Woefully overrated. The food was bland and clearly was prepared before we even ordered (perhaps this is the price you pay for ordering the most popular items). Everything was room temperature, so the oils and animal fats were congealing and the wonton wrappers were drying out. I can't help but think this place takes no pride in their food. Avoid! read more

Went here for a work dinner the other night - so first, props to them for catering to a big bunch of rowdy overworked people! The dumplings here were great; really unique compared to other places in Melbourne and tasty too. For which it gets the extra star. Most of their mains were mediocre though (when I say mains, I mean all of the things that could be consumed with rice). Unfortunately for what it was, $40 or so per person was a bit of a rip off. read more

I'm not sure if this place was just hyped up too much beforehand or if we went there on an off night or what but I thought Hutong was resoundingly A-OK compared to other nearby places. The cool part about the Chinese area of Melbourne is all the tiny hole in the wall places and while Hutong might *seem* like a tiny place in a random alley, it's a sprawling three-floor affair that seats a huge amount of people while somehow always having a wait? I don't get it. With a million other just as good (or better) dumpling places nearby, I'm really not sure what the fascination with Hutong is. read more

Sometimes it'll be cold and rainy and dreary in Melbourne. Sometimes you'll have a little bit too much fun at Ponyfish or Little Creatures or the Everleigh. On those occasions, the perfect remedy is a delicious steamed plate of soup dumplings, and Hutong is your pharmacy. It's slightly out of the way, but worth the little stroll. We scored the nice little table by the window, and stuffed our face with pan-fried dumplings and xiao long bao, all of which were delicious. Food: 4/5 Value: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 read more

Oh! There's plenty of dumplings places to choose from in the CBD, but after visiting Hutong for the first time last night, I'm definitely keen to go back. It's nice because it's good delicious dumplings AND a lovely atmosphere, unlike Shanghai and the other classic spots that are just a little tacky (but still perfect for BYO and big groups) Anyway. There's a pretty extensive array of main meals to choose from, but we stuck to the dumplings! Devoured our way through the Shao-Long Bao (delicious soupy dumplings which you eat with ginger. SO GOOD), the Wantons with Chili sauce (which they happily put less chili on for wussy me) and the boiled pork dumplings. Would have to say the Wantons were the winner for me! Had an endless supply of tea, and finished up with the banana fritter which was delicious albeit ridiculously phallic. (heh) Lovely, friendly service. Will be back fo sho! read more

This place is seriously over-rated. For the price of $20-45 per dish plus a second store in the classy Commercial Road, I believe the restuarant is trying to position itself into a mid to higher end market (eg not student and pensioners food). I'm expecting more. 1. menu looks very dodgy 2. the place is a bit dirty 3. too crowded - i paid my visit on a 25C night and apparently i was sweating my bum off and my man has sweat rashes after! Xiao Long bao is just so-so. I have had better in China Red (another dumpling place in china town). And I found most of the dishes a little bit way too salty?? Not sure if I'm being too picky here but i would have to say, I dont find the environment comfortable at all and that might be the reason why I dont find the food charming! read more

Two words: soup dumpling. The chilli dumplings also rock. But if you feel like you need to order more they do other things I guess. Like they can cook greens (in the standard Chinese greens way) and the prawn dumplings are pretty delicious. The vegetarian dumplings are also good although for 'pork dumpling purists' I don't think they are going to make them go back for a second (but i like them because veg is ok). If you feel like going a bit crazy they deep fry chicken wings and plate them up with a sheet load of garlic, chilli and peanuts. They also do a massive bowl of chilli chicken which can bring a small tear to the eye for those whom are lacking in chilli fitness. BYO tick. And they have a pretty good wine list in terms of dumpling restaurant standards. Service generally pretty good. Book or you will be walking disappointedly down the road (maybe try china red if this happens...). read more

Best dumpling place in Melbourne hands down! The Xiao Long Bao is a must but my absolute favourite are the Chili Wontons. They have just the right amount of spice to make you want to come back for more and more. I've also tried the fried fish (where you get an *entire* fried fish that fills up the plate) and the bean curd with spicy pork sauce. Oh Melbourne how I miss you. :( read more

