Dumpling Kitchen

Yum. Probably one of the better xiao long bao places in the Bay Area. The skins of the dumplings are quite thin and the pork broth tasty. A bit greasy, but that's not uncommon. Their dim sum dishes are also good (sticky rice with fried dough and pork, fried doughnut). I wasn't a huge fan of the green onion pancake - it's not the light and flaky kind, but rather looks like green onion naan. Chili wontons were okay - I thought they weren't nearly spicy enough. Came early on a Saturday so were seated immediately, but by the time we left there was definitely a wait. I think we will definitely be back!

If you compare this place to the other competing soup dumpling establishments in the city, Dumpling Kitchen is by far the best place to get your XLB fix.The venue itself is bigger than Kingdom of Dumpling and Shanghai Dumpling King which means that you won't have to worry about showing up early or wait in the cold outside for 30-40 minutes to secure a seat for your party. I've been here almost a dozen times with an average wait time of 3 minutes. It's also right off the L line, so getting to this location isn't such an excursion.The dumplings themselves are superb. I've had dumplings from all over the world. We'll, just China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, but the dumplings here are pretty comparable to the dumplings I've had overseas, including the flagship location of Ding Tai Feng (which is extremely overrated). The skin on each individual dumpling is thin, but extremely chewy. The stuffing they use tastes fresh and savory. The soup is PIPING hot right off the basket. Freshness is the key word here and this place gets it right every single time.The other items on the menu are pretty standard. I usually get the fried string beans (), braised pork with sour vegetables, the stir fried rice cakes, and fried sugar pea vegetables. Those dishes are good and intended to accentuate the flavor of the soup dumplings themselves. Personally, as long as these side dishes don't differ too much than what you're accustomed to, then it's okay and doesn't affect my 5 star rating even if they're not crazy amazing.Perhaps the biggest reason why I gave this place a 5 star rating instead of a 4 (which is already really good), is because the waiters don't pressure me into buying their overhyped, overrated egg puffs. I laud them for that. It's annoying when Chinese restaurants try to push Americanized dishes towards their non-Asian or Americanized looking Chinese patrons.

Food is pretty good for the price and the service is quick. I'd suggest the dumplings and the fried rice cakes.

I've got no idea why people have rated it so high. In my case I think the service is very bad - the waitress was not helpful at all. The food is really average and we will never go back again.

The more places I try the pickier I get with my dumplings. I appreciated that the dumplings here are good sized and taste really fresh... but it's just... not as good as other places I have tried especially around this area.Shanghai-style steamed pork dumplings (10pcs) - good, but just doesn't pack the flavor as other XLB does (:ahem: Kingdom of Dumpling)Steamed pork and napa cabbage dumplings (10pcs) - a bit mediocre, almost a little too doughy. I did like enjoy the insides.Shanghai-style green onion pancake - "A-OK" however, pretty heavy. I like my onion pancake light, layered and fabulous, this wasn't.This was my first time trying Hot Soy Milk... :) good stuff and a good way of topping it all off! I wouldn't mind coming back again, but maybe trying something other than the dumplings? (As weird as that sounds)

Superb dumplings! They are very juicy and filling. I also tried the wonton vegetable soup, which turned out to be a very satisfying and healthy choice! It comes in a light soup base with house-made wontons and fresh vegetables (mushroom, carrots, bok-choy, and broccoli).As with many authentic and popular chinese restaurants in SF, parking is not easy and space is pretty limited. One thing I discovered while waiting in line is that it's easier to get a table if you are a party of 3+. I came with a friend and we got held behind since they had more 4-seater tables than 2-seater ones and they wanted to maximize the # of people at each table.

