Used to like this place when they first opened. I hadn't been in awhile and before stopping by, I called to ask if they were open. The person who answered seemed put out, then hung up on me once he answered my question. Is this the way ya'll conduct business these days? These are your potential consumers, wanting to keep your business in business. Get it together. read more

I have been wanting to try the soup dumplings here and other fares. I wanted to like it more, but it just didn't happen. The soup dumplings were average. The flavor didn't hit me like wow. They were a good bite size but I wanted to have more flavor to them. I ordered a few other dishes - noodle dish, spicy chicken dish - and again the flavors weren't quite what I expected. The spicy chicken was firey and gave off heat, but not much else. The noodle dish had a distant vinegar taste that I wasn't expecting. I was expecting something more sweet, salty, and savory like a chow mein. The worker explained that it was intentional to taste different than that, something more northern flavor inspired. So if your expectations were for a chow mein or lo mein like me than you'll be disappointed. The baos were good. Ordered pork and mushroom, prob the best of the dishes I ordered. There was a flavorful dipping sauce (vinegar) that really brought out the sweetness of the bun and savory of the filling. All in all, it didn't hit it out of the park for me, but had shining moment w the Bao. read more

We stopped by on a Saturday around noon, it was full but not overly packed. Like most, I'd made many trips to Din Tai Fung and was eagerly awaiting the opening to XLB. It was very good. The Xiao Long Bao was similar to DTF which for better or worse seems to be the measuring stick. I would say it was above average albeit with a little less meat flavor and by far the best I've had in Portland. The green beans were flavorless and not very good. There was a special of pork and shrimp wontons which by far were the best dish we had. Then were very good. Will go back when the XLB craving pops up! read more

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If your place is named XLB, your XLB better be pretty damn good. Disappointingly, this place has little to offer and misses the mark by a long shot. Good soup dumpling buns can be enjoyed stand-alone, and should pack plenty of flavor without the use of condiments. The meat XLB here is bland and dry, and the "soup" that fills them just tastes like what I imagine water would taste like from a boiled pot of plain pasta. You will need a heavy dose of sauce that accompanies the bun to stimulate your taste buds in any way. Beef Ho Fun is your standard fare Chinese food with a slight American tinge to it. Shanghai Pork and Shrimp Noodles was the one dish that was unique with a fusion-esque taste that was well-balanced and satisfying. However, the servings sizes are much smaller than your average Chinese restaurants. Try dumping your food (before you eat it) into the Chinese take out container they provide, and you'll see that it only fills the box halfway. I require two bowls of noodle intake before starting to feel topped off, and at $10 a bowl, this can get pretty expensive. Not good value. The service is fast and the staff is friendly. The interior is an odd mix of modern and Asian gaudy with large gold colored animal silhouettes stenciled across the walls. When you walk in you're greeted with an imposing back-lit, wall-mounted menu complete with homemade photos and bad handwriting. This looks to be the same style they created their crudely drawn logo with, where they proudly photocopied in threes and plastered on the front door along with the store hours. In the end, I'm not sure who this restaurant is supposed to cater to. It's not good authentic Chinese food, nor is it some innovative PDX foodie spin on staples. I just left feeling I spent a lot of money on the narrowly average. And still a little hungry. read more

This was my experience: it was raining and there was a line out the door but that is fine. I mean maybe it is a really good place and it just opened. "Don't worry about it I told myself." There is a sign by the register that says "order at the counter and then take a seat. If you are just getting more food or a drink feel free to skip the line." So I am waiting in the line but the line doesn't move because people keep skipping the line. I assume t is because they are getting drinks? There are a couple other places that do this. But apparently not because they say "there are some other tables ahead of you." So some people are ordering and getting seated, other people are getting on a list to order, other people already ordered but are getting drinks. I dunno man it is super confusing. Finally I get up to order and they say there is a hold on orders. I tell them I will just get it to go. They say we don't do to go orders. I was like well... my wife is pregnant can you help? They say no. I said will I live close by, I will take a seat and text my wife and she can just walk the block over. The guy says okay but just so you are not disappointed I can't really assure that will will have any of the food you order." What was the point of that whole experience. Maybe the food is good but you can never progress in line, you have no idea why, and the people talk to you in ways that make no sense, are rude and not helpful. read more

