I really enjoyed the food. We ordered the beef noodle soup, Shanghai soup dumplings, fried bao, and shrimp dumplings. The beef noodle soup was definitely one of the best I've had in the U.S. The noodles could have been a bit more al dente, but overall it was excellent. Although there was only one person serving, he was efficient and kept up well even with a full restaurant. The restaurant was also clean and well maintained. I would definitely come back and try the spicy beef noodle soup next time. Highly recommended! read more

Dumpling Zone is a solid (if not spectacular) dumpling restaurant in the Forest Hill district, a short walk up the hill from the Forest Hill Muni station. We checked it out around 7pm on a Tuesday night, and it was about half full. We started with the OG - the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao. This was probably the hit of the evening. The dumplings were flavorful, with a good (but not excessive) amount of soup. The dough was just right - not too thin and not too thick. There was vinegar on the table, but we had to ask for slivered ginger. Next, we tried the Shanghai Pan Friend Pork Bao (sheng jian bao). They were ok - a little on the small side, and the dough was so-so. There was an appropriate amount of fried dough on the bottom, but it seemed the oil could have been hotter to get a better browning. To complete the evening's dumplings, we tried Shrimp Pork and Chives Dumplings. For my tastes, there could have been more chives, but they were fine. Lastly, we had an order of Stir-Fried Green Beans. I enjoyed the vegetables, but they could have been more flavorful. I did appreciate that they took the time to take out the "spine" from the beans. I really wish that they provided soy sauce dishes, or the round, flat-bottomed spoons that many dumpling shops have. Instead, there were traditional Chinese soup spoons which weren't great for enjoying dumplings with sauce. Some deets - probably not easy to fit a larger group. You scan a QR code and order and pay online. There were paper menus available with some items crossed-out; I'm guessing they primarily have people ordering online and haven't updated the menus; I don't know whether or not you can order and pay without a phone. There's no street parking, but there is a small, shared parking lot in the back. If you live in the neighborhood and want solid dumplings, Dumpling Zone is ok, but I think there are better dumplings offerings elsewhere. read more

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Food was good overall. Order with the QR code. Shanghai Xiao Long Bao was solid and juicy. Pan fried pork buns were a bit dry and burnt outside and inside was savory and a bit sweet, more than my liking. Tomato beef noodle soup was tangy and savory with tender beef. The big plate beef noodle (came with wide noodles) also had tender beef and was quite spicy and a bit too salty. I hope they can tone town both or offer a mild option. The flavor was good though despite numbing the mouth at each bite. The Chocolate Nutella Xiao Long Bao was uniquely wonderful and a delightful end to the meal. 3.5 stars read more

Tried it out, spent enough, wasn't worth it and won't be back. They messed up my order but its totally ok because i had no idea there was a difference between shrimp, pork & chive dumpling (4pcs) for 11.99 and a boiled shrimp pork and chive dumpling (8pc) for 12.99. That was the first red flag. I called them they explained there was an error on their end and i ordered an 8pcs. There was probably a language barrier on that end but it was totally OK. I was still going to give it a chance. But I won't be back not because they messed up my order but because there "pork meat" didn't smell right, my shrimp smelled like it was frozen and it was cold. It was not fresh... /: i took a couple of bites and have to waste all these dumplings because it smelled like a bad batch of pork ... the only mid and edible thing was the chowmein :( so disappointed! $40+ dollars for stinky pork... literally call the health inspector read more

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Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Portion to Price: 3/5 Overall: For me this place is very convenient given that it's in the neighborhood. The taste is actually pretty good as well. The extended review... Food: Braised Beef Noodle Soup - 3/5 - This dish is pretty standard fare. Could use a bigger portion. Shanghai Pan Fried Baos - 5/5 - Definitley one of the dishes you should try. Very well and they hold the same standard as other restaurants. Service: 4/5 - Friendly and attentive service. Ambiance: 3.5/5 - Pretty standard ambiance and it's not too claustrophobic. Portion to Price: 3/5 - On par with other restaurants. read more