Wow.What a find. Many fellow yelpers have attested to the wonderful food here....and I must thoroughly agree.Parking is tough and the place can get really busy....so go early if you can.Service was efficient. I would not say friendly but they get the job there and we did not come to make friends. Clean and simple decor...as opposed to some of the dumpling sheet holes (yall know what Im talkin bout)I ordered the following:Dry braised string beans....huge plate of well seasoned well cooked string beans with just the right amount of spice....I though was really good.Shanghai Style steamed pork dumplings...very good, nice ginger broth, nice subtle pork flavoring without being greasy grissly or fatty. Ginger dipping sauce was great with it...size was perfect. In shanghai they sometimes serve those massive ones that explode and are just to large....these were bit size....perfection.Green onion pancake....light crispy not oily full of flavor...perfect to mop up with the sauces....I adored this dish....it was gone quicklyAs all of you have noted: The pan fried pork buns are just friggin amazing...they are soft on the top, crunchy on the bottom and pipping hot in the middle...the filling is almost soupy....in a great way...melting pork goodness.One of my dining partners ordered the mu shu pork...do not ask me why...it was okay...but why at a dumpling house why o why??? Generic but okayAnd the surprise hit of the evening and I could eat these all day everyday: THE CRISPY EGG PUFFS. It made me think of beignets....or a crepe....light fluffy, custardy, topped with sugar. If you go here ORDER THESE.All of this for 40 bucks not including tip.....Winner Winner Shanghai Dumpling Dinner!!!

Great pan fried dumplings. Very good pea sprouts in broth. Excellent wontons.

Me : babe I lost bigHer : how much?Me : more than two paychecks.Her : damn ravens huh? Come on let's go eat.So we end up here somewhere close to her work. After a very disappointing weekend, one of my best friends took me to get some grub and comfort. She orders the xlb, spinach, and black bean noodle. Spinach was cooked fast so that it still had a nice crunch. Black bean noodles not bad, al dente but the minced meat and sauce ended up at the bottom. She comforts me then proceeded to put a xlb in my mouth. Yummy. Hot, steamy and chewy . Can't put a finger on what was in the meat but had a nice flavor. After that I felt like a champ. This is what happens when you have good friends and food. Ho bao ah!

Green Onion Pancake! I love it here! I could eat the whole plate myself but that would just be rude. It's got a nice crispy crunch outside, soft fluffy inside, and packed with flavor.I've had a variety of dumplings here and have found them all to be deliciously devoured. The Xiao Long Bao is good and everything's pretty cheap. The hot soy milk is pretty good too. I'm not a huge soy milk person but my friend really loves it.Not sure what more to say, but if you want dumplings stop here and also order a pancake!

How could I forget to check-in or write a review after coming here more than 5 times? The Wo Tie or fried dumplings are awesome: Slightly juicy as you bite into each dumpling with perfect crisp skin at the bottom and moist at the top. Each dumpling is dainty, served just like in HK, Singapore or China; not the usual gargantuan pieces with thick chewy skin.How about Xiao Long Bao? Of course bursting with soupy juices as you drop it into your mouth. YUUUM!The onion pancake is so bread-like, light, and fully onionly fragrant! Beef Sichuan style are immersed in wok-aroma; mark of a chef who stir fries over high heat! The same wok-aroma in their Shanghai stir-fried noodles. And the smoked fish: chilled and sweet; the perfect appetizer!Will definitely come for more and eat the rest of the menu; love this place!!!

