Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Dumpling Empire in South San Francisco

4.3 (199) 216 Cypress Ave, South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States

Categories

Dumpling restaurant
Asian restaurant
Restaurant

Location on the map

South San Francisco, San Mateo County, California, US

Phone: +1 650-742-0838
Site: http://dumplingempireca.com/

Opening hours

Monday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM
Tuesday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM
Wednesday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM
Thursday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM
Friday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM
Saturday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM
Sunday:11:30 AM–9:30 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.3

199 Reviews for Dumpling Empire 2024:

Review №1

2022-10-21 07:46:00

Little hole in the wall. Food was delicious. Small family owned business vibe. I could see the woman making the dumplings from my table. And walked through the kitchen to use the restroom. Probably not the best customer service but you come here for the good food. So good I ate here twice during my stay in SF

Review №2

2023-01-28 05:57:29

Ive been here multiple times over the years and I can definitely say its one of my favorite dumping shops. Located on a side street right off Grand Ave in South San Francisco, this little hole in the wall spot is definitely unassuming.The menu is actually pretty extensive, and theres probably something for everyone.Here are my go-tos and absolute favorites:• Cold Wide Bean Noodles - super garlicky and chewy mung bean noodles with cucumber slices. Its a nice refreshing dish.• Marinated pork elbow• Pig Ears• Pork Dumpling with Napa Cabbage• Lamb Dumplings• Mustard Green Noodle SoupThey do also have frozen dumplings that you can take to go and make at home.

Review №3

2022-11-07 03:32:41

I love this place for dumpling and tofu noodle. But today, the noodle was really dry. Their dumplings are consistently delicious but everything else seems like a shot in the dark.

Review №4

2022-11-20 00:00:59

We had the chicken fried rice, pork pot stickers, and Shanghai pork soup dumplings. Everything was so good! I really liked the soup in the soup dumplings, it was very flavorful and comforting to eat. I will definitely be coming back for more!

Review №5

2022-12-12 02:56:47

Great thinly wrapped dumplings and soap dumplings for the authenticity. Good amount of flavor and tasted fresh without being salty. The homemade hot sauce has a good kick to it. The atmosphere is not great but thats how you know its authentic. Highly recommended and one of the best dumpling restaurants in the bay that not many know about.

Review №6

2022-11-18 05:42:26

4.5 stars.Great little place! Yes, it’s a dive, a “hole in the wall” but don’t let that deter you. This place serves up some delicious food! Everything in the photo was great — the fried rice, string beans and pot stickers were excellent. I would give this 5 stars if the location was better. But honestly, location doesn’t matter when the food is great.Try them!

Review №7

2023-09-17 04:10:11

I ordered spicy seafood hotpot. It’s fish fillet with seaweed, tofu, clear noodles with spicy broth. The flavor is fine but the fish isn’t fresh. They gave me 10% off…I try other food- beef noodle, dumplings. There food are just ok to me.To be fair, I do see some local people dining there and they seem fine with what they ordered.

Review №8

2022-10-29 20:24:37

Our order:Pork and cabbage dumplings (lighter color dumplings)Pork and chive dumplings (darker color dumplings)Garlic string beansSalt and pepper chicken wingsGood:Dumplings. This place has my favorite dumplings in the area. The skin has a nice chewy texture and pork filling very tasty.String beans, sautéed with preserved garlic and soy, were good but a little stringy. Subsequent visit was fine. 😀Meh:Chicken wings. The flavor was good but a little on the dry side. But we did order again on a subsequent visit.Bad:Use of disposable plates and utensils. Serving plates are to-go containers and place setting are paper plates and disposable chopsticks. Hope they will bring back the real stuff soon.Also, set your expectations appropriately. Theres only 1 person working front of house who manages to-go orders, tables, seating, cleanup, etc. So be patient during the dinner rush, shes moving fast!

Review №9

2023-07-29 19:19:21

Very good dumplings, also order the string beans, and onion pancakes!

Review №10

2022-09-26 16:05:54

A little hole in the wall that serves dumplings. The majority of the foods were served on/in containers/lids designed for take-out. Everything tasted great, however it was oily/greasy. The dining room was vacant, but they were hoping for to-go/app orders.

Review №11

2022-05-01 19:39:26

When looking at the menu online, I really wanted to like this place. Non-descript hole-in-the-wall in South City with an amazing selection of dumplings, noodle soups and entrees served as small dishes. My kind of dive.The spicy beef noodle soup had noodles which felt over cooked and a broth, while flavorful, not the most appetizing. The lamb and vegetable dumplings, while unique, were slightly bland and had a thick flour-and-water wrapper that fell apart.I hope that some of the other dumpling options may carry this place through: pork and dill, for example.

