Dropped by Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley and it was a great pick The dumplings were juicy full of flavor and clearly made fresh The place had a lively feel but still comfortable and the service moved fast without feeling rushed Definitely worth a visit if you are craving something warm and satisfying read more

The restaurant was pretty busy and lively when we came on the weekend for lunch. There's indoor seating and a back patio for larger parties. Service was pretty quick. Items ordered: - Steamed pork soup dumplings: Probably the best dish that we ordered! Comes with 6 dumplings with a lot of soup - Shanghai styled pan fried pork buns: Comes with 4 pork buns which were flavorful but less soup and smaller than I expected. Could be a little more crispy. - Cucumber salad: Lots of cucumber which was great! - Dan dan noodles: This wasn't mind-blowing to me and was just ok. Comes with a lot of meat which were mostly at the bottom of the dish after mixing the noodles. - String beans: Good flavor but the dish was smaller than I have had at other places. - Boiled wonton in chili oil: I was disappointed in the flavor as it tasted a little sour to me? Not sure if it's the chili oil or the wonton. - Chocolate dumplings: Comes with 4 dumplings which were really good and tasted like nutella. Wish it came with a couple more dumplings! read more

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Firstly, if you are not vegetarian/ vegan this review is not for you. I am on the hunt to find the most vegetarian friendly Chinese restaurant in the city. I don't know the subtle differences between the cooking styles in the different provinces. I try a lot of basic dishes at home ( recipe from yt mostly) and am aware that this review may not resonate with many. I think we ordered the chow fun, veggie dumplings, friend rice, Kung pao tofu and some tea. If you did not grow up getting used to fish/ oyster sauce in your diet it is hard to get past the feeling that the food they served smells like fish/ oyster sauce. I would like to repeat that this was just me. My partner and bil ( both vegetarian) seemed to love the food. No it was just Me. Very friendly and quick service, food came out hot. Beautiful sunny say in sf and the ambience is just perfect for sunny day afternoon lunch. read more

This is a very nice upscale Chinese dumpling restaurant. The food is tasty, though it may take a little bit to come as it seems the dim sum and dumplings are made on order instead of sitting around in warmers. The staff were friendly and attentive. We were there at dinner for about two hours and never felt rushed. Dim sum is all about being with friends and family after all. Prices are in line with other dine-in Chinese restaurants. read more

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A cozy dinner atmosphere with friendly staff and relatively fast service. Our wonton soup was served nearly at the end of our meal, and we thought they had forgotten about it. Otherwise, this establishment is great for dates and friend hangouts. It smelled great entering the restaurant, and we were impressed with their food! 5/5 - Xiao Long Bao (not pictured) - One of the best xiao long bao's I have had in SF! The soup inside carried a very flavorful, savory broth. The dough was also well-made, and is definitely a must-order at this restaurant! 5/5 - Beef Chow Fun - Generous serving and very savory. This dish was also quite flavorful and a great carb to order with your dumplings. My friend thought it was a bit oily but I thought the dish and its ingredients were all in appropriate proportions. 4/5 - Shanghai-Style Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings - Very flavorful and cooked well. The dough was a bit thick and did not carry as much soup as I expected. I also thought 4 pieces was fewer than other restaurants that have ordered the same dish. However, it is still a great dish to order if eating with one other person! 3/5 - Wonton Soup - Not anything too outstanding. The broth base felt more on the clear, vegetable soup side than an umami broth. This was served last after we had finished all our other dishes so we initially expected that they forgot about this dish. read more

Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley - Inside - Shanghainese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here with my family! Good: - Great portion sizes and quantity per item - I liked the XLB here and the pan fried bun a lot. - The place is super fast when you order the food, it comes quickly - Large place so lots of seating - The staff are nice and clean up the dishes quickly. Bad: - Pretty packed space - More casual place, not super fancy Overall good value and authentic Chinese food! read more