Admittedly I have not had dumplings in Shanghai, but these were the best soup dumplings I've ever had. I'm from the US and dream of coming back to Melbourne and this is my first stop. Service is efficient and food is delicious. If you're in Melbourne, you must go here. Try getting there just when it opens as it's easier to get seated if you don't have a reservation. PS - don't try takeout - they care so much about the taste, they won't let the dumplings get cold on you! read more

Popped in here last night due to having a long suffering dumplings craving that needed to be fixed. We arrived at about 10pm, the door said it closed at 11 so all ok. We were promptly seated on a communal table, and as I was sitting down I noticed a small prawn on the floor where my feet would sit. I had to push it away - gross!!! Service was rather quick, we were asked if we wanted a drink first even though we had only looked at the slightly tatty sticky main menu. We ordered wine & beer. No tea was provided for us at any stage of the meal (maybe because we already had drinks?) I ordered the Xiao Long Bao and attempted to order the pan fried dumplings (no 'ingredients' were specified). However the man told me he thought there were none left and it would be a 30 min wait to make and cook more. He also mentioned something about the restaurant closing and them doing a 'clean up' (there was about 45 mins left at this stage how odd). Reluctantly we went with the Pork steamed dumplings. The drinks and food came out VERY quick. The condiment tray was a bit messy - the soy sauce was already mixed with vinegar (id prefer separate). The Xiao Long Bao were rather nice and I loved the broth. The pork dumplings were a bit gluggy and thick skinned, really rather boring and I was glad we ordered a small serve. All and all we left filled but not feeling the love. The prices are rather average for china town, and a few hit and miss issues meant that I doubt I will be back, plenty of better places up the road! read more

Hutong Dumpling Bar is a serious contender for Melbourne's best dumplings. The Xiao Long Baos are sublime and a well crafted and tasty dumpling. The food here is of a high quality for a reasonable price. Added with excellent ambience, this restaurant is a winner. The dumplings are a class above most others. You can see the chefs preparing the dumplings by hand with fine skill through the kitchen window. The excellence of those Xiao Long Baos is in the fine casing that only takes a little bump or prick to break. Yet these dumplings hold together well. The meat filling inside is tasty and of quality. But the high note is the soup or broth that fills these dumplings. When you eat them they just explode in your mouth with wonderful flavours. People who say they can find cheaper dumplings nearby - honestly, they need to consider the great quality of HuTong dumplings. Getting 1000 dumplings for $5 might sound great but if they're average to start with who cares. And the atmosphere here is excellent. The upstairs section has a great ambience with attentive staff. On my first of half a dozen visits to Hutong I was given a lesson in dumpling consumption by a waitress... Never I repeat never cut a dumpling in half. Always consume in one hit. First dip the dumpling in soy and chilli... When eating those Xaio dumplings the waitress told me to put the dumpling in my mouth then suck the broth in the dumpling - before eating the rest. Absolutely sensational. Shredded pork here is also great. The twice cooked pork (which I've had twice) is a sensation with rice. People keep asking me what twice cooked means and why it's necessary - come here and try the twice cooked pork and you'll find out. Simply, cooked twice means cooked partially using one method then finished off cooking with another method. Or in some places it may mean undercooked the first time and sent back to the kitchen to be cooked properly. Wouldn't happen here. The noodles also rate at Hu Tong. And I enjoyed the fried rice with good fresh ingredients - and not too greasy. You'll keep coming back. read more

Was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food here. We arrived 15 min before closing. We called ahead and they had a table ready for us. I will day that the service was rushed and pressured but I can't be mad about that since the employees wanted to go home after a busy weekend of public holidays. I will say that buyer should beware based on some item costs. A pot of tea is charged per person at the table. Not by the pot. There were three of us so a pot of tea, which should be free in my opinion cost $9. Otherwise, the dumplings here are pretty darn good. Not the best I've ever had but worth the visit. read more

Food was very good. Cost is a little on the high side but quality is very good. I had the spicy won tons that where light and flavorfull. You can watch them make dumplings through the windowed kitchen. The place is small and can get very busy so plan ahead or go during off hours. A little hard to find, down a small street, Market Lane, between Bourke St. and Little Bourke St. read more