Review №12

2023-11-14 15:30:44

The food is delicious. I had tendon soup and dumplings. Everything was flavorful. The service was good. It would be nice if they updated the place or maybe not. I like the prices.

Review №13

2023-07-10 05:14:19

These are the best dumplings I’ve had in SF. and service is kind & sweet

Review №14

2023-07-05 22:28:39

If you want try traditional dumplings, this is the place! They have all kinds of fillings and flavors. They also have a variety of appetizers and traditional dishes. We love the chive dumplings, the green onion pancake, marinated cucumber, and the fried rice. The location is kinda small and a bit seasoned but the food makes up for it. Parking can get tricky but a little walking can open your appetite.

Review №15

2023-07-04 16:58:12

Hole-in-the-wall servings the best dumplings in the Bay Area. I took my Chinese-American co-worker who’s had dumplings on both sides of the pacific, and he said it was the best dumplings he’s had in America.This is a small kitchen that serves dumplings, not a fancy restaurant with nice decor. The dining area is barebones and you can see the kitchen where they make the dumplings, which I think adds to the charm. With these expectations set, go visit Dumpling Empire for some delicious dumplings.

Review №16

2023-11-08 00:09:21

Ordered from them via Door Dash so I cant.comment on atmosphere or service. However, the food was repulsive and I threw it away except for the string beans.I will definitely not order from here again. There is an abundance of excellent Asian food of all varieties in San Francisco and Im disappointed tj have wasted my time on this one.

Review №17

2020-03-09 20:48:29

Fast service. Good lunch spot. Waitlist on Yelp. Just added pea shoots to the menu. Very diverse variety of boiled dumplings. Also try the sesame pancake with marinated beef and chives. Good texture of the spicy beef tendon with sesame seeds, Szechuan peppers, and small salt cryatals

Review №18

2020-03-07 05:31:54

I absolutely love this place! Dumplings (Chicken & Corn and Pork & Cabbage) are really delicious and fresh, and the Green Onion Pancakes are just SO PERFECT - crispy outside and soft inside. Id go back every couple days if I live closer.

Review №19

2023-12-09 03:20:51

Dumplings are outstanding! Small hole in the wall atmosphere that was absolutely packed. I would eat here again

Review №20

2023-10-11 20:15:47

This was truly a hole in the wall restaurant. It is small with less than 10 tables. Food is served on disposable dishes and utensiles. We ordered the XLB, pork and corn dumplings, pan-fried soup dumplings, garlic pea sprouts, beef chow fun, and a sesame beef wrap, and beef chow fun was goid and had a lot more veges than what I am used to. Its a bit different, but the flavor was good. Pork and corn dumplings were on point. The XLB was good flavor wise but lacked soup in them. I was a bit disappointed in that. There are definitely better places in the Bay Area. Pan-fried soup dumplings had a lot of soup in them and were tasty. Pea sprout was good, but a tad over cooked. Beef wrap was ok, mostly because I was not too fond of the sesame wrap. Service was good for a chinese restaurant. The was friendly and tentive enough. The restaurant was full of fruit flies and quite a bit dirty. Dont expect good sanitation here. Im not really sure how they passed the food safety compliance. On the upside. We didnt get food poison.

Review №21

2021-08-18 21:12:09

We enjoyed our lunch at Dumpling Empire very much! Items started coming out quickly and everything was quite tasty. Our favorites were the chili/spicy wontons and the pan fried soup dumplings. Be cautious with the hot sauce on the table, I put way too much on my chive pancake and it took a long time to recover. 😂Pictured: garlic string beans, chili/spicy wontons, chive pancake, pan fried soup dumplings, Shanghai soup dumplings.

Review №22

2017-06-14 09:04:17

Dumplings are the best here! Freshly made and they cant lie about that because you can taste it. The wrap is lovely and chewy and the fillings are well seasoned. Dont forget to try out the beef filled pancake as well.

Review №23

2021-10-12 18:01:20

So this place is a 10+now I realized I have never had such an amazing Chinese food before!!! We got the spicy shrimp$pork wonton (must try), the pork$dill dumplings (interesting) the hot$sour soup, the garlic bok choy (best one ever), and the winner is the beef chow fun (if u dont try this dish u came for nothing) and the service is absolutely amazing, very nice and helpful lady! Thank you Dumpling Empire!!!

Review №24

2021-07-24 22:02:43

Eat here! If you are luck enough to get a seat! The food is amazing! Dumplings made in house from scratch and everything from the tea to the cucumbers and mushrooms were on point. The noodles were just chewy enough even in the soup. This is a must try for anyone in the bay area, even if you are at SFO uber here!