We had a delicious meal here! The food was excellent, the back patio seating was perfect on a warm day, and the service was friendly and attentive, though sometimes a bit slow. Our family of 3 shared the following: 1) Pork soup dumplings- great 2) Crab and shrimp dumplings- very flavorful 3) Har gow - very good 4) Pan fried pork dumplings- tasty 5) Chicken chowmein - good 6) string beans - flavorful The outdoor back patio was very pleasant on the warm evening we were there. The staff was friendly and thoughtful. We only wished things had moved a bit faster. Overall, this place was very good and we look forward to returning! read more

Came here for a dinner event and the back patio was rented out. They decorated it so nicely and secured tarps overhead and enclosed us in a tent. The way they set everything up was perfect because it was storming, and we were able to keep dry for the most part. The owners are so sweet and nice, interacted with several of the guests and made us feel welcomed and a part of their family. There were several dishes to try: chow fun, fried rice, green onion pancakes, egg rolls, green beans, original xlb, har gow, and more. Overall, everything was so good and flavorful! I wasn't expecting everything to be good, and honestly thought there would be a hit and miss.. but NO, everything here is good and i will definitely be coming back! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :) read more

I've been to dumpling kitchen a couple of times and unfortunately the time it takes between dishes coming out can actually be 30 minutes, and this is during non peak hours. The dumplings are tasty but on the pricier side and the beef noodle soup had such a strong numbing flavor that it was hard to enjoy, almost to the point of tasting chemically. Their pork and cabbage dumplings were very tasty though with a thin and fresh dumpling skin, but the waiting time between each dish was extremely long. read more

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Service was five star. Food was a 3. I would stick with the pan-fried bun and XLB. Patio was nice and heated.

The original XLB is delicious! I love how it's all made in-house. It's such a simple dish but the flavors were incredible. We also ordered the cumin lamb which is bursting with flavor. Definitely will be coming back and ordering a boatload of dumplings ! read more

I had high expectations for this place given the raving reviews! We tried a variety of items here and they were hit or miss. Hot & Sour soup - this was as expected, very good Pork dumplings - I don't eat pork so wasn't able to try this myself but heard from others that they were good, but not great Steamed chicken & shiitake baos - I expected these to be a LOT better than they were, the ratio of bao to chicken felt off to me (there was a lot of dough) and they were a little bland Mongolian beef - loved this Kung Pao chicken - very good Chicken chow mein - loved this Shrimp har gaw - these were the only steamed dumplings I could have tried and unfortunately they were forgotten, we had placed 3 orders for this and then it was restaurant closing Service was good, although the shrimp dumplings were forgotten they gave us complimentary mini sesame balls with red bean. I'm not even crazy about red bean but these were amazing! Overall, the meal didn't blow me away. There were some items that were very good like the wok items and chow mein. I would love to come back and try some of the steamed dumplings to give this place another chance! read more

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Incredible food with a cute patio in the back! Love this place. Here's everything we ordered Szechuan chili oil chicken 5/5 Cucumber salad 5/5 Shanghai style pan fried pork buns 5/5 Shrimp Har gow 5/5 Chicken & Shiitake bao 4/5 read more

We discovered Dumpling Kitchen while strolling down 24th Street near the old Savor location. The spot is fantastic, with indoor and outdoor seating protected by awnings, offering a great variety for small and large groups. We enjoyed a Sunday brunch of delicious Dim Sum, recommended it to friends, and returned just four days later with a large party. The service was excellent, and the menu features a diverse selection of dim sum and small plates. Dumpling Kitchen also offers some sweet options, like the chocolate dumpling. The large group included a full table of kids who loved grabbing the dim sum, bao, and tasty dumplings. The food arrived quickly to keep us on schedule for a show at James Lick School. read more