HuTong Dumpling Bar - Spicy Wontons - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I was told that i HAD to have dumplings in Melbourne before Ill leave, and oh my god, this was so amazing! Best I have ever had! Funny though how the waiter told us he had no tables for the two of us, but when we were about to walk out he changed his mind and offered us a shared table. Awesome! spacy enough! But yeah, I guess you should book ahead! read more

Everything here I had was quite good overall, but bearing in mind the price, the dumplings were far too close to room temperature and the service could have been more attentive and quicker. The flavours of the dumplings were good, seemed to be made with medium to good quality ingredients and some were a bit different, even though I have eaten many dumplings over various parts of the planet. The chilli dumplings and mushroom dumplings were great. Nothing blew me away though. The premises have a very nice interior and layout adding to the experience. I would give it another chance, although the establishment may be under pressure due to the level of popularity. It was very busy when I was there and this could have contributed to the downsides. Other regular dumpling grazers I ate with had similar views to the above. read more

So tasty! The dumplings were so good. Place is busy and that's always a good sign ;) the green onion pancakes were delicious.

Well this sits firmly inbetiwtixed of a mixed bag of reviews indeed. And the scale just about every opinion out there. Well first off, for me, the setting and building isn't cheap and nasty, nor does it have crappy stained plastic spoons that look like they originated from 1986. It doesn't have dumplings that taste like play-dough with a slab of mystery meat, most likely guts, and the food is actually quite fresh and decent. Sure they do way more things other than dumplings and the range of dumplings is quite limited, but it has nice surrounds and is a nice restaurant. sure service is ultra efficient and quick, the turnaround on tables is really high, but the food is nice and not that cheap crud that comes in most places. Shanghai is kinda alright but I suppose It's pretty White- styling here. in any case, I don't mind. I liked the food, it was tasty, fresh and filling, the service was on point, (highly efficient) and humble. for instance the waiter didn't baulk but remained calm on a few social faux-pas. I like the place and it didn't disappoint and no next day stomach-aches. Yum! read more

There is one good reason to go to Hu Tong: its 'xiao long bao', or dumplings filled with meaty, soupy goodness. There is one reason you might come away from Hu Tong more than a little disappointed: its cantankerous, abrupt service that led my hugely patient, polite and upstanding dining companion to heckle the misanthropic maître d on the way out when we stopped in for tea on Friday. Hu Tong is a restaurant of two halves. Provided you can handle the less than courteous service and don't mind being rushed out of the door faster than a poor person at Gucci, Hu Tong is, in my opinion, the best spot in China Town for a dumpling feast. I visited with a group on Friday and shared countless dumplings - the spinach gyoza and aforementioned xiao long bao being a particular highlight - and rather a lot of wine. The food? Amazing. The damage? $20 a head. Hu Tong is amazing. read more

Excellent venue to enjoy quality and authentic dim sums. We were lucky enough to get a table straightaway, on the ground floor, just next to the open kitchen. Great experience. read more

We came here in search of some excellent dumplings, and this is the place! From the dumplings to the wontons, truly enjoyed everything. Do get the standard dumplings as they just melt in your mouth. The veggie ones and the seafood ones we had were tasty as well. Pretty good operation going on as well, there seems to be over 3 floors to sit, and they work hard to get you sat as soon as possible. My only knock that led to a 4 star and not 5 stars is the service is a little spotty, it took a little bit to get the order in. read more

This is best dumpling place I've found in Box Hill, Richmond (Victoria Street) and the city. Make a reservation well in advance (they scoff at you if you call a few days before you'd like to go). The vibe is good, the dumplings come hot and quickly, what more could you ask for? Will be back again and again. read more

