This bakery is the real deal. Right when you walk in, you can see the place in the back where the Chinese grandpapas are diligently working the doughs. The mark of authenticity from this bakery comes in the form of the fried dough stick/cruller (油条/youtiao). This puffy, salted delight spans the entire length of my forearm! Dough sticks are a staple of Chinese breakfast street food and this is the ONLY place in Chinatown I've been able to find that makes them from scratch (none of those frozen varieties that most of these restaurants like to try passing off for the real deal). However, dough sticks are not a stand-alone breakfast item. They need their match made in breakfast heaven, which can be conveniently found across the street at Great Taste Bakery and Restaurant! I'm talking, of course, about soy milk or congee. I usually get one of these for $1 and then go to Great Taste Bakery for $2 congee. This constitutes a more-than-filling breakfast that is both authentic and delicious. If you want to try this, though, dough sticks usually aren't ready for sale until 9AM, and congee is usually gone by noon, so there is a very specific window of time that will allow you to enjoy this particular combination. Besides that, the buns here are also pretty great. The pineapple bun is my favorite because it's a very subtly sweet, light and fluffy bread that perfectly suits my tastes. And when I want to opt for a super cheap, quick lunch, gimme a hot dog bread and I'm goood (condiments not included). read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Dough stick with congee from Great Taste and Bakery. - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

One of the best bakeries to which I've ever been. Items were all super soft, buttery, and had just the right level of crisp. We got the Pineapple Bun and the Custard mini-pies. The Pineapple bun is a soft buttery Asian steamed bun topped with a quarter inch of thick and crusty pineapple topping. It is a joyous experience for the sweet charred pineapple and butter taste to give way to the chewy and soft bun. Quite an incredible dessert at $1.10. The custard is a small hand-sized pie of sweet eggy custard surrounded by a buttery, crispy pie crust. This was better than any of the custard pies we had in Portugal, where they supposedly specialize in them. The eggy, firm and smooth custard texture pleasantly played with the buttery crust to create an incredible mouthfeel and flavor experience. I highly recommend you check this out. read more

I have to agree for the most part with Eric that this bakery was more on the mediocre side than what I had expected, especially coming from Great Taste Bakery. However, I did like their sesame balls with red bean inside. This bakery is smaller than Great Taste, down the street and right next door to Gourmet Dumpling House. The staff is friendly and mostly Chinese speaking. They had a difficult time communicating to some American tourists inside when I was there and I could see they were eager to speak Chinese to me when my turn came around. Everything was extremely cheap, cheaper than Great Taste! I got their sweet bread, this lao po cake and the sesame ball for $1.40. Yes that's one dollar, fourty cents. Beat that economic downturn! I didn't like their version of the lao po cake because it was, in short, gross, but the sweet bread was good as well. Not a bad visit for some cheap Chinese baked goods! read more

This bakery holds an uber special place in my heart and my memory. My family and I have been going to this bakery for the greater part of 20 years and the quality has never diminished. We are originally from the Nutmeg State (CT) and would make occasional trips to Boston, just to go to Chinatown. I judge all Asian breads, pastries, buns, cakes, whatever by the Ho Yuen Bakery standard. Maybe it's the nostalgia and the adoration that I feel for this place, but nothing can quite compare. I confirmed this just a couple of months ago, after having taken a hiatus of probably 8 years (I've been in Atlanta for almost 7 years now). The memories started flooding back. It was glorious and the bakery is more or less how I remembered it from my childhood. Everything was still dirt-cheap and looked delicious. I loaded up on steamed rice cakes (not even sure what they're called--they're the yellow, sticky ones), the flaky curry beef pastries, pineapple buns, coconut buns, roast pork buns, and hot dog buns. I basically annihilated the pineapple bun and found it to be magnificent. Truth be told, I don't think I ate these as a young'in, however, I have been eating them pretty recently, both the Hong Kong and Korean varieties that can be found in the Atlanta area. Ho Yuen's pineapple bun was far superior and I find my thoughts often drift off to that life-changing afternoon, when I shoved the bun in my face as I drove to Newbury St. If you haven't had Ho Yuen, you are missing out. Go. If only for me. read more