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My girlfriend and I stopped by on New Year's Eve, the ambience as we entered was warm and inviting. The Chinese decor was beautiful, and we were seated by the fireplace. Again, incredibly warm and inviting. We ordered peppermint tea which was hot but refreshing, a good way to start our meal. We ordered Shanghai pan fried pork buns, steamed pork dumplings, steamed crab and shrimp dumplings, pea sprouts with garlic, and chicken chow mein. The owner took our order, she was incredibly friendly and accommodating. We ordered and around 5 minutes later our food arrived at the table. The Shanghai dumplings were crispy but soft on top, filled with savory soup. The steamed pork dumplings were soft, pillowy with a great pork flavor, a traditional authentic XLB taste. The crab and shrimp dumpling had such an intense crab flavor, any crab lover would come back for more! The green beans and chowmein were savory, not overly oily and incredibly addicting! I've had Din Tai Fung and their soup dumplings didn't have flavor compared to Dumpling Kitchen's, nor did the food come as quickly! We also didn't have to wait in a long line. I'm already looking forward to coming back! read more

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I've been on this eat at a place that is connected with Rakuten for in dining for a while now. 5x points there plus our Amex gold and that's 9x total the points. This place was on the list and the food was awesome! The claypot with roe was definitely the winner. The pan fried pork buns was surprisingly good. I think it was the texture of fried and steamed. You can't go wrong with the string beans. The beef chow fun tasted like most chow funs but still delish. I thought the steamed chicken and shiitake was gonna be a hit but it was alright. The tenderloin was soooo good. Love that it had this crispy outside but soft and chewy inside. The Chinese don't mess around with service. It was on point. From bringing the dishes out to filling the water cups, to getting rid of empty plates. This restaurant keeps that Chinese food tradition. The ambiance had that nicer interior feel to it. A huge mural of a dragon on the wall. Spacious interior and a cool outside patio of you wanted to eat out there. We closed the restaurant down but they were nice. read more

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First off, this place has a great ambiance, as I walked in, I noticed their huge beautiful dragon murals on both walls. Love it how the place is decorated contemporary style, open glass wall kitchen, serving counter/supplies well organized and viewable but most importantly this place is very CLEAN.... We had the scallop shrimp dumplings, xiao lung baos, green beans, basil clams, and Dan Dan noodles and the salted egg tofu. Food was very tasty. If I live in the neighborhood, I would be here daily We were there during a Saturday late lunch hour, still, the servers were very friendly and accommodating. Great dining experience for our girls lunch get together read more

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Hands down some the best dumplings I've had in the city! The Dumpling Kitchen never disappoints. The wrappers are perfectly chewy and the fillings are always packed with flavor. My personal fave is the beef pot stickers . Service is always friendly and fast, even on weekends. Can't recommend enough!" read more

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One of my favorite spots to grab a bite in Noe Valley! The place is deceivingly large based on what you see on the outside and the food is delicious. I love their soup dumplings and their pan fried dumplings but they also have great fried rice, string beans, and the cucumber salad was great! read more

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I had an excellent experience at Dumpling Kitchen last weekend with my two adult kids. I was a little skeptical because while it's a dumpling place, they have a vast menu with a huge variety of other Asian American options-- and in my experience, that could indicate a Jack of All Trades, Master of None with quality of food. I was SO PLEASED and pleasantly surprised to report that every single dish we ordered was excellent. I was surprised and so happy. Eating together with my kids, with very tasty food cooked correctly- and served so quickly- in a beautiful eclectic setting felt like a magical moment captured in my mind forever. I noticed one lady in particular and connected dots she must've been one of owners mentioned in the menu story. She was nothing less than passionate, devoted and non stop wiping and sanitizing tables and seats, constantly sweeping as soon as guests left their table, and I even saw her sitting quietly folding napkins near the small rustic antiquated fireplace. My dad had a family business and worked his fingers to the bone- we all did. So I saw that in Shari. And I had to approach her after our experience and let her know- she gave me a warm hug and I felt instantly connected. She shared they will be opening a location THIS JULY AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF. I am considering hosting a lunch there for my stepdaughter's civil SF wedding and/or going to Noe Valley's location for Mother's Day. Dog friendly covered patio, too! Hot n sour soup- excellent. Not overwhelmingly thick with bland cornstarch broth- perfectly sour and generous pork strips and satisfying consistency. Eggplant- excellent texture, buttery smooth and not over or undercooked. All dumplings had us all saying- this is way tastier than Din Tai Fung. Portions are good, too! I will see you soon, Shari. I would make the drive from Santa Clara again and again- thank you and please don't change a thing. read more

Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley - Cucumber appetizer, hot n sour, dumpling, siu mai (came later), eggplant, mongolian beef, also ordered potsticker- all cooked just right. - Shanghainese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The perfect chow mein I was looking for, and why isn't anyone raving about the pan-fried spicy beef dumplings? Perfection! (Not that spicy, but excellent.) read more

Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley - Pan fried spicy beef dumplings - Shanghainese Near Me - San Francisco, California

The dumplings and food is pretty solid on their to go side :) Love the chili levels and it's actually spicy! Fast service. Street parking. Thanks! read more

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I need about 40 more stars!!!! THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING!!! Super nice and attentive wait staff!! Cozy atmosphere inside and a lovely outdoor patio! FOOD WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD!! We had the smashed cucumber salad which had an amazing dressing that we ended up dunking our dumplings into!!! Shu Mai were the biggest I have ever seen and perfectly cooked. Delicious green onion pancakes (best I have ever had!) and the piece de resistance were the Szechuan Pan Fried pork dumplings. EXTRAORDINARY FLAVOR - the pork was so flavorful and juicy! Szechuan Fish Fillet w/ Pickled Cabbage in House Broth blew us away!!! read more

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Why haven't I been to this delightful place in my neighborhood until today? The winds stopped and we got to sit outdoors - always a treat. We shared vegetable chow mein and dumplings in hot chili oil. Sooo good. Can't wait to go back and try a lot more things on the menu. Service was good . So many things on the menu look good. I will be back very soon. read more

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VEGETARIANS/VEGANS, BEWARE: This restaurant uses chicken bouillon in the dishes marked (V) / vegetarian. I ordered the pea sprouts, which is not only under "Veggies" but is also clearly denoted as vegetarian (V) on the menu. When the dish arrived at the table and I tasted it, it was very clear to me that the dish was prepared with a meat stock -- so I inquired. I was assured that the dish was entirely vegetarian, even after I followed up -- "do you use chicken stock to prepare this?" I was told no. "Any meat stock at all?" No. I set the dish to the side and had myself a think. I cook a lot; I know my flavors. And then I called my server back -- "can you ask the kitchen for exact ingredients on the pea sprouts?" She came back and cheerfully told me that the kitchen puts chicken bouillon cubes in the garlic sauce on all the veggies and in "lots" of the "vegetarian" menu items! Friends, I did not know what to say. She further informed me that if I specified when ordering, I could have my "vegetarian" dishes made without chicken bouillon. This is unconscionable. People have many reasons for practicing vegetarianism / veganism, and it is beyond disrespectful to have a restaurant produce a key to the menu that marks dishes vegetarian --and then add chicken to them as a matter of course, and have the servers not even be aware of this when a customer asks. Again, this is not just a "Veggies" section on the menu -- there is a key, indicating that vegetarian dishes are marked with a "V." Two stars because my very young uninformed server was very sweet, and the outdoor space is beautiful. But I would not ever eat here as a vegetarian, or if I had other important dietary restrictions. There is simply no way to trust a kitchen that blithely puts chicken in dishes marked vegetarian. read more