This might be contrived, but they are known for one main dumpling, and according to a close Chinese friend, they are "as good as back home!" Shao-long Bao! To me, and my simple Asianized palate, it's a dumpling filled with a miniature Pork Won-Ton Soup! They're amazing. I mean, who dreamt up mini soup dumplings?! It's quite a fun place, with a menu (and the staff) giving you step-by-step instructions on how to consume their flagship offering. I also LOVE their hot chili wontons (as you may have seen in other reviews, I'm a JUNKY for spicy food). They also have pretty good Peking Duck, but I gotta be honest, I prefer the Crispy Duck instead. Huge delicious menu, so don't be afraid to consult a friend before you go, or ask the waiter for specific recommendations. Everyone seems to have different favorites when you say "other than the Shao-long Bao." read more

This is my favourite Chinese restaurant! Unfortunately it is also many others favourite as well. As such it is very advisable to book well in advance with this three story, dumpling extraordinaire of a restaurant. However, don't expect booking to be an assurance of a table. They will probably write your name down incorrectly or lose your booking entirely as has happened with me on a few occasions. Although that said - you can turn this confusion to your advantage if you turn up to the restaurant on a whim. Use your imagination. Also be warned that the service is not great in the usual sense of the hospitality industry. The staff are busy and don't like customers taking up their time. But the service is very punctual and they get the orders right most of the time. Ok so hopefully I have put off most readers with two paragraphs of relative negativity. I don't want this place getting any busier than it already is. But if you have stuck it out till here I will let you know why this place is great. I assume you have already figured out their dumplings are great. I suggest definitely giving their Shao-long Bao dumplings a go, also their steamed wontons are particularly good. Off the main menu the fried whitebait and calamari is fantastic and so is the BBQ pork ribs. I also recommend the eggplant claypot....actually I recommend pretty much everything. The best thing to do is round up a large group of friends (so you can order to share as many things off the menu) book well in advance (write it in your diary as proof to show upon arrival) and bring a few bottles of wine (as it is BYO wine) and go crazy! Oh and wear loose fitting pants. read more

This place is great for large group dining, the dumplings on offer are endless and highly recommend the Spinach Dumplings, and the Pan-fried Gyoza. The Moneybag dumplings are also very popular with a salty soup broth spilling out of the centre as you bite through a soft layer of dumpling. Be warned there is copious amounts of chili in the food which means you will need to pace yourself if you are not into spicy food as it is in almost ever dish. read more

HuTong Dumpling Bar - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

"HuTong has best dumplings in Melbourne." I can't tell you how many times I've heard that from people. It got to the point were I had to go and judge for myself. The shao-long bao was quite meaty and the broth even meatier. But I found that after I had a couple, especially after they'd gotten cold, they were hard to eat. The pan-fried dumplings were rather good especially the crisp bottom, and so too were the chilli wontons. They were really flavoursome on many levels and weren't just hot for the sake of being hot. These two dumplings were by far the winners. The Spicy Szchuan Noodles in Soup was the biggest let down. It was quite flavourless, except for what seemed to be heaps of paprika. The serving size was quite decent but what's the point when you're not enjoying the dish. The service was professional, efficient and fast. The food was fine, and yes I would come back. But I certainly wouldn't go as far as saying they have the best dumpling in Melbourne. read more

HuTong Dumpling Bar - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Visiting Melbourne for 2 weeks and decided to try out the supposedly best xiao long bao restaurant in Melbourne. One of their signature dishes: Xiao long bao was pretty decent. A good amount of juiciness with the right amount of chewiness in the skin. Doesn't stand out that much in my mind I've had ones as good as this in Asia and even in SF. I really liked the braised shark fin soup I decided to order on a whim. Great flavor! Overall a good place to stop in for a bite. read more

Classic, delicious dumpling spot, rated among the world's best. Fun to watch the dumplings being made through the big window into the kitchen. Great Jasmine tea, strong performance on spicy wontons (the sauce is yum!), and soup dumplings. Meh on crab dumplings. read more

Hm we were really excited to have Chinese food in Melbourne and after reading so many rave reviews online, I was surprised to find no wait for a table, but yes it was a Monday night. We ordered light: soup dumplings, chili oil dumplings and turnip appetizer. The soup dumplings were pretty disappointing with a really thick skin - the soup in it is decent though and the meat I was ok with but the husband was not. Chili oil on the side definitely helped. The chili oil dumplings had more vinegar than chili oil - not to worry though, there's more chili oil on the table for you. The turnip roll is nice and flaky, a little bland but don't worry there's chili oil and vinegar on the table to help brighten it. Maybe I'm just spoiled.... read more