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The crushed peanuts in rice flour tasted like a cup of sugar. Sesame bun was okay. Egg custard was fine. I've never had a bad egg custard. I'm still trying to figure out how to judge Bosotn food: do it in comparison to all food or the best food I've tried... The lady that served me sucked balls! read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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In every China town, you have your typical Cantonese pastry bakery. Here in Boston, they are around every corner. But only here at Ho Yuen Bakery am I able to find the white sugar cake! Like many of the other bakeries here, you can get by by ordering in Cantonese or Mandarin. Everything here is cheap and freshly made. Baos, buns, breads, desserts etc. If you never had a white sugar cake before, you have to try it. It's like the cross between a jello and a sponge cake and is quite refreshing and filling at the same time. There's a slight tang to it mixed with its sugary goodness. My mom used to get this when she was young when a baker would wheel these cakes around town to sell to the town folk. Remember that they are cash only. They do close early and I've found myself disappointed a couple times because I decided to eat dinner before making my baked goods purchase. Give it a try if you haven't been before. It's good stuff! read more

This morning we branched out during our Chinatown excursion and decided to stop in at Ho Yuen Bakery. This bakery is significantly smaller than some of its competitors and their selection is also reduced. We bought a few different items but thoroughly enjoyed their beef buns and sesame balls. That being said, the quality here is amazing and we didn't have to fight through a crowd to get our items. The only issue we had with this bakery was that the staff was a bit brisk which was a little bit of a turnoff. read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Storefront - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My go to place for pastries. I've been coming here for the last 20 years and Ho Yeun remains the best bakery in Boston, perhaps even New England. The buns are always fresh, soft, and a tasty. The women who work here are lovely. Prices are very reasonable, and you get much more (quality and quantity) than the fancy bakeries in Boston. Everything is excellent, but my absolute favorites are the egg custard tarts, pineapple buns, pork buns, coconut buns. For special occasions like the August moon festival, they have the best red bean moon cake. After warming them up in the oven at home, they taste like they are fresh out of the oven. They also freeze well. read more

This place is always busy and it's for a good reason. The pastries are reasonably priced and although the staff don't speak English that well, you will always be happy with your selection. It's perfect for a grab and go snack. I especially love the mooncakes! read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I would like to confess that I have a major sweet tooth, specifically for Asian bakeries. Although the shop is small and a cash only establishment, it perfectly contained the fragrant aromas of the bakery. I ordered the Egg Custard bun, which was soft bread filled with a milky sweet custard concoction that beats most other of its kind. The Egg Tart reminded me of the ones that you can find in Hong Kong (origin of these perfect yellow desserts). The top was glossy without imperfections and the golden flaky and buttery crust encased the deliciously sweet custard. Stop by when in Chinatown! read more

Got some awesome egg custard mini-pies and a pineapple bun that was extraordinary. The prices are incredibly reasonable. The custard pies are delicious, sweet creamy and define the essence of what a custard pie should taste like. The pineapple bun is not overly sweet. It has a subtle pineapple flavor that lingers on the end of each soft,chewy, and delectable bite. This spot is another Must-try on your way across Chinatown, Boston. read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Custard cups, pineapple bun - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Cheap and delicious! I've been coming here for years ever since I was a child and I always leave happy. My favorite items are the pineapple buns :) They are a bit softer, sweeter and more cake like here than at other Chinatown bakeries. At 90 cents a bun, who could complain! Pro-tip: come earlier to beat the dim sum and morning rush to get them while they're warm and toasty! They're gee ma kao (red bean sesame balls) and wu tao bao (taro pineapple buns) are also notable items to try. read more

Ok. No frills hole in the wall bakery. Far less glitzy than most other bakeries in China Town. But good food and frequented by locals. Recommend the sesame balls (fried), the butterfly coconut bun, and the big white bun with BBQ pork filling. Most items are just $1-2. Super reasonable. Moon cakes are expensive - but still cheaper than most other places. Bookmarked! read more

Ross and I went to some of the New Year's celebrations in Chinatown and after ducking into several bakeries settled on a sesame seed ball and a butterfly roll from Ho Yuen. The sesame seed ball was not as expected, a gummy bear-like consistency tasting of sesame with a filling that tasted like beans. The butterfly roll was flaky, sugary, good, and perfect for sharing because we each got a "wing." I didn't try a melon cake, though that would've given me something to compare two Chinese bakeries against one another. It seems like the Hing Shing may have more selection and may have nicer ladies behind the counter (a minor subtraction). Also, this bakery was a great value. We had plenty to snack on and it came to like ... $1.30? Yeah, cheap, but good. read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - The exterior - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Visited on a whim while in Chinatown & this tiny bakery offers quite the variety of authentic Chinese pastries and breads! The first thing I noticed walking in was the tray beautiful of moon cakes/lotus cakes! I wish I could've ordered one of them, but alas....the bakery is CASH ONLY so come prepared! I only had 4 bucks worth of cash on me and had to settle for the custard bread and mini melon cake (or was it lotus seed cake? Can't remember) with salty egg inside. I absolutely loved the custard bread and was pleasantly surprised by it because on the outside it seemed a little hard/stale but once you bite into it, you know that the texture is just because the streusel on top is crisp to perfection! I didn't love the egg bread/cake thing I got because it was a little too sweet for me, but it nonetheless tasted authentic. Service was quiet and a bit brusque but perhaps I was just too indecisive and asking too many questions lol. Anyways, I'm there to buy bread, not to make friends so it is what it is. I'd 100% visit again to try those mooncakes, especially during the mid-autumn festival season shen they're traditionally sold. read more