The xiao long bao were pretty good! We also got the cumin lamb and hot and sour soup, neither of which I was huge fans of. The lamb dish felt like it was way more onions than lamb. The flavors were strong. The hot and sour soup was a bit too sour for me, but I took the leftovers home and diluted it a bit and it was yummy. The portions were pretty big, which I appreciated. The ambiance was very nice, and I loved the art on the walls. If I come back, I'd want to try some "more bland" dishes since I think they lay on the flavors pretty thick for the restaurant food appeal. read more

Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley - B01. Hot & Sour Soup S01. Steamed Soup Pork Dumplings (6 pcs) W06. Stir-fried Cumin Lamb - Shanghainese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was looking for some good Chinese food while in town staying at a VRBO in Noe Valley and was very pleased to find Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley. It was just me for dinner but I couldn't resist trying: - soup dumplings (6 to an order) - 5/5 pretty close to perfection, they could have had a little bit more soup but the taste was right on the spot and the wrappers not too thick, the dumpling not too big not too small, excellent! - sauteed snow pea leaves - 5/5, also very close to perfection, freshly sauteed and delicious - dan dan noodles - 5/5, definitely very spicy! almost too spicy for me, i did recommend the table next to me ask them to make them a little less spicy. I had to prioritize eating the snow pea leaves and soup dumplings first so my taste buds could appreciate them Service was friendly and efficient. Super cute indoor space - i was nestled at a table near the fireplace, very cozy! The outside patio area was very pretty and spacious, I would have sat outside were it not evening and the temps getting cooler. I highly recommend Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley! read more

this was an incredible dining experience! the difference between four and five stars for me is tasting something new and unexpected. the salted egg yolk pumpkin and prawns were incredible and new for me. service was fantastic. read more

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I've only had their food as takeout, so I can't speak to the restaurant interior, but the dumplings were awesome. Priced reasonably too -- each dish was about $11. This was my first time having Shanghai-style pan fried dumplings and they didn't disappoint! I enjoyed how the crunchy exterior contrasted the hot soup inside. Next, the XLB was true-to-form and as good as you'd always expect. Lastly, I got the wontons on suggestion from the staff. Not really my taste, but still prepared well and a more unique nutty flavor compared to the others. Would recommend checking this place out! read more

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The beef and noodles were delicious. I'd come back here and order it again. Wasn't too greasy. The noodles were fresh beef tasted fresh. I'd give it a go. read more

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Arrived on 24th and restaurant was easy to find. Service was a little slow as they only gave a couple folks waitressing - so shorthanded. We waited for 5 min before getting seated. Ordered and food came as it was ready. Everything was pretty tasty and pricing was not as bad as i had assumed - the restaurant being in noe valley and all. The surprise was the crab roe claypot rice. It was flavorful and the crispy crusty parts on the bottom was perfect. Ambiance was ok. Surprised they only had one gender neutral bathroom. So depending on your luck, could be a short wait. All said, will return. read more

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Little did I know we would be eating at one of the best Chinese restaurants in SF outside of Chinatown. Dumpling Kitchen has 4 locations spread throughout SF. This Noe Valley one has the convenient location along the neighborhood main street and a nice outdoor semi-enclosed and heated patio to boot. The eats: - pea sprouts with garlic. I rarely if ever think to order veggies at a Chinese restaurant thinking I could make the same at home. But why. .why was this SO good? The subtle pea sprouts flavor enhanced by the garlic and salt... delicious. Give me an entire plate, please. - soup dumplings (aka xiaolongbao). We got two servings for 5 of us. The skin was just the right thickness. Be careful of it spurting out everywhere. Somehow this was on par with DinTaiFung. Loved the flavor as well. - pan fried pork buns . PERFECTLY juicy with a crisp bottom. Must have two buns per person. Must. - salt and pepper tofu. Decent dish and a nice contrast to the meaty ones. - seafood noodle soup - chewy noodles, not my top favorite but did allow for us to serve a small bowl per person. - black pepper beef tenderloin stirfry. Yes. Bit of spice from the black pepper and tender beef. We didn't need rice but feel free to order some for additional stomach filling. Service was OK. We were outside so the food did come fast but weren't really checked on, which was fine by us. Will definitely try again! read more