Review №25

2022-10-16 08:36:00

Theres not a reason not to give 4 or 5 stars to this hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Theres some seating inside sufficient for a meal and plenty of options that taste great. Noodle soup is definitely worth the price and the place reminds me of Chinatown NY - Manhattan.Pan-fried soup dumplings were crispy and had a rich pork filling.Our noodle soup broths were similarly tasty and had a good mix of wood-ear mushroom, bok choy, and thick fresh noodle. The chili flakes and chili oil were a bit overbearing in my spicy noodle broth, but still very tasty.

Review №26

2022-06-13 00:04:20

Looks bad, tastes good.The restaurant looks really bad; run down, dirty, terrible toilets. Food looks awful and totally lacking any kind of presentation. However, it tastes fantastic!!!!This would easily be a 4* review if they fixed their presentation.

Review №27

2018-06-25 03:43:32

Excellent place to get good filling dumplings. It really is a hole in the wall kind of place, nothing fancy at all. But it was packed when we were there. Still, we got our food quickly. It was hot and tasty. We got the green onion pancakes, pork and chive dumplings, and pan fried soup dumplings. There is a little parking across the street and a little more around the corner with parking meters (it was free when we were there on Sunday evening. ) All the entrees were about 6-9 dollars. Our three choices filled up two people and cost about $23. Not bad! Would go again.

Review №28

2018-07-29 20:42:31

First timer. Tried 6 dishes. Pork dumplings, chive and pork dumplings, beef pancake,chive pancake, beef chowfun and wonton with wide noodles. The dumplings were good, the two pancakes were tasty, the beef chowfun wasnt to fond of, and the wonton soup was kinda bland. Overall, I would come again and try more of the menu selections.

Review №29

2020-05-14 07:49:33

Proper Shanghai soup dumplings in South San Francisco that delivers to SF! Great dumplings overall. The xiao long bao’s were firm and juicy. The classic pork and chive dumplings are a delicious staple. Nice big green onion pancake stuffed with eggy goodness. A delectable radish cake and a very garlicky tong ho. Already ordered twice.

Review №30

2021-07-07 02:37:10

The dumplings are in fact handmade fresh. They taste great! The soup dumplings were pretty good too. The price is definitely reasonable. However we also ordered the beef pancake and it is definitely not what I expected. If you are expecting more taiwanese style with scallion pancake rolled beef then this is not it. Instead it’s more like a deep fried beef bun. I’d say it’s pretty close to a large beef spring roll. That was the only shocker, but overall good food for reasonable price.

Review №31

2023-07-28 23:31:54

Pretty old place, bathroom a little run down, but the food is amazing. At first we thought it was a tourist trap, but we soon found out that it was far from that. We highly recommend the chili wonton, pan fried dumplings, and soup dumplings.overall, 9.5/10

Review №32

2023-10-09 17:25:35

Hole in the wall for dumplings and very authentic Chinese food. Only drawback is they use paper plates and plastic containers... but food was good!

Review №33

2019-07-06 19:51:53

Dumplings galore! Excellent soup dumplings and tasty and plentiful mountains of a wide array of dumplings. Got the pork and chive dumplings and the lamb and Chinese vegetable dumplings. Both very satisfying. Also highly recommend the marinated beef with sesame cake.

Review №34

2023-07-02 22:22:13

Its a very nice place that is close to the city .

Review №35

2023-05-29 23:25:52

Tasty garlic Green beans, soup dumplings and chive pancakes

Review №36

2021-07-06 05:12:07

So crowded. Its hard to enjoy your food. Fortunately, dumplings and noodle are good.

Review №37

2023-08-22 12:41:08

Authentic food, portions were on the smaller side for the price. Taste was great. Be sure to order the pork and chive dumplings.

Review №38

2019-11-18 02:41:35

Dumplings were great. Had XLB, pork with dill, pork and shrimp with chives, pan fried dumplings, green onion pancake, string beans. They were all great. Lots of flavor, well seasoned. Will be back for more!

Review №39

2022-03-02 20:20:39

No social distance. Small dinning area. Variety of dumplings. Reasonable price.

Review №40

2021-04-03 09:19:23

Everything was delicious and flavorful. All of the various dumplings were juicy and had so much flavor

Review №41

2023-05-23 10:37:10

Its a hole in the wall place with very good food. But you have to order the dumplings 1 dozen at a time, so go with a group of people if you want to try different flavors. Not many seatings inside so plan accordingly.

Review №42

2022-07-04 02:34:38

The dumplings are amazing. Made fresh at the restaurant every day with great ingredients. Had a wonderful lunch. Can’t wait to go back!

Review №43

2019-09-23 05:10:20

The dumplings are delicious as always. Had the garlic bok choy,cucumber with peanut, and green chives pancake. All was delicious. There was one downfall of this place. The desert we ordered (red bean paste pancake) had a few hair under and sticking out of it. At that point I did not want it or them cooking another one cause I dont trust them enough to make me another one. They can reheat it to make it seem like they made a new one. (Past experience-another story). Also waitress seemed agitated I called them out on it. I didnt want to risk anything after that. So I have them removed the dessert from the bill. Gave them 3 stars due to the hairy dessert and attitude towards the end.