Ugh. I remember my first soup dumpling - I wasn't even sure what it was called and couldn't pronounce it right once I did find out. For a long time my husband and I tried to find them where ever we would go. It has usually been difficult and they often sell out! So I was intrigued when this place opened. Sometimes all I want to eat is about 20 XLBs! But at these prices it's ridiculous and they aren't anything magical. They taste better at all of the best dim sum restaurants in Portland. I would understand paying $10 per steamer tray if they were more flavorful and special! And please let your XLB makers sit on stools instead of making them stand there! read more

Went here last night (4/29/17) Pros: Food was unreal. XLB dumplings were perfect. Chicken was perfect. Noodles were perfect. Cashews were perfect. Cons: The girl working the counter was so rude I almost left before ordering. I was waiting in line and when I finally got to the front she greeted me (after standing there for about a minute or two) with "what are you doing?" I replied nicely "waiting to order" and she rolled her eyes and said "what do you want". It only got worse and would take too long to type. If I owned this place this girl would not have a job. One other girl was extremely helpful and the male employee was as well. If the owners care to reach out feel free. The food was so good I can't not give you 5 stars but seriously take care of this employee. read more

Utterly disappointed... the line, or lack there of, was clustered in the front door, could barely get in or out without people glaring at you. The guy behind us swore he got there before us, but we were already in line when he walked in 5 minutes after us. Here's my review for the 5 dishes we tried. Xiao long bao was bland and the pork was sour. I could feel each ground of pork and that's really unpleasant. Flavor of the broth was lacking and the dipping sauce just made the whole bite even more sour. Green beans just tasted smokey, with some pleasant flavors, still not enough for me to go back for seconds. Definitely not the same as the sautéed green beans you'd typically find at Chinese restaurants. Not great, not bad, not recommended. Hoisin duck baozi was good. Nothing to praise, just good. Beef ho fun was the biggest disappointment. You can't really mess up this dish and yet I sat there thinking of all the ways I'm going to doctor up the dish once I get home. Typically, this noodle dish is sweet and salty, but all I could taste was the same smokey flavor I found in the green beans. At least the beef was nicely cooked. Lastly the only dish that we actually enjoyed was the Shanghai pork and shrimp noodles. Great flavor and soft noodles. Still not enough to bring me back. I don't understand how some of the food was good and others tasted like their was no effort put into the recipe. For having a dozen items on your menu, I'd expect each item to be spectacular. I really wanted to like this place because it's new and in an area where people who don't know traditional Chinese food can enjoy some real Chinese comfort foods. Please save your money and go to an actual Chinese restaurant to savor the real deal. This place is overpriced and you don't bang for your buck. read more

There is not much seating, so be prepared for a wait. You go to the register and put your name on the list. If you want to order drinks at that time, they will bring them out to you while you're waiting for a table. When your table is ready, they call you up to the register where you place your food order and pay and then sit down. Each of our dishes came out separately--timed like 3 courses. Luckily, we were sharing them. --XLB: 3/5; The filling was kind of mushy, so there wasn't really a texture differentiation between the meat filling and soup--it was all just soft. They didn't have the umami taste I was looking for. --Beef ho fun: 1/5; I hate to say it, but it was the worst ho fun I've ever had. The predominate flavor was salt and a burned taste--no real Asian flavors or depth. --Pork and shrimp noodles: 4/5; The best dish--it was well-seasoned and had good "wok flavor." There was a generous amount of shrimp. With such a small food menu, I would think dishes would come out faster. It also seems like a good set-up for take-out, which is not offered. The staff is friendly and an added bonus: free serve-yourself jasmine tea. Aviary consistently serves some of the best seasoned, flavorful dishes in Portland; so hopefully, things will improve here as time goes on. read more

Maybe I haven't frequented enough dumpling places in my life? I have stood next to a close Chinese friend from Harbin while she taught me how to make bao and gyoza for several lessons. I loved my visit to, and food at, XLB. I arrived early, waited in line for 10 minutes, and had 2 cups of free hot tea while I waited. My pork - cabbage baozi came quickly and were perfect. My xiao long bao came quickly after, and they were some of the best soup wontons I have ever had. The staff was attentive and friendly. All in all it was so much better than what I have experienced in other Chinese restaurants. Don't believe the negative reviews. read more