Great food but service and ambiance wasnt so hot

He didn't know what Nutella was.He didn't know what Pocky was.A Banh Mi? Umm, forget it, he didn't know what that was either.SO naturally when I texted him that I was craving XLB (Shanghai Soup Dumplings), he thought it was a typo and that I was craving an X-large 8======D. *Sigh*I didn't want to wait for a table at Kingdom of Dumpling or Shanghai Dumpling King so I thought Dumpling Kitchen would be a good alternative. It was pretty solid the first time so it was worth another visit.As compared to Kingdom of Dumpling and Shanghai Dumpling King, Dumpling Kitchen has a small dumpling selection with just 4 choices aside from wontons but I really like their XLBs (10 pieces - $6): http://bit.ly/UGCdW8. Arriving in a bamboo steamer lined with wax paper, the juicy bundles arrive pumping hot and were free of any breakage. The skin is nicely thin yet thick enough to hold everything in. One small bite to let some steam escape, the savory dumplings are then perfect for slurping up all the soup and enjoying the succulent pork filling with an aromatic ginger nuance.Not nearly as mouth-watering as the XLB, the Crab and Pork Dumplings (8 pieces - $9.50) were juicy but with a slight fishy taste from the crab: http://bit.ly/REdEa9. I would skip this.The Dry Fried Chicken Wings ($8) were crisp and moistly tender but the savory sweet sauce was runny and not oooey gooey, finger-licking like San Tung's: http://bit.ly/13gjwJ7. It will satisfy your chicken wing craving though.A Hakka favorite, the Braised Pork Belly w/ Preserved Veggies ($8.50) is my ultimate Chinese comfort food especially with steamed rice: http://bit.ly/VCt0Ku. The savory pork belly was super tender with a good meat to fat ratio. The preserved veggies helps balance the richness from the pork belly making it a more "guilt-free" dish.The dinner foul of the night?He tried to jab and pick up the XLBs with a metal spoon!!!*Tsk Tsk*If only I had my feather duster with me...OTHER NOTES:*Cheap eats and generous portions. Most dishes are $6-$7 and nothing is over $11.*Very little MSG used. Besides being a tad thirsty after dinner, I didn't have an MSG allergic reaction (dry mouth, headache, and heart palpitations) as I normally do with Chinese food.*Service is typical of any Asian restaurant; fast and indifferent. Staff is fluent in English though.*Dining area is clean, not cramped and well-lit.*CC's accepted.

MMmmmmm!!!! This right here is PERFECT warm-yourself-from-head-to-toe-on-a-cold-night dim sum. Because that's pretty much all I've ordered from them is the dim sum but boy, it left me reeling with delicious everything.My boyfriend loves the crab and pork steamed dumplings the best, they are more expensive and you get less but they are a flavor knockout!Anything else here that says dumplings on the dim sum menu, I can give two thumbs up to, and I would give more if only I had more thumbs. The pork and chive dumplings are tender and perfect. The shanghai steamed pork dumplings are creamy and cooked just right. The pork dumplings in chili oil, boy, that combination has been around for ages but it makes my eyes roll around in my head with how they play off each other so well. The green onion pancake is so unexpectedly tasty! Perfect for sopping up the delicious meat juices that run out of your moist dumplings when you bite into 'em.Also? Do not pass up the Lion's Head Meatballs. I've not had the ones in the soup but i have had them served over the bed of spinach, and while I found the spinach unremarkable. I can say hands down this is the most impressive meatball I've ever had the pleasure of having in my mouth. Aside from being huge, like whoa, they are omg omg omg so good. I am drooling up a storm right now.I guess be wary that the temperature can be kinda weird in here, they've got fans going a lot of the time so if you get cold easily bring a jacket....and also there's the muni going by all the time right outside which shakes EVERYTHING in the place, that along with it being crowded and pretty noisy frequently means you're probably not going to have a silent meal but the hustle and bustle can be very pleasant. Dumpling Kitchen! I will return forever!!!

For a place that's called "Dumpling Kitchen," we were expecting more than 4 varieties of dumplings. Me and the hubs were more satisfied with the Xiao Long Baos than the dumplings. Here is what we ordered:1. XLBs (http://s3-media1.ak.yelp…)2. Pork and Napa dumplings (http://s3-media3.ak.yelp…)3. Vegetarian Mu Shu (http://s3-media1.ak.yelp…)4. Garlic Sauteed pea sprouts (http://s3-media1.ak.yelp…)The XLBs were flavorful with just enough tangy soup inside the buns. But the pork napa dumplings were steamed just like the XLBs instead of boiled, which we thought was unconventional - which may also be the reason why we felt like the dumplings tasted the same as the XLBs.The vegetarian mu shu and pea sprouts were a-ok, typically dishes you'd see at Chinese restaurants.Overall, we probably wouldn't come here again, unless I really, really. REALLY. crave their XLBs.

I liked the dumplings! Tasty thin skin, with lots of flavorful soupinessI wasn't a fan of their Sichuan style noodle.