Review №44

2022-02-16 17:30:25

Small place and informal place. The service was quick but the taste was just OK. Didn’t particularly find it amazing.

Review №45

2023-02-19 04:03:36

Came here often. I love the taste of all their food! Kudos to the chef and staff. Great service.

Review №46

2023-11-10 06:31:48

Weve come here for years to get the excellent dumplings. I especially enjoy the fish dumplings, and garlic string beans. The onion pancake is good but can be a bit oily. The venue is pretty small, so go earlier to get a table. Theres also bustling food pickup traffic.

Review №47

2023-04-17 17:40:51

I didnt have a good experience here. The dishes are all plastic and will get disposed of after eating. The tofu with noodles smelled like a cheap burned microwave product.Service wasnt great eighter. I felt like an intruder and not welcomed at all.The place in itself looks a little shaby and in combination with the food its just not a place I would ever eat again.The only thing which was okeiish was the dumpling and the tea. I can not recommend going there Id rather have a ramencup from Walmart which (to me atleast) has more quality than what you could get from here.

Review №48

2023-08-25 20:48:34

This place is so good! The green beans and the soup dumplings were my favorites.

Review №49

2019-06-23 06:29:27

First time here. It was good. Quite crowded but it seems you get seated pretty quickly. Food is good.

Review №50

2022-07-30 21:59:18

The garlic bok choy and the pan fried dumplings are unreal. Just order those two items and you will be in food ecstasy.

Review №51

2021-12-16 02:44:33

Terrible service rude cashier worst thing they don’t close the door and they don’t have a heater I would strongly recommend not to come in on a cold day not to mention the horrible actitud of the only person that is working in the front and don’t forget to bring ur own dinner utensils and napkins another important thing is make sure that you tell them not to put that much salt is was on my 3 bite of the food and my stomach started hurting and burning of the excessive amount of salt I don’t understand how they expecte you to eat pork chops with just chapsticks and spon and plastic forks

Review №52

2021-04-11 04:40:14

Fast service. Nice mom and pop kind of place. Korean panckes and soup dumplings are delicious and the popular grilled chicken fried rice is on hit!!

Review №53

2022-09-30 23:48:17

I ordered 2 dishes from this restaurant - Beef Chow Fun and Fresh Noodle with Bean Paste. Both dishes are very standard Chinese noodle dishes. Both noodles were EXTREMELY salty! I have eaten these dishes countless times in my life from different restaurants, and Dumpling Empire takes the reign on the worst flavor of them all! On top of that, the beef in the Chow Fun was prepped very poorly and had a gamey taste on top of being extremely salty, clearly not fresh. Beef Chow Fun are typically pretty greasy, but theirs is even greasier than normal. Neither type of noodles have a nice chewy texture either.All in all, nothing redeeming about this place. A waste of money and calories...

Review №54

2022-09-02 18:46:20

Had takeout here a couple of days ago. This being San Francisco, my standards for homemade dumplings are quite high. Tried two types of dumplings and spicy wontons. Dumplings with pork and shrimp were OK, nothing truly special. You can tell these are freshly made and I appreciate that. I dont mind the thick skin, as there are all kinds of dumplings, and these are just that norther type. Wontons were also OK to average. Had to wait much longer than what the website said when I ordered online. A little expensive for the portions.

Review №55

2018-10-04 11:24:58

Loved it! Fun watching them make the dumplings. Tasty food and the service was great.

Review №56

2023-09-01 05:03:41

I ordered for take out and when I opened the take out container, there was a cooked caterpillar in my pea shoots dish.

Review №57

2020-03-07 18:44:28

The dumpling here is really good make sure you drop by here on the way to the airport or your way to the city.

Review №58

2022-01-21 05:16:25

I love the food. Everything was fresh, and flavorful! The spicy sauce went so well with all of the dishes we had, and the complimentary hot tea and seeing the ladies make the dumplings in the back were indicators of amazing food. Recommend for any level of dumpling eater!

Review №59

2023-09-21 02:00:45

I ordered beef hot pot as a food delivery from Dumpling Empire, and there is a fly in their soup.

Review №60

2023-11-13 02:28:31

Great dumplings that are made to order. Hidden gem!

Review №61

2022-04-12 23:05:57

This place is the definition of a glorious hole in the wall. The food is great! I had a few different things. The lamb dumplings were primo! Super tasty and tender. The pan fried soup dumplings were really well done, got the awesome soup burst of soup you want. The beans paste noodles were a trear as well. Dont judge a book til youve had the food.