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Everything tasted so clean and fresh. I loved the juicey soup centers. I like nibble the skin and drink the center. There is vinegar on the side of table if you like to the that route and take it down in one bite. We each got our own cucumber salad because I could eat a whole one by myself. We got 4 of each of the original flavor, crab and shrimp with meat ( pork maybe). Very filling! We were both full after the 10th of 12 dumplings. Update: I think they gave me to wrong bill now that I think about it because we order 5 items but the bill was over $70. When the bill came it was in Chinese and not itemized. I thought it was a bit high but I was in a rush and SF has so many hidden fees now and days. Play it's safe and order through the QRL link. read more

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3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Restaurant is on the smaller side but a decent amount of tables for the space. Residential street parking, there might be a lot but we missed it if there was. Come here for the xiao long bao -- thin skin and good soup. The big plate noodles were okay -- good noodle texture, sauce tasted just like beef noodle soup though. Green beans were decent, not a fan of their pan fried pork baos (I thought it was too doughy). Overall decent, but in the future I'd only come if I was craving xiao long bao in particular. read more

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Very friendly service and the food was good. We stopped by since it was conveniently located along our San Francisco Crosstown Trail route, and I was more than happy to take a walking break to grab a bite and use the restroom. The noodles were delicious, though I wished there were a bit more of them and a little extra sauce. The dumplings were well done, with nicely crispy bottoms that we really appreciated. The Shanghai pan-fried pork bao arrived steaming hot, something the server thoughtfully warned us about. A good stop if you're in the area! read more

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Absolutely the best soup dumplings I've had in San Francisco. Favorite dish: spicy soup dumplings. From a technical standpoint difficult to make. The skin was thin and held up well with the soup. Lots of flavorful liquid but also a good amount of meat there. Other dishes tried: non spicy soup dumplings, pan fried pork buns. Thought both of these were just ok. Service efficient and friendly. Ambiance casual. Street parking not a hassle. read more

Dumpling Zone - 4. Spicy Xiao Long Bao (4 Pcs / 8 Pcs) / 香辣小籠包 (4個/8個) - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We had driven by Dumpling Zone several times and finally had the chance to try it out. There was no wait on a mid-afternoon Wednesday. Steven was friendly and provided great service. All our items came out quickly and piping hot. Everything tasted fresh and was delicious. The XLB had a good amount of flavorful broth, the tan tan noodles were chewy, the green onion pancakes were really crispy and light, and the Nutella/banana XLB were a sweet treat to end a great lunch. read more

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I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon around 1:30pm and it was still pretty full, but got a seat :) I ordered via the QR code which was super fast and easy. I got the Shu Mai and Pan fried XLB and the crab and pork XLB. Everything was super yummy and came out quickly. My favorite was the crab and pork XLB bc the skin was delicate and tender and flavors were amazing. The pan fried dough was a little thicker, but still good. Ambiance is no nonsense so you know they spend money on their food and service. I will be back! read more

Stumbled upon this gem while driving past Laguna Honda. Lunch time was right around the corner so this was the perfect place to pull up. Their Braised Beef Noodle Soup was the perfect comfort food for me! Broth was a bit too salty but savory, tender meat and bouncy noodles. Service was quick and friendly, it's a QR code to order but the food arrived fast and piping hot. Relatively spacious restaurant, perfect for small groups. I'd like to come back and try other dishes on the menu in the near future. read more

Dumpling Zone - Braised Beef Noodle Soup - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

Back again. This time I ordered pork XLB along with my favs and it was packed with more soup than I remember. Wrapping is thin with the exception of where it's pinched at the top. Staff always friendly and accommodating. read more

What can I say? This is place is delicious! We had the potstickers, bao, pork wonton w/ chili oil, garlic cucumber, and the Nutella bao. Everything was SO good! And the service was awesome too, the young man serving us was quick and very friendly. The area is also very beautiful and the restaurant wasn't packed (Tuesday 1pm) 10/10 everything, will be coming back for sure!! read more