The staff and service here were excellent and there were no complaints on that front. Portions sizes were mean. Bao are a shade smaller than normal size you'd expect at any other Chinese restaurant. Fillings were a little bland. XLB were well presented but very bland. Pork was bland, broth just tasted like hot water? After 2 I really had to ladle the sauce onto them. I was crying out for some flavor. Bok Choy was cooked to a good texture but there was an obvious use of liquid smoke in the sauce. Too smoky, almost cloying. Overall we paid $40 dollars and I left still hungry and unimpressed. Probably wouldn't be back. Would also probably call out anybody raving about this place as being full of crap. read more

I don't really understand the 3 stars this place is getting. They are consistently putting out great Xiao long bao, the menu always has new items, the ingredients are fresh, and the music is usually awesome. The only detractors are that it's counter service and it's almost always crowded. Lunch on the weekend seems to be a good time to find a table. We've had most of the ever-changing menu over the last few months and have been very happy with our food and the quality every time. I take that back... Their opening week we went and the xlb were flat, missing their soup, and sad. But, they replaced them with better quality ones when we asked about them, and quality has been great ever since. Get the cucumber side every time. Bring a group so you can get a variety of things. Portions for things like noodle dishes are large, so more people helps. read more

So delicious! My mom and I went there for dinner since we love love a good dumpling. For sure we will be back! read more

XLB - Noodles Near Me - Portland, Oregon

YUM! Cool spot and good food. The shrimp and pork noodles were way good as well as the duck bao. The mushroom/chive bao weren't my fave. read more

XLB is a cool concept, but had some kinks. I visited today, for their grand opening. The line was long, and the food took a while. It's understandable since they are new and pretty packed during the lunch rush. What disappointed me, was that the soup dumplings weren't as hot or as flavorful as I expected. I've had soup dumplings from multiple places, and I have to say that these were not on the high end of the spectrum. I also got the beef noodles, which were pretty good. The noodles were a bit too firm / undercooked, but the beef made up for it completely. The chunks of beef were tender, full of sauce, and good portions. Overall I would come back to try the rest of the menu, but wouldn't be as stoked as my first visit. I'm eyeing those duck baos! read more

Went here on January 21 to celebrate my wife's birthday. Place was busy, but that was to be expected given the fact that they just opened. Lot's of interesting authentic Chinese choices. My wife is from Hong Kong and is pretty knowledgeable when it comes to this cuisine. Apparently, there are many regional dumplings that differ in size, taste, etc. She told me these are Shanghai style dumplings that are bite-sized to keep in the juices, and also folded an exact amount of times (I think she told me 18). I'm not a meat-eater so didn't try them myself, but she really liked them and felt that they were authentic. I ordered the vegetarian bao and the vegetarian noodles. Here's where it all went wrong. They mixed in a pork dumpling with 2 mushroom ones, and of course I bit in to the pork one first. Man was I pissed! The chef (owner?) came over and apologized and offered a free vegetarian choy dish, which was delicious by the way. However, they took away the other mushroom dumplings. So, in the long run, I paid for the mushroom dumplings, didn't eat them, got a cheaper choy dish, and basically felt sick from eating pork. Couldn't really express my feelings to the chef/owner at the time, since I was taking my wife out for her birthday. read more

Tried it for the first time and was very impressed. The preserving process was seamless and the staff was nice. The soup dumplings were phenomenal on a cold day under the heat lamps. Unlike some of the previous reviews, our five spice chicken was fried beautifully and was tender. The beef in the beef ho fun was so tender and soft. The only thing we weren't too impressed with was the mushroom + chive bao, there was just something missing with this one. Either way, definitely coming back read more

We were very excited about this place due to reviews and the lack of good spots little dumplings in Portland. We ordered steamed dumplings, dumplings in the sauce and the shanghai noodles. The portions were small for the dumplings. The steam dumplings were OK, below our expections. The dumplings in the sauce were a little better but portion too small for the price. The noodes were salty and nothing special -- think Panda Express quality. The service was self-serve -- again think Panda Express. We were disappointed and will not come back. read more

Damn good vegan options! The tofu and eggplant was delicious! Will definitely eat here again and felt good that they support NWAAF!