Review №62

2023-09-16 08:22:37

Delicious dumplings and leek boxes. So savory. The ultimate comfort food!! Service could be better though and I always have to ask for more hot sauce to go.

Review №63

2018-08-22 03:11:55

The food was okay if you are okay to eat unwashed food in dirty place. Where is health control? Dont take my word, see attached pictures 🤮

Review №64

2021-11-22 06:06:12

Best dumpling spot. This is the only dumpling spot that I go to now. Ive tried multiple places but this is literally the best. They have an amazing hot sauce that I absolutely love. Too bad they dont sell it cause I would definitely buy a bunch of bottles. We come here for their dumplings, but they also have other items that are delicious. Their green onion pancakes are cooked perfectly. The garlic string beans are my wifes favorite. I love the spicy tendon cause their cut into really this slices and it doesnt have that numbing spice. I also usually get their salt and pepper fried tofu which is best eaten at the restaurant cause it is steaming hot when you get it.

Review №65

2020-07-14 01:25:02

I ordered:(1) Sesame pancake with marinated beef(2) pork dumpling with chivefor pickup over the phone (The website is not working?). The pickup and payment was good, they even sprayed my credit card with disinfectant. The taste/temperature of both items I got was very good. Dumplings very juicy. Could not tell if it was house-made, but the hot sauce they give was very delicious as well. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Review №66

2022-08-14 01:29:36

Food wasnt good at all. Our soup was so salty, I couldnt eat it. The dumplings were really average, not the thin texture you usually find in other restaurants, they were thick and poorly made. I wont order from them again.

Review №67

2021-11-09 04:29:02

We ordered takeout and had an awesome meal. We ordered the garlic green beans, hot & sour soup, beef chow fun and chicken skewers. All the portions were large and well worth the $. I have food allergies and they were knowledgeable and accommodating. Would definitely go back :)

Review №68

2019-07-05 22:27:50

Very good dumpling and decent side dishes!

Review №69

2022-09-12 18:49:44

Terrible place on so many levels. Fly traps in the corner are part of the decor. Served my food on a plastic lid. Not even a plate. The food was slightly avg. To make matters worse I think my credit card info was stolen by the front desk worker. Stay as far away from this place as possible. Should be called Dumpling Dump!

Review №70

2019-11-24 21:14:00

No start at all....Very disappointment, we ordered the one of pic and it was very saltyWe asked to make us an other one w/ o salt and she said its all ready made from the day before...and still charging us,go to 29th or 28th ave and taraval,I believed its much better

Review №71

2020-02-05 20:56:20

This place is a joke in the wall, undiscovered treasure!!! They are so nice. Fresh dumplings are made to order. They were amazing and I dont even like dumplings that much. Now Im love them. The chicken spinach were my favorite and the pork Chinese spinach my second favorite. This restaurant should be in the middle of China Town. The food was just as excellent!

Review №72

2023-09-24 00:11:07

Delicious food. Bargain prices. Exceedingly gracious. Wonderful place.

Review №73

2021-09-06 16:51:22

The dumplings here are amazing. The staff is neither rude nor friendly. They just serve you your food and get you on your way. Which is fine by me. Their clientele though can be problematic. Had an Asian woman immediately grab her purse from her chair and placed it behind her back on her chair. Then for the rest of the time I was there, she kept stealing glances at me. Perhaps thinking Id pounce on her at any moment😂. I guess the fact that I was in dress pants and a blouse, with my work badge hanging on my hip meant nothing. Black in America, baby!

Review №74

2021-11-25 01:52:01

My husband and I have travelled all over the world and this is our first time back after 3 years. This place is still the best dumplings in the world. Highly recommend a stop here for fresh dumplings you won’t be disappointed.

Review №75

2018-04-12 03:29:37

Fast, affordable, generally delicious Restaurant.Their dumplings are insane, and you can see some of the staff preparing them in an adjacent room. Everything else, while good, doesnt quite compared to their dumplings. Worth noting that this isnt the most clean restaurant, as the tables are usually sticky. While there is some room for improvement, the price and the sheer deliciousness of their food makes the place well worth it.

Review №76

2018-01-22 19:29:55

Great northern Chinese food at decent prices. This is your typical working class hole-in-the-wall eatery experience - if youre expecting ambiance and mood lighting, youre in the wrong restaurant. Decent quality dumplings in good portions, nothing that will blow your mind away but they are hearty and filling. The Shanghai dumplings are nicely done here I find. Service is fairly attentive for a Chinese restaurant, and staff are quick and efficient. Come early if you can - the locals here can quickly crowd you out if youre late.