3.5 stars. I like this restaurant. The food is good and Eddie, tackles the front room all by himself with an even keel demeanor even when it's really busy while Momma works her kitchen magic on the food. We brought friends with us in this trip who've never been here before. We consumed all the dishes we ordered: Pan fried dumplings - full of meat and lots of hot broth. Steamed XLB - made just right. Full of broth, dough thin enough to not be doughy yet firm enough to hold the hot broth without breaking open when you pick up eat dumpling by the tip with chopsticks. Stir fried bok choy- firm and cooked right Tan Tan noodles- our friends really liked the dish, one of our favs here. Green onion pancakes - a crispy treat even if a bit oily as it's fried. Won ton soup - 8 won tons for 4 of us. It was my least favorite dish. I've had better versions of this. Glad we made a return visit. read more

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Pretty good food but i come here for the chocolate banana xiao long bao!!! they are truly the best & i crave it all the time! Good service but i feel like it's easy to miss where the restaurant is because it's right off that intersection. Parking isn't too bad either read more

Dumpling Zone - CHOCOLATE Xiao Long Bao - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

With all due respect to the Forest Hill neighborhood, it's one of the last places I would think to find good noodles or dumplings. Don't get me wrong - it's a nice part of the city to live in, but despite how it's home to ChouChou, which has been a long time staple for French food on this side of SF, it's not exactly area known for its restaurants. So, you can imagine how pleasantly surprised (and delighted) I was by Dumpling Zone after my friends suggested we meet up here for lunch! So much so, in fact, that I couldn't help but come back multiple times since to try more! Much like its surroundings, Dumpling Zone is a cozy, unassuming sort of spot. The small strip of businesses that it sits along is easy to pass by without noticing (I've certainly done it), but it kind of adds to their appeal - convenient to get to yet not packed with customers. What's more, the menu, with its mildly extensive array of dishes to offer, is awesome. In addition to the numerous varieties of their namesake dumplings, whether they be pan fried, teamed, or boiled, they also have a wide assortment of appetizers, soups, noodle soups, stir fried noodles, dry noodles, and vegetables to choose from. In short, a collection of dishes that really hit the spot on those cold, SF nights! -- SHANGHAI PAN FRIED PORK BAO...$12.99 As fantastic as these looked (plump with golden, browned bottoms), they tasted more solid than spectacular. While I liked that the skins were relatively thin and not doughy, the filling didn't have that porky lusciousness that steamed xiao long baos typically have. -- BRAISED BEEF NOODLE SOUP...$14.99 This felt (somewhat ) like a Cantonese beef stew noodle soup, but better. While I liked that they didn't skimp on the beef and the bite the noodles had, the soup was the star - flavorful with a nice richness/body to it. I do wish the beef had been more tender, though. -- SHRIMP, PORK, AND CHIVE POTSTICKERS...$11.99 These aren't your typical potstickers, but in a positive way. Besides their elongated shape, I loved how juicy the filling was and that it had recognizable chunks of shrimp in it. The outside of them were a little oily, but not terribly so. -- SPICY BEEF NOODLE SOUP...$14.99 Like the Braised Beef Noodle Soup, the noodles were just as good and this also had a fair amount of beef. It also had a lot more spice to it, too, and perhaps even a bit too much chili oil, but I wouldn't say it was ridiculously spicy either. -- TAN TAN NOODLE...$13.99 Not quite what I expected, to be honest. Instead of the classic tongue numbing spiciness, the sauce was actually really sweet. That being said, it was still pretty decent enough, especially after adding some of their chili oil. -- SHANGHAI XIAO LONG BAO...$7.99 (4pcs) Although they weren't the best I've had, these were terrific! The skins had the perfect thickness to them and the filling in each piece was sizable. Plus, there was a good amount of soup in them, which delicious and just slightly fatty. -- FRIED BEAN PASTE WITH PORK NOODLES...$13.99 This was...interesting. The black bean sauce was rather slick/oily, but it had an intense flavor to it that I really liked. Plus, the dollop of sauce they gave was spot on - enough to coat the noodles, but not so much as to drown everything. -- CABBAGE & PORK DUMPLING...$8.99 Ehh...not too shabby, but hardly special. The skins were soft and each one was decent in size, but the inside of the dumplings were oddly watery. I assume that wasn't intended since, unfortunately, it ended up diluting down the taste. While the food here has been mostly great, the thing I actually like most about this place is the service. Each time I've been here, the workers have all been awesome. More specifically, there's one guy in particular who is always here that is super friendly. Plus, I love how fast they get dishes out even when they have a steady crowd (can't say how it is when it's packed). Given that, the food, and how easy it is to find nearby street parking, Dumpling Zone is an awesome spot for a quick bite...both in Forest Hill and SF as a whole! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more