I saw this while walking from the bus stop to my room and decided to try it because I'm always up for XLBs. They were really good. Juicy, hot, gingery. When I got to my place and had internet, I realized I added this place to my bookmarks to try while researching in Washington, DC before my trip. Definitely worth it. read more

HuTong Dumpling Bar - Pork XLBs - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Excellent food and aesthetics. Great service. Been here many times and it's consistently good! read more

HuTong Dumpling Bar - Soy sauce fish - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Recommended by the concierge in our hotel this place is a find! We went once about 2:45pm and missed the open hours, so returned the next day. We were so glad we did! We started with 2 kinds of dumplings and turnip cakes and followed that with a scallops and vegetable dish and an eggplant dish. They mistakenly added scallops to the eggplant dish and it was a good idea. Every dish was delicious. The place is tucked away in a little alley in Chinatown and drew a good crowd. Excellent meal. read more

HuTong Dumpling Bar - Scallops and vegetables - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Too oily and over price. They charge you $3 just for tea per person! And the waiters is not very welcoming too read more

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Delicious dumplings. There's no point ordering anything else really. It's a shame they won't entertain the idea of adding scallop dumplings to the menu. Never mind, the ones they do have on the menu are top notch. read more

Pushy waitresses, bad service, a Chinese main dish at 3X dollars on average, prevalent use of MSG. Never again. read more

This is an old favourite now. The food is always good and the service snappy. Love the soup filled dumplings. Love the scallops and vegetables dish. Actually, love it all. And they also let you bring your own wine. What a place. Cannot wait to return again. read more

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I had very high expectations of this place based on the various reviews and research. I am a huge fan of Dim Sum and enjoy the likes of the Li PO lounge in San Francisco. My first impression of this place was less than desirable. Once entering this busy establishment we were greeted with a very pushy man that asked if we had a booking. After telling him we didn't, he asked if we could be finished by 7pm, which gave us about 1hr 30 minutes. We agreed and they promptly ushered us up stairs. The food was good and the wait staff was attentive but we felt rushed the entire evening. Based on the previous reviews it seems like this was one of the best Dim Sum places in the world. I have to say that I didn't leave with that feeling at all. The food is very good but not world class. read more

We really felt like having dumplings so we checked yelp and gave it a go, as basically all reviews seem to agree that they are great at this place. I can only fully agree - never had better ones. Also, as regards the somewhat negative reviews on the pushiness of service, I cannot confirm those experiences. In fact, it appeared that they took the reviews to heart: conscious of the fact that several people waited for a table, I asked for the bill while still finishing my green tea - but instead of bringing it, they refilled the teapot for me. Felt really relaxed. Note: We went in the evening, with no reservation, got a table for two after about 5 minutes wait. read more

In comparison with other Chinese restaurants in the area, this restaurant deserves a bonus star for its glass window kitchen, cleanliness, and nice ambience. It was quite entertaining as we dined and observed the chefs at work. Xiao long bao was the most memorable- their pork soup filled dumplings...very juicy, plump, and scrumptious. Tip: take a small bite of the skin, slowly sip the soup inside, and then eat the meat. Years ago, I nearly burned my mouth trying to eat my first soupy dumpling. Service was great to my surprise, our servers were constantly refilling our teas. I've gotten used to mediocre service with other Chinese restaurants. read more

We were in Melbourne for a few days and looked for something decently priced and found it here. We tried most of the dumplings and liked them all. We loved the spicy wantans, really yummy. The atmosphere is very much like in a dining hall: loud, a bit crowded and slightly stressed. It's nice though that they allow a look into their kitchen with a big glass window. Would go there again, but for a quick meal, not a nice dinner. read more

By far my favorite dumpling place. Wontons in chili oil are essential, as are the pork xiao long bao. No need to byo wine as it's cheap enough as is. I've been at two times, right as they open with a line already formed 20 minutes before it opens and late at night. It's always packed but essential for any dumpling lover! read more