in Houston to visit instead. read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Cucumber - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was good but service was underwhelming. They forgot to put in two orders of our entrees and brought only one serving out after being reminded twice. Would not return here Music almost put us to sleep as well. read more

Great food, taste and presentation excellent. Ingredients are noted in the menu! Important for our family since we have food allergies . Great Staff and service ! read more

Loved this midtown spot. We had about a 10min wait for table of 2 on a Friday night - not bad! Definitely order: beef noodle soup, minced pork noodles, cucumbers, potstickers! The beef shank was good but maybe not authentic. The broccoli is just steamed broccoli, nothing special but cooked well and added a nice variety to our spread. The dough of the boiled dumplings was surprisingly undercooked but the filling was cooked through completely. read more

I came here on a Sunday right when it opened for the day and beat the rush! Service was excellent and food was delicious! It's a mix of dim sum and other options like Dan Dan noodles, green onion pancake etc. I feel like an order of each dish was enough for at least two people to share, so it was a great way to try different dishes. The space is pretty open with plenty to small tables towards the front and larger tables in the back. There are nice big windows for great natural lighting as well. All in all, really delicious and I will definitely return!! read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Dan Dan noodles! Perfect amount of spice. - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

As a dim sum critic, I can easily say I am so thankful I got to try this place and they were still open for takeout 30 minutes before close which is super considerate of their employees :) I got soup dumplings, their pork bao's, and ube latte. For the dim sum, it was sooooo delicious!!! Seriously, the broth in both the bao's and soup dumplings can easily be described as succulent and rich. What I most appreciate is how soup dumplings can have poor broth with weak flavor ESPECIALLY upon take out, but this held up and was filled with soupy goodness. The filling in the pork bao was also so rich and delicious!! Be careful, she pops out with no warning and is thicker than the soup in the soup dumplings. My only complaint was the ube latte, yes it was pretty good but it was more tarp than ube. I am a nerd for both flavors and can easily tell the difference. Wish it was advertised more as a taro/ube latte- I was expected to be transported back to ube city in the Philippines but still good Also the walls of the soup dumpling were pretty thin, that went I did the poke test to let steam out and grab, that it spilled all over the dim sum box. Thankfully it wasn't steaming hot, so I just ate the soup dumps whole after that. So good!!! A dim sum spot for sure. read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

A great spot for dumplings in the city if you can't make it to Chinatown. We came in for dinner on a Thursday evening. You can join the waitlist when you arrive. We got lucky and were seated as I was submitting my name. I look up a few minutes later and a line for dinner had formed. The price point is very fair and there are plenty of options to try from. I was under the weather and wanted some soup and hot tea for comfort. The ambiance was warm and open I can see why they are busy. It's not DTF but this place definitely satisfied the cravings. Their scallion beef wrap was very flavorful and different from what I've tried at Tiger Noodle House. I will most definitely be returning soon. read more

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It was my first time here with some girlfriends and it was a fun time. The indoor decor was very nice and you have a view of the kitchen crew area. The service was really attentive and great especially with checking if we received everything we ordered and refilling our water in a timely manner. The food was really good. I wasn't a soup dumpling fan but I enjoyed the variety of dumplings and noodle dishes. The ube milk tea was good but wish I could had ordered boba. There is a parking lot. I would recommend this place for any new to soup dumplings. read more