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Overall nice variety of treats but slightly small size for the store. Bought the big steam bun and they were delicious, good store overall as long as too many people aren't in at once. read more

I'm obsessed with egg tarts and had to try them out while I was in the city! They're perfect to your traditional egg tart and you can't beat the price for the amazing quality. You know they mean business when it's cash only. Please whatever you do, run to this bakery if you're interested in Chinese baked goods. You won't regret it. read more

So you come here either as a local or as a tourist. They're not a great looking place, especially compared to the relatively new 101 bakery next door, but it's because they've been keeping their customers for decades for a reason. If you're local, you're there because they've got the best of certain pastries. You have you're favorites, like the or as they name "crispy bun" & their /beef bun. [Those I can vouch they make better than the neighboring bakeries]. If you're a tourist, you want to try this historic looking oldster but you have no idea what to get (other than looking at what the other customers are shouting/pointing at). I would try the crispy bun and the classics: pork bun or beef bun, egg tart, and the white gelatin pudding things in tinfoil. What do you have to lose? They list ingredients used and you can tell which items are hot from the constant flow of workers grabbing items for customers behind the glass. [I would bank on a random pastry here tasting better than newcomers like BaoBao and Bo-shek. It's sister bakery is Hing Shing Pastry, with yummy ham sui gok//fried pork dumpling.] read more

Really enjoyed trying this today! Their lo mai chi (rice dumplings filled with sweet peanut) had such a lovely, soft texture, and my husband enjoyed the sesame glutinous rice balls filled with bean paste. They even gave us an extra--very generous! We'll be back soon to try more. read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Sesame glutinous rice red bean dumpling - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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3.5 stars for taste 2.5 stars for variety whenever I have gone - they always feel like they have run out of what they are selling with many shelves empty - I have come at different times ranging from 9AM Saturday, 1pm Saturday, 6pm Saturday, 12PM Sunday and it always feels like their selection is not complete. +Credit cards for $10min -Prices are maybe 10cents to 50 cents higher on average than similar items across other stores +Taste is consistent with the bread individually wrapped in sealable packaging Personal would return for again: +Okonomiyaki bread - I haven't seen this before at other Chinese bakeries and it is quite unique and worth a try Tips/Takeaways -I wish their selection was replenished more often or the overall design made it look like they didn't have all these empty shelves -Would return again on a weekend morning for the most variety -Taste is comparable to other bakeries -Credit card min $10 read more

I am obsessed, and really appreciate Ho Yuen Bakery. I love asian sweets and I am well aware that 90% of them are just not vegetarian friendly. So I usually preface my order with - do you have something with no meat, eggs etc. Sometimes its tough because of the language barrier. In this case I got a pineapple bun (amazing), sesame ball (delicious), and a plain bun. Turns out the plain bun was stuffed with meat which I didn't realize until I tore off a piece while walking out. I went back in to try and exchange it for an actual plain bun. I was really apologetic for the miscommunication, and it turns out they didn't have a plain bun with no filling so I thanked them and turned to leave but instead the lady grabbed a rice cake and another bun and told be those didn't have meat and apologized to me! I was so touched, because really it was my fault for the miscommunication, but I really appreciated the gesture on their end. So, in conclusion, the baked goods here are fantastic, and the owners are the nicest people and deserve your business. So please visit :) read more

I've been coming here for about 20 years and they're simply the best! There are about 2 other bakeries in Chinatown that have vied for my attention but I almost always go to Ho Yuen Bakery. (They will always hold a special place in my heart). Everything they create has the right amount of "stuff." I typically get: - egg tarts - beef curry buns - egg custard bun - milk bun - I never remember the English name but it has a red bean paste on the inside. There's a fried ball version with sesame seed on the outside and there's a flat lightly toasted version. Both are amazing (I prefer the flatter one). Whenever you're in Chinatown and want a quick snack or save something for the ride home, Ho Yuen always comes through and hit the spot! read more

Egg tart sucked, those people saying how good the egg tart is obviously haven't tried a good one lol. The base was too crumbly and it tasted like it wasn't probably baked. Also for the same price as the one at Eldo Cake House, the egg filling was so little!!!! It was so SHALLOW read more