Review №77

2019-01-13 22:16:38

You can definitely tell that the dumplings are really fresh in here. Our favourites were the corn and pork and the chicken and spinach. Would not recommend the chicken and celery, as the celery taste was a bit too overpowering. It was cool to see the dumplings being made in the back room as well!Side note: we came in a group of 16 and even though the restaurant was small they were really accommodating, so props for that!

Review №78

2023-08-21 02:15:50

Delicious and filling! Staff provided some great recommendations.

Review №79

2021-07-01 01:25:03

This place is a local gem. It is very unassuming on the outside and very plain inside. After you try the dumplings you will be hooked. I recommend the garlic string beans. This place is best with friends and sharing the dumpling dishes so you can eat several kinds. 10/10 go if asked.

Review №80

2016-07-15 16:50:57

This place offers great dumplings at a pretty low price! The cucumbers were refreshing, and the lamb skewers were grilled nicely without burning or over drying them. I was able to try three types of dumplings, and I was thoroughly satisfied with all three. Their house special hot sauce (the orange one) was pretty good too! Overall, Id come back here again!

Review №81

2019-04-14 01:46:28

Delicious dumpling. My favorite is the sour and spicy soup.

Review №82

2018-06-21 21:39:13

This place is a type of hole in the wall place that does serve very good dumplings. However I had to dock a couple stars because we have often come here only to be told that they have run out of certain dumplings. These are usually the popular ones of course. They also serve other dishes such as noodles and rice, but I consider these dishes as average here. Overall I dont mind dining here, but I have to be mentally ready to be told they dont have the dumplings I am craving. I would still recommend it though as there are always other types of dumplings available that are very good.

Review №83

2022-04-16 03:38:39

Every time I bring the family on a San Francisco trip we always have Dumling Empire food. The food is always good. The employees completely busy but has time to take care of everyone. They have new construction across the street that make parking very difficult.

Review №84

2023-11-09 04:50:51

Awesome food for a great price hole in the wall!

Review №85

2019-08-29 03:39:06

Excellent will returnGot 12 dill dumplings and 4 big chive PancakesPrice is cheap and reasonable$19 for the two items w tax

Review №86

2019-07-23 19:59:25

Dumplings are nice. Fried tofu is prepared perfectly, soft inside, crispy outside.Spicy beef tendon, thinly sliced, spiced to the right level, is definitely worthy of a try.Now the settings.Located in a small unassuming strip mall. Dining area isnt huge. You get a feeling that you could almost spy on the activities in the kitchen. Waitress brings simple menu without the bonjour. You know youre there for the food.Parking is easy across the street. Price is very reasonable.You know you are going to enjoy nice dishes without talking out a loan.Yes, I would definitely come back.

Review №87

2023-10-21 21:53:08

Great food. The restaurant could do with some work.

Review №88

2022-07-13 21:56:30

Lack luster basic interior, but everything is made fresh and delicious. I always order the garlic string beans and try to eat here every time Im in South San Fransisco for business. The toilet is through the kitchen. Its my kind of hole in the wall!

Review №89

2019-02-20 05:45:15

Hole in the wall with some excellent food. Shanghai soup dumplings were great, as were the garlic green beans. The seaweed salad wasnt to my taste, but the tea was good. Service was terrible, but it worked out well for us. We just wanted to chat. No pressure to leave once we were done eating, which was nice.

Review №90

2020-01-29 07:24:46

Bought the freeze dumplings here and cooked in company. Everyone enjoyed them.

Review №91

2019-07-14 22:59:35

Apart from the spoken English and Cantonese, this could be in China. Veggie dumplings, $9 for 12. The skin was great, the filling not so much, but thats what you deserve when you dont get pork. Great spicy sauce on the table. Quick service, seating for 35 in two small rooms. Prices online are incorrect.

Review №92

2018-07-19 04:54:24

I save the 5 stars for my favorite places, this is definitely one of them. We got good and friendly service tonight after a 15min wait. We ordered marinaded seaweed, peanut with cucumber, hot and sour soup, spicy beef tendon, 2 types of dumplings, garlic string beans, sesame pancakes with beef, and green chives pancake. We loved all the dishes. We felt the flavor of each dish is spot on, so delicious. We hope to come back soon and try other dishes.

Review №93

2018-12-25 01:45:24

I ordered food to go. The dumplings were very good, XiaoLongBao was less impressive.

Review №94

2018-06-28 22:14:13

We ordered the Shanghai soup dumplings, string beans, and chicken chowfun. Everything was hot, fresh, and so delicious! I especially enjoyed the hot chili sauce on the table with my food. We will definitely be back to try other delicious dumplings. Thanks to their great food, great prices, and nice staff Id absolutely recommend you try this place out!