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I have always told myself to wait past the soft opening before trying a restaurant but I couldn't resist soup dumplings. In this case, I should have waited. We came late on a Friday night around 9 30 PM and we still had to wait 20 minutes. The service leaves a lot to be determined. It didn't seem like they had a host and none of the servers looked at us at all. Even when our name was up next on the Yelp wait list, we had to stare down the employees in hopes to get seated. Upon sitting down, our server alerted us that they had run out of soup dumplings and pan fried dumplings. That was the sole reason I came here! It usually would be understandable as the business is still new and it was a late night on Halloween weekend. However, being the hangry, pregnant woman I am, I expressed my disappointment that they should have notified us prior to us waiting for a table. We ordered: Green onion pancake (3.5/5) - wish it came with a dipping sauce, I ended up using the sauces on my other dishes Pork wontons with chili sauce (3.5/5) - sauce was not spicy at all Dan Dan noodles (4/5) - had some spice to it, I would say this was the "best" item I had here Beef stew noodle soup (3.5/5) - the soup was lukewarm Sweet and sour cucumber (3.5/5) - the spiral cucumber was a fun idea but lacked flavor In the end, our server gave our meal to us for free. I was shocked, especially for an Asian restaurant. She apologized that we were not notified about the out-of-stock items. My S.O. still attempted to pay for some of the food but she refused. I definitely appreciated this gesture after the service we received. Unfortunately, the food is not enough to make me want to come back and try the soup dumplings. read more

Once seated we were handed an order ticket with no description but there is also an online menu with pictures that was super helpful. I was a little nervous with all of the entrees dictating a heat level (I'm a wimp with spicy food). The Yi Bin noodles had some heat but it was pretty tolerable for my palette. I thought the beef stew noodles were a little bland. The XLB as usual was my favorite part of the meal. Service was perfectly attentive and not over bearing at all. read more

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Dough Zone makes a great addition to Midtown! The price range is absolutely affordable for the area and if you're new to the dumpling scene, TRY EVERYTHING because dumplings are made to share. We ordered Pork XLB, Q Bao, Pork&Shrimp Potstickers, Wonton in Chili Sauce, DanDan Noodles, Green Onion Pancakes. We saw that the new location on Post Oaks just opened, can't wait to come back and try more variety of dishes Dough Zone has to offer. read more

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Really yummy soup dumplings (9/10) ! Tried the chicken one and the q-bao (8/10) ones. Soup dumplings hot and delicious. Q bao had lots of flavor ! Also the spicy beef pancakes had great flavor (9/10). Self service type of place so not too much hospitality. But ... quick to get your food and clean place. Nice decor ! Overall really enjoyed. Highly recommend read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Soup dumplings - chicken - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

Pretty good! My friends and I like to try different soup dumplings around town, and we liked it. The service was quick and you fill out a half sheet with what you want to order. The restaurant is clean. I loveddddd that their menu had photos of each item! I wish every restaurant did that! I loved that their soup dumplings actually had a lot of soup in them. The pork was good, not that much flavor though as others I've tried, the chicken had good flavoring, and then the pork&crab dumplings were not our favorite. It tasted more fishy than we expected and was a little odd. The beef noodle soup was really good! The cucumber was ok, not as tangy and flavorful as other places. The don-don noodles were pretty tasty as well. Overall, we enjoyed it, but I have other soup dumplings places that I'd probably prefer over this one. read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

Atmosphere is calming and chill with piano music in the background. Decor is pleasing to the eye. Servers are really attentive clean up as you are done. The food is wonderful. We didn't have anything we didn't like. The s&s cucumbers are crunchy and refreshing with a little spice on the back end. The soup dumplings are amazing juicy and tender. Wonton soup was light but savory and delicious. Definitely recommend read more

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Amazing service and the staff will go through the menu with you pretty thoroughly if it's your first time there and they'll make recommendations for you too. We had an issue with one of our orders and they did the best the could to resolve it. The manager working was very sweet and stopped by our table to talk to us. The best thing I had here was the pork soup dumpling. It tastes best when its freshly steamed, so that the soup is still liquidy and not congealed. My fiance also liked the flavor of the beef pot stickers. I also liked the qbao. The meat inside was really juicy. It was almost like a soup dumpling in bun form, but my fiance said it was too doughy for him. The five spice beef shank was a nice cold dish, but it does have the schezuan peppers that'll really numb your tongue. If you're looking to try certain things be sure to call ahead because they do stop making certain items by the end of the night. read more