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On Saturday around 7 PM, we stopped by Dumpling Zone after reading solid reviews online. The wait for our party of five was about 30 minutes, but parking was easy since it's located in a residential part of Midtown. The restaurant is small--maybe a dozen tables--and was packed with families and a large birthday parties. It's a casual spot with one main server and one runner. You can order food online or directly through a staff member, and they'll bring everything to your table. We decided to try all the most recommended dishes from the review sites and the photos displayed on their window--and we were so glad we did. Every dish we ordered was delicious. Prices were very reasonable--actually more affordable than many other dumpling places we've tried, probably because of its unassuming location. Portions were generous too, which made it feel like a great deal overall. The vibe is super casual--nothing fancy--but the service, while basic, came with a smile. We really appreciated the personality of our server; he was friendly, attentive, and made sure we were updated on our table status. He was clearly keeping an eye on everything and even watched for when guests were wrapping up so he could manage the waitlist efficiently. No reservations are taken, but he kept names on a handwritten list. We were so stuffed from our meal that we didn't make it to dessert, but we'll definitely be back to try more items next time we're in town. Highly recommend! read more

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The first time I came to this restaurant, I missed it because it was already past 8:30. This time, I made sure to arrive earlier. After reading the online reviews, I really wanted to try their pan-fried buns and beef noodles. I ordered several items from their soup dumpling series, and here's my review based on what I thought tasted the best: The cabbage and pork dumplings were light and not greasy. You can eat a lot of them without feeling heavy. The braised beef noodle soup and the tomato beef noodle soup both had flavorful broth and delicious noodles. The tomato one had a very nice, rich tomato taste. The shrimp dumplings had a thicker skin, but the shrimp inside was quite good. The pan-fried buns and xiaolongbao were also pretty good. The marinated cucumber had just the right balance of sourness and saltiness. Overall, considering its location, the food and pricing at this restaurant are definitely worth it. I recommend it. 第一次來這家店的時候因為已經超過八點半所以沒有趕上，這次特別趕上了。看了網路的評價，特別想來品嘗生煎包和牛肉麵，點了不少他們的湯包系列，我按照我認為最好吃的逐一評論：白菜豬肉水餃，清淡不油膩，可以吃很多也不膩；紅燒牛肉麵和蕃茄牛肉麵，麵條好吃，湯頭濃郁，蕃茄味道非常不錯；蝦餃，皮厚但是蝦仁好吃；生煎包和小籠包還不錯；小黃瓜，酸鹹調配的恰到好處。總體來說，位於這位置來講，這家餐廳的價格和美食是物有所值，推薦給各位。 read more

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Solid dumpling restaurant. Soup dumplings were soupy. Garlic vegetables were garlicky. This place is also a couple dollars cheaper than other dumpling hotspots in the city! We wouldn't say this is our all time favourite but would come back one evening. read more

Dumpling Zone - #1 - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Doing the crosstown trail in SF and needed a place to refuel !!Everything we order was enjoyed ! The green beans were fresh and to my surprised not overly fried/oily! Soup dumpling came out hot , generous portion of filling and soup inside .As for the pan friend dumpling they were probably the best one I've tried ! Braised beef soup was a bit salty but the flavor was aromatic and noodles were chewy/bounchy not overly cooked ! The staff were friendly and attentive ! Will definetly swing by again read more