Review №95

2019-07-28 22:49:29

Good dumplings. Prices are not bad either. The place could use a good deep cleaning or better yet a total remodel which includes utensils, plates, cups etc. Yeah they look a bit old and,,,,,dirty... Honestly, I felt like I was in one of those old local hangouts in S.F. Chinatown off of Grant Ave,,, not in SSF off of Grand Ave!!! All in all, we were satisfied. Yeah, well come back. The spicy vegetable pot was very spicy but delicious!!!

Review №96

2017-10-06 18:45:12

Good for dumpling cravings. Wait Can get pretty long during lunch, so come early or late.

Review №97

2019-01-25 06:16:55

Straightforward and tasty dumplings, potstickers, soups, and complementary tea. And they have a delicious spicy hot sauce. I think one order of dumplings comes with a dozen and maybe 1.5 orders per person should be just about ideal for average hungry person.The place seems shabby but its all about the food here. It can get crowded sometimes, and there can be a small wait as they cook things to order, but theres free tea and the opportunity to pack ones big dumpling-shaped belly with lots of tiny dumpling-shaped dumplings is well worth the wait.

Review №98

2022-09-03 17:16:27

Another great spot to eat in So. San Francisco. The soup i got was burn your face off hot! Had just enough spice in it to be tasty, but not so spicy you couldnt eat.

Review №99

2020-08-10 22:09:00

The pork dumplings with green onion are so juicy and amazing!! Also get a an order of lo mein noodles or fried rice if you can as well. The dumplings themselves are pretty filling as the main course too though. Meat skewers are also very delicious but are moderately spicy so if you dont like spicy food, the skewers may not be for you. Overall I love the food here

Review №100

2021-05-23 18:13:43

Really delicious dumplings, potstickers, green onion pancakes, sesame flatbread, and small dishes. Noodles are meh. No ambiance - this really is a hole in the wall, and the ladies wrapping dumplings are sitting behind a screen in the seating area. But you dont go here for ambiance, you go here for the eats! They have bags of frozen dumplings for take out too.

Review №101

2014-07-22 05:15:36

If Im ever in the area again and craving dumplings, this would probably be the place I would go to. Service is fast, they seem to get a good constant flow of people in and out. So if youre not into a tiny mom and pop shop with bare fixtures, this may not be the place for you. It gets pretty crowded and stuffy, but if you open the door, the tables directly in front of it will get a blast of air. May want to invest in AC since most of their dishes give off heat, combined with body heat. Their dumplings were good, hot and tasty. We had the chicken & corn and pork & corn. The Shanghai pan fried dumplings (4) were awesome, nice crispy outside with a meaty soft inside. If youve been to Dumpling Kitchen and Dumpling Kingdom in San Francisco, this would be the closest in San Mateo that Ive tried so far that matches their caliber. I wouldnt be surprised if they were owned by the same people of Dumpling Kingdom. We had also ordered the popcorn chicken, tasty but not a necessity when visiting.

Review №102

2019-04-09 04:25:27

Dumplings and yellow sauce. So good. XLB and green onion pancakes. So good! Need.more.dumplings.please!!!

Review №103

2018-07-15 22:35:32

My favorite local dumpling spot. the Shanghai dumplings are awesome. the other dumplings are great too. its a small place so go early or order take out. Green onion pancakes are piping hot but oh so taste. this place is worth the wait

Review №104

2018-12-09 23:51:18

Dumplings were good. They were fresh. We also had their soup dumplings, green onion pancakes and black bean paste noodles. The latter of which does not have much taste, we wont order that no more. The restaurant is very small, have to wait outside if its too packed inside. You signed up to be on the wait list with Yelp on their iPad and one can track from ones phone but the restaurant does not do a good job to keep track. Those who already sat down still has their name on the wait list, and I had my name taken off the list when I was supposed to be next. Luckily I was there to let them know, if not some drama would happen. Shanghai Dumpling is another place you can go if the wait is too long. I think its about the same.

Review №105

2022-04-21 02:59:52

The Shanghai Soup dumplings are a must try. Chicken fried rice was also good. I wouldnt get the pan fried soup dumplings next time. No frills all about the dumplings

Review №106

2017-06-15 18:46:04

This restaurant is so popular that it is nearly impossible to get a table unless you wait about thirty minutes to be seated on average. I recommend anything on the menu, as I eat here at least three times a week. The prices are great and the portions are very large. Try the pork dumplings or the grilled chicken fried rice. Amazing place to eat!

Review №107

2021-02-11 22:02:30

Good dumplings. The dough is not too thick. Good flavor and portions. The hot sauce is amazing. We tried the chicken & Chinese spinach, pork & Chinese spinach, shrimp & green chives and spicy chicken wonton.

Review №108

2016-12-10 19:29:21

Nice place for handmade Chinese dumplings with a variety of meat and vegetable fillings. They also have other tasty small plate dishes like BBQ meat skewers and pan fried breads. Northern Chinese style is heartier than Cantonese dim sum. Large portions for inexpensive prices. Quick and friendly service. They recently expanded into the space next door so we dont have to wait for a table. Meter parking lot across the street is free after 6pm.