Today was one of 7 national dumpling days this year (haha) and XLB was highlighted by the Travel Portland Insta. Am I glad I made it a point to celebrate this holy dumpling day at XLB. We had the steamed pork and cabbage bao, pork and shrimp noodle bowl, and the cold sesame noodle salad with tofu. Everything was out of this world delicious. The servings are generous so we took half of it home even after walking in with a deep hunger. The staff was nice and seating was plentiful. Parking on a busy day would probably be tough but on a Thursday evening it was easy to park, find XLB for the first time and enjoy a quickly served dinner. I'll be back again and again. read more

Let's see if I get sick tonight. Witnessed the owner/chef lick his fingers before garnishing my Xia Jian Myun and cover his mouth to cough over the stovetop and then into his hands before the runner brought that same dish he touched over to me. Nothing like old skool Asian cooking where in the motherland the cook doesn't care how they handled the food. Overall, good food but bland. Added a lot of spice oil to my food, but that could be the the Korean in me. Dumpling dough was too thick and dried out quick once it got cold (literally 3 mins after being served). Pork was pink but I hear that it's ok these days. Besides, chef/owner cough and licking of fingers will get me sick before pink pork! Happy eating all! read more

XLB - Coughed on, licked fingers, and pink pork middle - Noodles Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The food is yummy, service not so great. Directions were unclear for seating and ordering. Since we had a larger party we needed an outdoor table because inside is four top. We were rudely kicked out of the table because we had yet to order (even though someone else had brought plates AND an extra chair already), or see the chalkboard hidden behind a plant saying to order first. Ended up having to sit inside between two tables for a birthday dinner which was most unfortunate. Probably wouldn't recommend for any future occasions where you want to be able to mingle with friends or family all together. read more

3 dishes are enough for 2 people unless you are super hungry. Soup Dunplings, Chicken and Shrimp Wontons. All was delicious. Definitely recommend it. Tea and fortune cookies are complementary ;-) read more

XLB - Noodles Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Was looking forward to the XLB, but sadly, it just didn't live up to my expectations. Taking into consideration I had amazing XLB in New York and in the famous din tai fung. Surely this place will try to live up to their name! But unfortunately the xlb were very tiny and just did not have the flavor. The tofu jiang mein was sour. Yuck. Maybe it's a fusion thing but big disappointment. Do yourself a favor to not order the jia jiang mein. The pork and shrimp noodle was probably the best dish out of all of the dishes we ordered! So I guess order that. The $10 string beans came with literally 10 string beans. The duck baozi was soggy! How do u have soggy buns! Whomp whomp. read more

Terrible customer service. Not family friendly with younger children as staff is not accommodating. Do not recommend. Go downtown where you can get delicious food at a cheaper price and be treated equally. read more

We came here based on friend's recommendations (not Asian) and left underwhelmed with the XLB. It lacked flavor; the soup didn't have a strong broth flavor. In the words of Ali Wong, "it's all about the dumpling jiz!" It seems the dough was too thick because it appeared flat and thick at the top when you first bite into it. The price for 8 dumplings was a bit much. You can get better quality for the same amount at places like The Duck House or Szechuan Chef. We also ordered the 5 spice popcorn chicken and the Shanghai shrimp and pork noodle. Both were ok. The noodles were short, like they snipped it or it was at the bottom of bag and drove us nuts, making it difficult to grab and eat. read more

This was our first visit and we were very excited to try it as we love xiaolongbaos. We ordered the baos, greens, shrimp and beef noodles, fried chicken and the eggplant. The only thing that we were happy with were the greens, chicken and shrimp/beef noodles. Such a disappointment with the steam baos considering that's what this restaurant is named for so I would I give 3 stars for the food as it's average. As with the personnel from the young lady who took our order to the lady who delivered our orders... why can't you smile or just a hello? So between the average food to the " I don't give a crap about you attitude " we decided one visit is enough for us here. So if we're craving for shanghai style food or xialongbaos then we will go back to "The Duck restaurant " in downtown Portland. read more

Service was great, interior is very cute, menu and design are all on point. I'm excited to see an XLB spot close in, and these dumplings are pretty good. That being said, they weren't the best I've ever had and not quite on par with the authentic ones you can get at less hipstery spots out in the Jade District. I'll be back, but it's not a fave. The music playlist was atrocious. read more

Yummmm! I love the small plates format of this eatery. If you like Chinese food, you will love XLB. You order at the counter, take your seat and then wait for yumminess to arrive. The menu is simple with less than 10 choices but everything is tasty, the XLB refers to the buns but I love the noodle dishes and the stir fried vegetables. read more