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Such a great addition to the neighborhood! They also have a nice outdoor patio in the back as well and service is quick. My favorite dishes were the pork soup dumplings, green beans, & dan dan noodles. These might have been some of my favorite dan dan noodles to date - so yummy! read more

Dumpling Kitchen Noe Valley - Pork XLB, Szechuan Style Dan-dan Noodles, & green beans - Shanghainese Near Me - San Francisco, California

around $11 dim sum plates. delicious and quality. they have a big patio at the back and seating inside. also a cute little fire place and full bar. They serve other dishes besides dumplings those are more expensive . We got the pork XLB, shrimp har gow, wontons in chili oil, lotus leaf sticky rice and bok choy in garlic. all were really excellent minus the wontons in chili oil. I would pass on these. texture of the dumpling skin and filling were great but the flavor was not what we were expecting. It was oddly very floral/ tea like. almost like it has tea leave in the filling or sauce. The XLB had great filling and broth and not too thick skin and they were big but didn't rip when pulled off the parchment. same with the har gow. so much shrimp inside. the bok choy was yummy solid veg. came served in a light sauce. maybe oyster sauce We liked the chili oil but it was just the plain oil not the chili oil with the fixings in it. be sure to ask for ginger for ur soup dumps. they will bring if u ask. read more

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The service was an unimpressive as were the dumplings, and to be honest far too expensive for dumplings! We had to wave the server down and when we asked to explain certain items and he kept saying, we should order this that and the other and they were also expensive and again not that good! I'm so sorry. I was looking forward to coming to this place, but ended up being very disappointed. A few dumplings should not have costed us $300. read more

Hot tip! Pass by the brunch lines and forget about the crowds waiting for dim sum. This place is crowded for dinner but not for brunch! Dim sum is very good, especially the sticky rice and soup dumplings. Prices are very reasonable as well. A great addition to the neighborhood. read more

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Had a wonderful dinner experience for the first time. The place was clean and organized and have an outdoor seating though we opted to stay inside for dinner. Service was pleasant and servers were friendly. Food was tasty though a bit salty for my taste. My favorite were the dumplings-- will definitely be back. read more

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My sister & I were looking for a lunch spot in the neighborhood & stumbled upon this little gem! The restaurant was formerly Savor and Bacco for those that are familiar with the neighborhood. The staff were welcoming & pretty attentive throughout our meal. We ordered the steamed soup pork dumplings (XLBs), steamed shrimp har gows and the signature crab meat clay pot. First off, let me just say how much we both loved the steamed soup dumplings! The dough was not too thick, the soup inside paired well with the black vinegar found at the table. Every bite was so delicious, 6 dumplings was simply not enough! We actually ended up ordering another basket even tho we were so full. We didn't care for the har gows as much unfortunately. While the shrimp inside was flavorful, I felt like the dough itself was too thick. The signature crab clay pot was just okay to me, wasn't super wowed by the dish. I would definitely recommend ordering a round or two of the soup dumplings and maybe try some of their other dishes. Hot and sour soup is a favorite of mine so next time maybe we'll have to give theirs a try. Just thinking about the soup dumplings alone is making my mouth water! read more

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Food delivered late and cold. No notification that item was delivered. Also, no credit for bad delivery and service. POOR!!!

This was a pleasant surprise! My friends and I wanted to eat somewhere dog-friendly but not bar food or sitting out on the street. This place has a back patio that's large and shaded but also has some sunlight! The XLB was delicious! My friend had the spicy beef shank soup and it was spicy but amazing, a nice kick to it! My other friend ordered some steamed dumplings but sent it back because the inside was cold, hence taking off one star. Otherwise, I found the staff to be super friendly and I'll definitely come back again! read more