Dumpling Kitchen just might give my other fave dumpling joint a run for their money.By now, I'd consider myself a XLB connoisseur, if you will. And since I've become such a regular at Shanghai Dumpling King, I was out to find another dumpling place that would be comparable and ding ding ding, we have a winner. Dumpling Kitchen isn't the usual whole in the wall joints for dumpling eatery, it's definitely big enough to bring the whole fam and even a few friends. The first time I came, it was around dinner time and the place was full. Wait wasn't too bad and once we got seated, we went right for the Shanghai Dumplings and even opted for the Pan Fried Pork Buns since we saw them floating around other people's tables - they was looking all types of cute.The pan fried pork buns actually took the show, they were SO yummy. Came out like..well, little buns. Nice soft outsides with just the right amount of crisp to the bottom and let's not forget to mention the warm pork on it's insides. The XLBs were also delish; juicy and the skin wasn't too thick which is the way I like um.Came back for a second round with the cousin's and tried the Shanghai pan fried noodles, the fatty ones - you'll see when you get there or when you browse through the pics, twas alright. We got both kinds and eh, it's a good filler to have on the side but nothing to brag about. We also got the sticky rice rolls which had a fried roll on the inside and was stuffed with shredded pork. It was pretty interesting, worth giving a go. Spicy wontons also made their way onto on table and they was spicy. I likes.Service here has always been good. The ladies all speak English, so no worries my foreign friends and they're pretty attentive so always a plus. Cousins and I are gonna try to convince the whole fam to come for dinner, for ya know, those kinda occasions.

+Restaurant's clean compared to your average chinese restaurant.+ Good XLB..... but NOT the best in the city (I'd prefer Kingdom of Dumpling a few blocks up) BUT there wasn't a wait at this restaurant and the staff was nice.+ Cheap compared to kingdom of dumpling+ Good for groups! they have a bunch of normal chinese-banquet-style roundtables+ Good green onion pancake (not the best)- Do not get the beijing dumpling! Flavorless and bland. Tasted boiled and overcooked.- not much "dumpling" action; just the XLB with pork or the special crab with chili oil so don't expect as much as selection as other placesThis restaurant had an extensive menu so if you're JUST craving XLB + chinese food, then this would be a good choice.

We came here for the xlb's and placed 2 orders, along with an order of Shanghai noodles with peanut sauce.The xlbs were so so ($6.50 for 10). The skin was thin and the size of the dumplings were average. There was not enough "soup" in each dumpling and some dumplings, which had no hole, didn't even have any soup. The taste was average.I especially liked the noodle dish here and would definitely come back for it. If you like peanut sauce and spicy, this dish has both (although, I was expecting it to be spicier).1 hour street parking available in the residential streets. I would probably go somewhere else for their xlb's.

I'm giving a "5 star" on an Asian food scale!FYI, Translation of restaurant's chinese name: literally "#1 dumpling king". how did that become "Dumpling Kitchen"? I guess the worse the name of the restaurant, the better the food!Highlight dish:Anyway, LOVED the XLB here! the meat is juicy and marinated with a touch of sugar- best price I've seen: $6.50 for 10.Other entrees:- chili oil dumplings: to DIE FOR! minced garlic on a chili oil/vinegar sauce mix. ended up using this sauce on everything! these dumplings were juicy too!- pan fried dumplings: standard. i preferred the boiled dumplings though. depends on your personal preference- Tried the Shanghai noodles, Westlake minced beef soup, braised tofu, garlic eggplant dishes- all of which were of generous sizes, low on salt (we had to add a bit more ourselves). definitely not the highlights of my visits. Each entree was about $7:cheap but would recommend that you stick to their dumplings.Appetizers:- deep fried dough (you tiao) - classic- soymilk - perfect with the you tiaoService:GREAT! and I don't mean just "great" for an asian restaurant. they were truly attentive and prompt. Very pleasant dining experience on the Friday night that we went.Had tons of leftover. great prices! we feasted and left with full bellies!