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This place is right next to Forest Hill station, so it was pretty easy to get to. We ordered the Xiao long bao, beef noodle soup, pan fried pork buns, and cucumber salad. My favorite was actually the beef noodle soup as it was the closest to Taiwanese beef noodle soup I've been able to find in the city. The pan fried pork buns were also pretty good and had a crispy bottom. read more

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What a delightful find! We chose the Shrimp & Pork Siu Mai, Beef Dumplings, and Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao. All were steamed fresh for us, which made all the dim sum taste great and at the perfect temperature. We enjoyed two pots of the delicious and healthy Chrysanthemum tea. The chili sauce is spicy without being too hot to handle the intensity--it also had a slightly smoky nuance to it. Eddie, our server, was an absolute joy. He was pleasant, attentive, and a great conversationalist who helped make our day out together even more enjoyable. It's in a more quiet neighborhood than most in SF, and had a welcoming, unpretentious interior. It's a short drive from the DeYoung Museum. We plan to visit again in the future! read more

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Excellent pan fried dumplings. Comes out really hot and nice soup in the dumpling. Pork meat taste fresh. Goes well with the spicy sauce condiment. Also recommend the chili oil noodles and scallion pancakes. Chili oil noodles are mild in spiciness and the noodles are thick with a nice chew and bite. The scallion pancakes, while kind of small portion, are very crispy, not too oily, and you can taste the scallions. read more

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I was really expecting more based on the famous chef affiliation. The place does have a great ambiance. The dumplings, however, were just ok. Underwhelmed and unlikely to go back, but perhaps we will try again. read more

Swung by for a sit down dinner and tried the noodles again. Definitely was an off day the first time due to the holidays because the noodles were perfectly cooked today. Chewy, bouncy and delish. Other staples were, again, consistent. For sure will keep coming back. Quick, friendly service. Restaurant was spacious and bathroom was clean. read more

Dumpling Zone - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Wow this place exceeded my expectations. Dumpling Zone is unassuming from the outside but their dumplings are clearly freshly made and their texture and flavor are memorable. The potstickers are a strong favorite, followed closely by the spicy XLB. The potstickers have a nice texture difference from the crispy bottom to the q q bounciness you can only get from fresh dough. The XLB have thin but stretchy dough that also have that nice q mouth feel. Their doughs are really what make me like this place :) Service is friendly but slow, there was only one employee in the front for dinner service on a Friday evening. Decor is sparse, most of the walls are bare and there's no music playing. But let's be honest those are hallmarks of good Chinese restaurants haha. read more

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We did enjoy our meal here. It seems like a family run business and everybody is eager to wait on you and make sure that you are happy. The restaurant is quaint and cozy. Food comes out rather fast, which is lovely. The place is very clean parsley decorated and comfortable. We ordered a couple of the soup dumplings. I also ordered the pan fried soup pork bao, which was absolutely beautiful and is usually my favorite dish. It did not have quite the flavor that I am used to, but completely edible. We also ordered two dessert dumplings that we had never had, custard when was odd and not sweet at all the custard was very runny, it's a lava style, but did not care for it, but the banana Nutella dumpling was outrageously good. I also have never had truffle soup dumplings and absolutely loved them. There wasn't a lot of soup in it which I liked and the truffle flavor was big and bold. This was my favorite dish. Prices aren't too bad. ID read more

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Good food and friendly staff! Nice place to have dumplings! Fast service ! Recommended.