Ho Yuen Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Always support your local small businesses. I heard they make their own mooncakes and had to give it a try. I don't usually like the traditional mooncake, so I opted to try their mixed nuts one, which is AMAZING!! I love how it's not overly sweet and has a good amount of nuts. I've bought some for family back at home and they love it too. read more

This place is CASH ONLY! Make sure you have cash before going in! I've been coming here since I was a child! I used to buy breakfast here and then head to school. The prices for the pastries haven't changed much over the years. Flavor and textures are just as I remembered. Around or less than $1 for most pastries! This is definitely my go to place for 砵仔糕 (put jai go). They also have alot of villagey pastries that I don't see at other bakeries and only my grandma knows how to make :) read more

This place is very small but they have incredible coconut buns and sesame balls. This is the primary reason I come here - the buns are perfectly warm and have a rich coconut center. They have a lot of different baked goods you can take to go. Just be aware that there is no seating before you go inside. read more

One of the older looking bakeries in Boston's Chinatown, Ho Yuen carries baked buns, cakes, cookies, sesame balls, assorted pastries and egg custard tarts. The egg custard tarts looked unusually pale and had large pools of liquid on top. Items have English signs. They didn't have steamed buns. * Egg custard bun (90 cents): The baked bun was covered with an almond cookie like crunchy crust. The bun had plenty of overly sweet custard. The bread seemed undercooked and too doughy. * Curry beef bun (90 cents): The dough was drier and sweeter than it should be. The ground beef filling was nice though rather salty. Not bad. * Red bean muffin: It's not a muffin at all but they called it a muffin on the sign (which was in English). It's a flat glutinous rice pancake filled with red bean. The edges were rather hard. It wasn't too greasy but the rice pancake should be softer and chewier. There isn't any seating inside the shop. I like how you can see the Chinese guy in the back rolling dough and making their pastries. Cash only. read more

I used to like doughnuts. Then, I tried a $1 egg custard bun from Ho Yuen. I had it again the next day. And I took one with me on the flight home. I hate you, doughnuts. read more

So the pineapple buns and the egg custard tarts are the best in Boston. Enough has been said about them, they're so rich, soft, melt in your mouth blah blah blah. But seriously, the lady (with the pinned up hair and glasses) behind the counter is without a doubt the MEANEST person working in the food industry I've ever met. I've been coming here for ages, and she never eases up, nor does she ever stop throwing your change onto the counter, then watches impassively as you scramble to grab the coins. Guh. Needless to say, the pineapple buns and egg tarts must be real special if I'm willing to subject myself to weekly abuse from her. I can't help it, I'm a glutton for punishment. And pineapple buns. read more

Came in here again and the lady was nicer. I wonder if she remembered me? Because she greeted me like I was her long lost daughter. Maybe they print out Yelp profile photos of the people who rated them and complained about customer service and they memorize our faces so when we come back, they improve on that little slip up. At any rate, service was good and I tried their pork buns. OH MY GAHHHHHHH I experienced a slice of paradise. It was SO delicious! And it was like .80?! If I worked or lived near Chinatown, I'd need to join Weight Watchers in no time. Recommendation: PORK BUN read more

All asian bakeries have old angry asian ladies working the counter. Its not for customer service its for efficiency and intimidation. I swear you get so scared ordering that you get more than you should because you worry whether you have disappointed or insulted them. But its ok...everything is good. I enjoy everything here from the custard tarts, custard buns, pork buns and even fried gluten. Next time, I swear I will only order one thing...just one! And no old asian lady is scaring me otherwise read more

I remember when I was a little girl ... my parents would stop in here and get the sponge cake! So good! But what I really like is the jung! It's the sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and pork and with either peanut or green bean which are both yummy. Peanut is boiled down to a bean consistency. It's a meal wrapped with the banana leaves and string to secure. Other than that, I get the beef buns, pineapple buns, and the coconut ball things filled with peanut and sugar. My good buddy is picking me up some for a road trip soon! yum yum yum! read more

