Shanghai Dumpling King looks completely unassuming from the outside, but inside they are cranking…read moreout some seriously delicious food. The staff were friendly and super prompt about clearing empty plates and refilling our tea whenever we signaled it was done, which is always great as the dishes just get on coming! We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, and several really stood out. The spicy tendon was fantastic, shredded paper thin and swimming in a classic spicy sauce. The spicy lamb dumplings were another highlight, with an incredibly thin wrapper and a super flavorful and not gamey at all lamb filling. I also loved the stir fried rice cakes, which were sliced thin enough to avoid that overly chewy texture, and the stir fried noodles Shanghai style were classic and simple in the best way, with big chunks of cabbage and meat and just executed really (the chefs clearly have some serious wok skills!). Not everything we ordered was an absolute knockout as the vegetable dishes could use a bit more flavor and seasoning, but everything overall was good, and the portions across the board were very generous. The desserts were a last-minute decision and I am so glad we went for them. The lava custard buns were fluffy and amazing, with a molten salted egg custard inside, and the sesame balls had a satisfyingly crispy exterior that gave way to a perfectly chewy interior and sweet red bean filling. The value here is also excellent. We left absolutely stuffed and spent around $30 per person, which felt like a great deal for how much food we got and how much we enjoyed it. Highly recommend!

Flat out, I didn't like my meal. Service was great. The place was nice and clean. But the food…read more . . no. Shanghai soup dumplings were leaden. That's it. Heavy. The combination egg foo young had very little detectable egg and I could find only scraps of shrimp and whatnot. Another big miss. But I'm an outlier and most people like this restaurant. I just use Yelp as a diary so I can remember what was good or not so good to me.

I've been coming here for a very long time, maybe almost 20 years. This is a SF institution…read more Everything they have is very good! Everything is cooked/baked the day of sale and it's all to go. There's nowhere for you to eat onsite. Find a park nearby and eat there! Or just eat standing on the sidewalk! Depending on who you get, the service varies. They sometimes yell at you. The woman that helped me today was yelling at me. I think it's not meant to be rude, or so I keep telling myself. Ha ha. I used to work nearby so it was very easy to grab takeout for lunch or to bring home. it's hard to know how much things cost, all you have is the big sign on the wall. They do not give you an itemized receipt. Don't even ask! All

Pretty good. I'm not really a connoisseur of dim sum, but we generally liked what we ordered. The…read moresigns highlighting the top menu items was so helpful. Service was efficient, which was great because the line in this takeout dive was LONG. I think there was a language barrier between myself and the person taking our order, or maybe I just wasn't listening fast enough, but we got through it and I think I got what I asked for. More than enough food to feed a family of 6 for less than $30, and we took it to Washington Square to eat in the park.

We just discovered our favorite peking duck @yh_beijing in SF…read more The skin was next-level crispy. It was not greasy, not heavy, just pure crunch. We tried it Beijing-style dipped in sugar and I was SHOCKED at how good it was Then they bring out the rest of the duck sizzling hot, wrapped in a lighter, thinner wrapper (as a Vietnamese girl, I usually love the sweet bao but this one let the duck shine) Tip: make a reservation since they serve it fresh and you might be too hungry to wait

BIG TIP: You need to make a reservation to order their famous peking duck…read more We walked in on a Sunday afternoon, no other customers. It was nice having the place to ourselves. But it takes them over an hour to prepare the duck, so we weren't able to try it. Everything else was pretty good, but nothing I'd really make the trek (and find difficult parking!) for. We got the duck cups, duck curry, corn soup, and chow mein. Next visit will be for the peking duck, hopefully sometime in the future when I can muster the mental bandwidth to try and find parking in the area again.

We came in at 7 pm and the kitchen closes at 7:30, but no problem. We ordered some wine and our…read morevarious dumplings. The mango kissed Seafood crispy came out first & it was so delicious & it really set the tone for a positive & flavorful dining experience My favorites were the classic Ha Gow Shrimp Dumplings & the Chicken Soup Dumplings "XLB", but everything we ordered was very good. Service was attentive and kind. The dining area is colorful, bright & upbeat. This location is also in Ghirardelli Square, so it is a fun, bustling area with lots to see and do before or after your meal. If you'd like a more authentic dim sum meal, perhaps you may enjoy heading to Chinatown to experience a more traditional set of dim sum offerings, but for our purposes today, this was more than adequate. Peace!

This caters to non Asian clientele. Bougie dim sum resto…read more It was nice ambiance and service was good. Glad I tried won't be back.

Gave this a try for late breakfast or lunch while in town. Service was very prompt and easy to get…read morea table. Had soup dumplings, pork and shrimp sui mai and lastly Szechuan boiled beef in flaming chili oil. All were pretty good. Really liked the soup as it was the real deal with peppercorns and all. Would go back and try more things off the menu next time in town. Just was a light lunch so didn't experiment too much.

Another great visit at Osmanthus! Delicious food. Great service. Love the atmosphere…read more I am impressed with their tea selection. There's just so many to choose from! This visit we tried Alishang Milk Oolong. It was absolutely wonderful! It's not milky, yet it has a lovely milk feel.