Amazingly good soup dumplings, they are larger than the average xlb but have so much soup inside the skin! Their noodles are what's called "kudai mian" which means pants belt noodles, because they're wide! Another hit is in their egg yolk lava bao, very well made, filled full of steaming golden gooey egg yolk paste, and the outer skin is black, making a nice color contrast. The restaurant is in an unexpected location near Twin Peaks and almost seems more residential but spacious enough. The staff were responsive and efficient, nothing out of read more

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Had dinner here with friends last night. They were able to accommodate 6 of us. Service by one gentlemen who was fast and friendly. We ordered several dumplings, but what really stood out was this hot and spicy beef soup! They also have another version with pickled mustard greens. The pan friend dumplings are a must. Will def be back soon! read more

Dumpling Zone - 2. Hot and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup / 香辣牛肉湯面 - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came for the first time and I loved it. We took a risk with the chocolate dumpling desert and loved it. Affordable, delicious I recommend it

Easily the best dumplings I've ever had. We had a bunch of different soup dumplings and bao buns and everything was so good. It was so busy and there was only one server working but still the service was so good. Been craving dumplings ever since coming here. Will definitely visit again when back in town. read more

This restaurant is located right across the street from Laguna Honda Hospital. There are plenty of free street parking spots around this establishment. We were greeted and seated by a friendly waiter upon entering the restaurant. There's a paper menu or you can also scan the QR Code to order as well. We ordered the tan tan noodles, Shanghai xiao long bao, big plate rib noodle, and Shanghai pan fried pork bao. The food came out in a timely manner. The tan tan noodles were flavorful, but there's nothing special about it. The skin for Shanghai xiao long bao was thin and it was soupy. The big plate rib noodle was very tasty. It came with plenty of tender pork ribs, potatoes, tomatoes, and big noodles. The noodles that they used were like the type that I would use to make lasagna with, which was quiet interesting. The Shanghai pan fried pork baos were the best that we ever had. They were piping hot when they got to our table. The skin for the bao was very thin, little chewy, and crunchy. It was kind of soupy in the inside. The prices are fairly reasonable and they were generous with the portions. We will definitely come back for the Shanghai pan fried pork bao and try their black truffle and pork xiao long bao. read more

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If you know dumplings you will know this is not the authentic dumpling. You can tell the dumplings were frozen and steam. Taste of everything was bland and lack flavor. I recommend Dumplings Kitchen better. read more

We stopped here to eat, a hidden gem in my opinion. Parking is on the street, once you enter you sit and order using the QR code located on the table.They bring you the food and then you pay via your QR code. It's was a bit tight in there and it was full that's how we knew it was going to be good, we were right the food was amazing and didn't disappoint. We ordered spicy and regular steamed pork bao, steamed veggie dumplings, pan fried shrimp pot stickers and pan fried bao. Everything was cooked fresh and very flavorful. Really glad we came across this restaurant, if your in San Francisco give them a try. read more

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A solid choice for XLBS, Pan Fried Buns and potstickers. Casual straightforward vibe here. You might have to wait on weekend nights. Attentive friendly service once you get seated. Good water service. We've been here a few times now, and our favorites are the Shanghai Pan Fried Buns and their long narrow pot stickers with the crispy fried bottoms. Yes, Dumpling joints seem to be popping up these days like flowers after a spring rain, and for us this is one of the better ones on this side of town. Highly recommend! read more

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Here for their xiao long bao and pan-fried dumplings, and they definitely deliver on flavor! Not a ton of vegetarian options, but what they have is tasty. Affordable and a solid spot if you're in the mood for dumplings without breaking the bank. read more

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Shall I dare to say the best XLB in the city? It's pretty pretty good! Lots of soup, generous size dumpling and a generous portion of meat in each! 8 pcs for 14.99 Tea is extra, water is free. I personally did not like their Shenzhen bao, it was too doughy. Parking is street parking only, the parking lot is for SFMTA only. Service is typical of a Chinese establishment- there when you need them! 4 stars! read more

Dumpling Zone - XLB - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fresh, clean tasting, and delicious! Dropped by for a quick lunch on a Sunday. No wait. Ordering is easy through Toast app (QR Code on table) where you can order as you go and just add to the tab. Helps us from ordering way too much food. Soup dumplings are so clean tasting. Both the pork soup dumpling and the chicken dumpling were amazing. The pork dumpling was flavorful, while the chicken was lighter in taste. Both were full of soup. All of the pan fried dumplings we tried were also good. Seems like everything here is made expertly well. Definitely recommend read more