Going to this place is an experience in and of itself. Some context: I'm what you would call an "egg" - White on the outside, Asian on the inside. I married a Chinese man whose family has introduced me to the vast deliciousness of Chinese cuisine. This bakery happens to be my Chinese mother-in-law's favorite. She gladly drives 40 minutes to get to it and has been coming here for years. I have to say, it helps if you go with someone who knows the language. When I visit Boston and come here, all I can do is stand dumbly by while my mom-in-law places the order in rapid-fire Chinese, gesturing and waving to the various buns and pastries. We get it all packed up, and then I hugely grin like an idiot and say "thank you" in Chinese to the little 'ole ladies who make it all possible. I think I'm probably even murdering the "thank you" pronunciation, but they always smile back. My favorites are the pork buns and beef curry buns. My husband loves the crumb-topped buns - big doughy creations that taste even better if you take them home and zap them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. I also love the yellow-bean filled buns and the moon cakes (which are horribly bad for you but tasty nonetheless). On my recent visit, I hauled an assortment of two and a half dozen buns all the way back to Colorado. Why not a five star rating, you ask? I think the buns would probably be better if they had just a little more filling in them. Despite this, it's still worth a cross-country trip to pick some up. ^_^ A useful tip: The pork and beef curry buns freeze surprisingly well!!! Wrap them tightly in a layer of Saranwrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, then put them in a freezer bag. Be sure to get all the air out and freeze those suckers solid! When you're ready to eat one, remove the wrappings and wrap a damp paper towel around the frozen bun before popping it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Nom, Nom, Nom!!!!! read more

So while on a quest for chili oil with my best friend, we stopped in here because she wanted an egg tart. They had the most amazing (and cheap!) Char Sui Boa! So I broke my vow of a healthy, vegetarian lifestyle for one afternoon and bought not one, but TWO! I about cried with joy when the lady told my best friend the price. A bonus was that Chewie got to practice a little Cantonese, which she felt she was rusty in. She was pretty happy with her ability to make herself understood. Once we got our egg tarts and Char Sui Bao, we marched off to Boston Common to eat and watch all the kiddies in the snow. This bakery completed a wonderful afternoon in Chinatown, and I will most certainly be back! *Updated to say that my current photo was taken whilst eating the aforementioned Char Sui Bao in Boston Common! read more

I came here during the August Bright Moon festival in search of moon cakes. I don't know what I had in mind but these guys were huge! My friend and I got one to split and even so we couldn't finish it. The dough Is sweet and substantial with red bean paste (I think anyway) interior. You can get moon cakes in a few different varieties including variations in the number of eggs and whether it's black bean or white lotus seed paste. Either way, this place has steady number of customers which is always a good sign. Plus I've only ever seen Chinese families here which I am going to interpret as a sign of authenticity and tastiness. I may not be back for moon cakes but those egg tarts were calling my name. Heck, I hear them now and I will answer! read more

I ordered the large vanilla Swiss roll cake $8. Thought it was good and creamy. Need to spend $10 before they let you use a credit card though. read more

I'm a purist. Not a mainland China rapid Westernization purist but an old-school Cantonese/Toisanese purist. I want my Chinese bakeries run by little elders who've been doing it forever. I like non-updated decor (it's called character guys). I can't find Ba-Tong-Goh anywhere else that's as fresh or as reminiscent of coming here as a child in the 80's. Stay fabulous Ho Yuen! I get to practice my Cantonese money exchange vocab now but I go there every once in a while to get their amazing white sugar cake, pork bun (big as a muffin but exponentially better) or the ubiquitous sesame sweet bean ball. Not quite a regular, it's on regular rotation for my nostalgic sweets. I'll be back soon! read more

I was walking by the bakery, when another person told their friend this is their favorite bakery. I'll excuse myself for eavesdropping but I'm glad I did. When you walk in it feels like you've gone back in time. It's definitely and older shop, but they keep it pretty clean. The people behind the counter were chatting amongst themselves but when I asked for an egg tart and moon cake they quickly obliged. The egg tart was DELICIOUS, I love egg tarts and this is one of my favorites. The moon cake was delicious as well, but the egg tarts definitely took the cake for me. I'll be back for more of those egg tarts next time I visit Boston. read more

Best BBQ pork bun ever, perfectly baked with a semi-sweet eggy bun. Filling not too greasy or full of fatty pieces like the rest of the places I've seen. More balance of filling than bun. +3 Very very good egg tarts, flaky crust, creamy custard. individually tinned +1, only have had better on Oakland Chinatown. Great service, even for non-Asian clientele. +1 They wrapped my order very neatly and professionally separating every bring cleanly with wax paper, in a bakery box, tied with red nylon twine. Cash only, but that was expected. read more

I am very impressed with the fresh selection. They have coconut toped custard buns, bbq pork buns, curry beef flaky pastries, etc. All the Chinese bun items you would expect. The only problem is not knowing what the heck the items in the display are and for what cost. I believe I was accidentally ripped off, but I cannot confer because there were no prices displayed. I bought 5 items for $4, but I was pretty sure two of the items were only 60 cents, so that means that the rest of my buns were about a dollar? What a second.... Count your items wisely and make sure you ask questions. read more