I go here and eat almost every day for lunch , they have good price for food . People here are niceread more

Lunch. Special. Vibe…read more I have more time on my hands on weekdays these days and finding a great lunch spot tend to be a challenge. But the "new" Red Jade came to mind. They are known for their reasonably priced lunch specials without breaking the bank. Good selection, fast service, they have you in and out before you know it. Quite taken aback by efficient service. But it's a welcoming spot off Market Street and on Church. Food is great, delicious, good for meet up with a friend, centrally located. What's not to like about this Chinese restaurant in the City outside of Chinatown?

Walking up to a rather empty Dumpling Time around 7 p.m. on a Thursday evening caused me to remark…read more"last time I went by this place it was packed". What a difference a few years makes. But honestly? I think I preferred the calm casualness of the setting. It was exactly what I sought that evening and I liked, too, the way that each of the dishes ordered were brought out in their own good time. That is: things here don't arrive all at once and I was good with that. Those who "know" dumplings might nitpick about authenticity or price but I thought everything I shared was delicious, authentic enough for me, and even the price seemed reasonable (made even better by their InKind participation). Green beans, pork bao, Shanghai noodles, and chicken wings were shared. Every last bit was fully consumed, and both of us really liked each dish that we tried. To spoil the experience I had to ask which dish was the least favorite and we agreed that it was the noodles, really only for the reason that they were difficult to extract from the bowl and share with two people when the sole serving utensil was chopsticks and a fork. This place, once frequently described as hipster and tech-bro central, seems like it might've been left in the dust as those crowds moved on. All the more reason to enjoy it now, which is exactly what I did.

Go-to spot for a simple, casual catchup meal with friends…read more The Scallion noodles come with egg noodles tossed in a light soy-based sauce, topped with scallions and a friend egg. The sauce base isn't overpowering and pairs well with the XLB and dumplings. Of the Xian style dumplings, the lamb is my favorite. I've tried the pork before, but something about the filling tasted off. The dumplings are wrapped in a thick, egg-based hand kneaded dough that gives them a homemade feel. Steering clear of the pork XLB, the tom yum has an incredibly savory soup base with the eye-catching red wrappers. Couldn't quite taste the coconut broth, but was still equally rich and savory. Would definitely order this and the lamb dumplings again. My biggest hesitation about coming back is the recent price hike (between Feb/Mar and July 2026). Compared to just a few months ago: Lamb dumplings: $12.50 to $15 String beans: $10.50 to $14 Scallion noodles: $10.50 to $14 Tom Yum XLB: $16 to $17 Small increases are understandable, but nearly a 50% jump for noodles and string beans are hard to justify. The food is as expected, but with these prices, it'll be harder to choose Dumpling Time over other nearby options!

It was a literal dark and stormy night so between squalls I geared up and headed down Guerrero…read moretoward 17th Street and swung down to Valencia for another perfect simple dining experience at Bao. I walked into the restaurant about 45 minutes before closing time at 9:30 PM and several other diners came in after I was seated. The unsettled weather made the people hungry for dumplings. Bao is warm and woody and serene on the inside, a great counterpoint to the bustle of Valencia at every hour. Upon entering there is a large window looking on to the kitchen prep area where culinary experts are often at work constructing the food diners later enjoy on their plates. Tonight a couple of wizards were in the process of making chicken potstickers. Even being vegetarian, just seeing how the dumplings and other items are made is like seeing secrets being shared. I love it and it sets the vibe for the restaurant. My order consisted of the steamed vegetarian buns and sautéed string beans. The buns come out beautifully presented and taste even better: the bun itself is just slightly sweet and that sweetness adds an amazing dimension to the chopped fresh vegetables inside. Can't tell you what any of these veggies are individually and I don't care, they are so good. Next came the sautéed string beans and the sear on the beans themselves was perfect and smoky and delicious. The crispness of the sautee makes the string beans a lovely pairing with the soft yummy of the steamed buns. Last came the sesame balls as a sweet meal ending. I love donuts and fresh-made sesame balls are similar to a donut hole just with a filling that is actually food and so sweetly tasty. The outer fry was crisp and the insides absolutely perfect. Three dishes, all fantastic, and I walk home happy and thankful to Bao for a great simple meal!

I love watching them make dumplings in the window. This is a great location on Valencia with some…read morenice outdoor seating. I love people-watching in the Mission! This is slightly more upscale Chinese/dumplings/dim sum than I'm used to (I usually go to Chinatown.) I like their - Steamed Sweet Red Bean Bao, Steamed Sweet Egg Custard Bao, (very Instagrammable and not overly-sweet.) - Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings. Pretty good - Sichuan Xiao Long Bao and Shanghai Xiao Long Bao: must-get! - shiu mai and har gow: my must-gets at any dumpling/dim sum place. Interior is polished and clean. Nice to bike to or go to before or after Dolores Park. Service is fine. I keep coming back!