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Private parking lot Take out-there's a kiosk to order from Not recommend for groups over 10. Beef noodle soup is good but the portion is quite small. The steam zucchini shrimp dumplings was not bad Q bao pan fried Berkshire pork buns- a favorite so crispy and filling moist Pork and crab soup dumplings -good and dough is light Chicken and vegetable wonton chilli sauce-not spicy I ordered a pan fried dumping Togo and appreciate the condiments. The dumplings looks crushed from me dropping the bag. read more

The warm wood, high ceiling, and open space made the atmosphere nice. The food was delicious. The service could be more attentive and improved as I had to ask for water refill, extra bowls for the noodle soup, and ginger that goes with the xiao long baos. Ordered the following: Sweet and sour cucumber - awesome crunch, refreshing, and had a light and delicious sauce, one of the best cucumber dishes I've ever had Braised pork ear appetizer - good flavor and texture, delicious Pork and crab meat xiao long bao - juicy, dough had great texture and perfect thickness, filling was great, delicious Fried wonton with sweet spicy garlic sauce - the fried wonton was delicious with the sauce Pork and shrimp potsticker - beautifully pan fried, dough was thicker than I prefer, wouldn't get again Beef stew noodle soup - noodle had a great texture, beef was tender, soup was on the lighter side but still tasty Glad a delicious Chinese restaurant has joined the midtown area and would definitely come back for the xiao long baos and sweet and sour cucumber. read more

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It pains me to write this review because I was hyped that this place was coming to Houston. I had the pleasure of eating in the Seattle location a few times and was hoping the quality would be similar. My experience at this location was a little disappointing. What we ordered: Soup dumplings - overall, these were okay. Flavor was pretty good but the texture of the dough felt off. Q buns - these were disappointing. I didn't like the texture of the dough and the filling to dough ratio was a bit off. Scallion pancakes - this was a mixed bag. Some pieces were fine but others didn't have a crispy texture. Cucumbers - these were pretty good. Wish the pickling or the sauce was stronger Wontons - these were pretty good. The sauce kind of carried this dish The service and vibe of the place was good but the quality of food was lacking. read more

I was nervous seeing Dough zone expanding to not one but possibly 3 locations. Think about the quality of the XLB!!! So of course we took a chance on opening week. The service and ambiance is definitely better than your run of the mill china town dim sum. 1- pork and crab xiao long bao was definitely our favorite. The little fat bottoms were full of soup. The wrapper definitely did not rip and the meat inside was just *chefs kiss* 2- beef noodle soup- light and airy but packed full of flavor. The beef itself was so tender. 3. Five spice beef shank, I dont know how they made it but the flavors were so good. I ate it with the kale salad. 4- Dan dan noodlea were perfectly cooked, a little creamier than normal but delicious 5-kale salad because we're healthy. It was really good too, but everything just outshined the greens. I'm so happy we can have good quality dim sum closer to downtown!! read more

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The soup dumpling skin was thin and so perfectly soupy. The oil chicken veggie dumplings were tasty as well and weren't too spicy Service was prompt by many wait staff. Food came out quickly. I'm going back for more! read more

Dough Zone Dumpling House - Midtown - Pork soup dumpling, pork pan fried bao, oil chicken veggie dumplings - Noodles Near Me - Houston, Texas

We were a little disappointed by our takeout dinner from Dough Zone. The soup dumplings (we tried both pork and chicken) really didn't have much broth, which kind of takes away the point of them being soup dumplings--I actually prefer the frozen Trader Joe's soup dumplings to these soup dumplings. I also took one bite of the steamed pork bun and didn't eat any more of it--wasn't a fan. The only item I really liked and thought was above average was the dan dan noodles dish--it had great flavor and a nice and spicy kick to it. To be fair, service was very fast and responsive, with nice packaging for to-go orders that seemed specifically made for dumplings. But I'm not sure if this place will be my go-to for dumplings. read more