I found XLB to be completely ok, nothing special. The XLB dough was very thin and floppy, and had very little broth in it. The pork and cabbage baozi had very little flavor and absolutely zero cabbage. The shrimp chili wontons were tasty, as well as the crispy green beans. read more

When first walking in to XLB I was a little overwhelmed by the decore and crowd. It was a lot to take in. I had never had authentic chinese food before so i didnt know what to expect. I was given the wrong drink, when i told the staff the mistake it was fixed quickly and without question which was excellent. Even with a line out the door. I ordered the soup dumplings and duck baozi. Upon eating the first dumpling I burned my mouth with hot soup. I did not know the proper technique. After that my meal was quite enjoyable. I have been back twice since they opened and the food only gets better and better. I have fallen in love with the duck and pork baozi. Even the decore has grown on me and i couldn't imagine it any other way. read more

Complete, utter fail on *all* accounts: 1. The process of signing up, ordering, and seating was confusing. 2. We were told 30 minutes wait and it was one hour (it's OK, just tell us the truth). 3. The food (XLB, all three other kinds of baos, string beans, stir-fried tofu) ranged from not-good-at-all to so-so. The namesake XLB was one-star. The dough of the baos was all kinds of wrong. 4. The service was sub-par, truly amateur hour. What a gigantic disappointment after all the anticipation. Luckily Random Order wasn't too far away and we cheered ourselves back up with pies. read more

Delicious food and awesome beer! The staff was incredibly kind and helped me decide on something to order. I overheard another customer say she wasn't all that thrilled with what she ordered and one of the workers (without hesitation) offered to bring her something else in its place. Very generous and understanding. I believe what I had was called the Shanghai Pork and Shrimp Noodles, and it was damn good. Be sure to stir it around a bit since there's some delicious juice that settles to the bottom of the bowl. With that I had a Thunder Island Hefenweizen beer. It was suggested by the guy who took my order. Just know that I have never really liked beer that much. Almost everything I've tried up until now has tasted kind of crappy. That being said. . . . it's the best beer I've ever had. Keep in mind that I haven't tried a ton of beers, but my point still stands that this is at the top of my list. Give the place a try! NOTE: I was a little worried that maybe it would be pricey for the amount you get (the menu photo of my meal showed a small amount in a bowl), but it wasn't. I got about three times as much as the picture showed and loved every bite. read more

Very positive experience overall. The food was hot and fresh and the portion size was good. Sat for dinner service at 7pm and ordered the xiao long bao, beef ho fun, and chinese greens. It was crazy busy but didn't take more than 5 minutes to get seated. Recommended read more

We had the XLB the Pork &a Cabbage Bao z, shrimp and pork noodles, and the bok choy. Not the best XLB I've ever had, but they were tasty. The shrimp and pork noodles were really delicious. The bok choy was really good too. Smoky flavor with a nice sauce. Will definitely go back. read more

Meh. Underwhelming food. Pricey for the amount of food given. Typical nopo place. If you're looking for a true xlb experience this is not it. The wrapper on the dumpling was too thick. The lamb and shrimp noodles were the best thing on the menu. read more

Not bad...the soup dumplings and the beef noodles were our favorite at the table. The five spice chicken was tasty but I wasn't a fan of the dry rub making it sort of chalky tasting. The fried basil was a good little treat in that dish though. The service was fast and the staff was friendly. There was good flavor in the dishes and portion size was just right for two people! read more

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The search continues for decent Chinese food in Portland. The Best of XLB - the pickles. Crunchy, fresh, cold and nicely seasoned. The worst - everything else. The String beans were burnt and covered with an ashy char. The server told me "that is how you cook in a wok." Umm, no. Sorry. Soup dumplings barely warm, flabby and uninspired. All the dumpling skins were gooey and the fillings too salty without any refinement to the flavor. Pork Bao was the worst. Instead of the fluffy or baked covering yet more gummy, pasty mess. Beef ho fun was OK. Too salty but OK. Background -I grew up eating in Chinese restaurants in San Francisco. I cook amateur (but pretty good) Chinese food. read more

We don't eat here often enough, since it's in the neighborhood. The menu is not extensive but everything is fresh and well made. A great place. read more

Over priced. Bland. Doughy. The greens were so unseasoned and equally overpriced. The dumplings were sooooo doughy, tough, and chewy. The filling was completely flavorless. Tasted like undercooked flour dipped in vinegar. Will not return. read more