After much anticipation, Houston's newest soup dumpling joint has finally opened its doors this week! I've been eager to pay a visit ever since their original announcement in April - here are my thoughts on what we tried on opening weekend: Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) - These signature morsels are freshly steamed to order and indeed live up to the hype! I admit I was skeptical of the franchise's quality control (see: North American Din Tai Fung) but these are really a contender for the best soup dumplings in Houston. The skin is delicate yet sturdy, the filling is juicy and fresh, and (most importantly) the soup gushes out generously! I also appreciate the grated ginger and vinegar they serve as the traditional accompaniment. We tried both the pork and the pork/crab ones and we all preferred the former, but you really can't go wrong with either. Q-Bao (crispy bottom buns) - Yet another house specialty, we felt that these were a little doughy for our taste; typically I've had these 生煎包 fried crispier and with less seepage of filling that might have contributed to a less-than-ideal bao texture. I'll probably give these another chance on a repeat visit, but for now the ones at One Dragon remain superior. Braised pig ears - Don't knock them till you try them! This version of a traditional Chinese appetizer is springy and savory, and you'll find yourself chomping through the whole plate before you realize it. Dan dan noodles - Nutty, creamy, and spicy, we all raved about these noodles - in fact, I'm inspired to try the other noodle dishes on the menu on a repeat visit! Pork wontons in spicy sauce - This dish showcases the perfect blend of spicy, sweet, and savory that makes Sichuan food so addictive. Of the dumplings on the menu, these would definitely be my #2 pick behind the excellent soup dumplings. Boiled shrimp & pork dumplings - These zesty chive-forward dumplings pair exceptionally well with the chili oil provided on every table, though personally I probably wouldn't order these again when the other choices on the menu seem to shine much brighter. Potstickers - These lacy, shattering dumplings were a lot of fun to eat! I did find the overall dish to be a bit on the oily side, but they're otherwise a good textural contrast to the other dumplings on the menu. Banana naan dessert - This clever repurposing of excess ingredients reminded me of dessert roti and was served with a side of dipping cream. I wish the banana layer were just a bit thicker, though I still enjoyed it as a way to cap off a great meal! Service was prompt and efficient - we didn't have to wait for a table when we arrived at 11:45, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's in the near future once word spreads. I will say the limiting factor might end up being the relatively small parking area, but there's always street parking to be found if you're willing to walk. Can't wait to be back for more dumps! :) read more

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First time going to the dough zone and the food was really good my favorite was the cucumber salad. The interior was very chic and clean. The service was very mid. read more

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I loved Dough Zone!! Met up with family during a dinner rush on a Saturday night and only waited five minutes for a table. Our food was amazing and our server was very friendly and attentive. The portions are the perfect size for sharing but also not having too much food so that you can enjoy multiple items. The Q-Bao was my absolute favorite but the steamed dumplings were a close second. My only wish was that the dessert banana naan was a little more banana-y. Will definitely be back soon! read more

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We've been eyeing this place for a while and we're really happy when we drove by late one night after a disappointing earlier dinner and saw that this was open. We stopped in for a post dinner snack and we're really happy we did. We had the pork and crab XLB and we were given a free order of the Q Baos in honor of us being there on day 4 of their opening. The Q bao was our favorite. The bun was just really nice texture, soft body, but still crispy bottom and then inside, the pork was juicy and very flavorful. The pork and crab XLB was mostly just okay to us. Texture-wise it was nice, and we loved how they brought it out still hot in the steamer. However the flavor fell a little flat for us and we had to add the chili oil and some soy sauce to bring it up a little. It's possible that we got a bad batch and we still plan to come back to try more things. Restaurant decor is really nice too and we love how open and clean everything felt. All the servers we interacted with were nice and helpful. The menu overall looks really interesting and we can't wait to come back to try everything. read more

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