Review №109

2021-08-25 02:11:31

In San Francisco for 1 night and chose Dumpling Empire, wow!!! So GOOD!!The dumplings were the best I have ever eaten as was the soup. I wish I visited here often or had them in my city. YUMMY!!!

Review №110

2019-09-09 03:42:31

Good food but weird they wont sell individual dumplings or maybe a 6 pack... charge a little more than half and make more money. Selling only 12 makes it tough for 1 person to eat that many.Waiter was a bit abrasive as well.

Review №111

2022-06-05 18:23:43

Not worth trying. They didnt understand what we wanted to order and the food and service wasnt good either.SF has a lot of unsafe places, neighborhoods or street however you want to call it but this was one of the places I felt the most unsafe.

Review №112

2018-02-09 04:35:27

The shop is quite small, expect a bit of a wait during busy times. The seats are also quite close together so you often bump to your neighbors.The service is quite fast, never have to wait long once you order, sit-down and takeout.The dumpling and quite good, as well as being very affordable. The XLB are quite juicy and savory. Their green onion pancake is also quite good, savory and slightly chewy without being overly oily or salty. Did not like their soup noodle.

Review №113

2017-12-13 19:15:24

Its truely a dumplings empire as the dumplings there are super delicious! They also have many different dishes thats pleasing to the taste buds. However, I did sometimes get cold/lukewarm noodles thats not quite unacceptable; nonetheless, the dumplings are always hot!!!

Review №114

2017-10-31 16:13:47

We went there a few months back on a random visit and was very impressed with the food. We came back a second time and it didnt not disappoint. Theres lots of variety in the dumplings and whatever you choose it is very satisfying. The place doesnt say much other than its presentable and youre there for the food. Will definitely go back again. And again.

Review №115

2016-08-22 03:35:28

Very authentic northern style dumplings. The beef and carrot, pork and celery taste amazing! Its a pity that both lamb fillings were sold out - they sold out very fast. We will definitely come again and strongly recommend this place!

Review №116

2019-01-04 22:40:35

The soup dumplings were dried out. The beef chow fun barely had beef and lacked seasoning. The onion pancakes had a fishy taste. The only saving grace were the pork and chive dumplings, but even those were lackluster.Service was ok. I was last seated in a room where they were preparing dumplings and the room reeked of a butcher shop.

Review №117

2021-09-25 16:31:43

What can I say!! Except, yummy. A true delight. We enjoyed their dumplings so much we went two nights in a row! They live up to their name...best Dumplings in the Empire.

Review №118

2018-04-23 03:45:48

There usually is a long line. Restaurant seats about 50 max. Good food. Ambiance is super casual. It is more or less a hole in a wall. There are all kinds of dumplings, hand made noodles and an assortment of hot/cold appetizers.

Review №119

2022-07-31 04:28:49

The atmosphere and feel of the restaurant is great. The staff are professional and the food is the best part. Ive been here two or three times now and while the meals are a little pricey, I feel that the quality supports it.

Review №120

2020-01-18 23:08:28

I love these kinda places! Great authentic chinese food served in a small seating area. Try the spicy tendon (to die for), the shrimp n pork dumplings (wonderful taste) and salt pepper tofu for a very reasonable price. A real hidden gem

Review №121

2021-03-12 01:53:46

This is a goto place for Dumplings. Yummy and a good number of choices are available. They have other dishes too. A friend took me there one cold and windy evening and i have gone back many times. Currently the only do delivery and takeout. Peak times on weekends csn be very busy.

Review №122

2022-04-13 16:06:05

Their table sauces are amazing! And I love the generous portion on their food! Everything gets served in the plastic, to-go containers. No real silverwares or plates,fyi.

Review №123

2021-04-11 23:23:13

If youre familiar with Kingdom of Dumpling on Taraval in San Francisco, then youre basically at the same restaurant. Their dumpling offerings + flavor is 99.99% identical to this local SF restaurant.Dumplings aside, their pig ears are bomb! They are large in quantity and extremely well done with the Chinese umami flavoring.

Review №124

2021-06-07 02:47:04

If theres an option without a star, I would have chosen it. This is a very average Chinese food taste place, some of food are even under average taste. Ordered online take out with a specific time slot 11:30AM by their site. The lady there at beginning told me the store opens at 11:30am, theres no possible to get the order at that time and needed to wait 20mins, 11:50am. I waited for another 35 minutes to finally get the order without any apologies. People there even completely ignored me when I asked them my order during the waiting time. I got charged pet request online already.

Review №125

2022-02-25 04:10:17

Food is pretty good. This would be a nice place for takeouts, but definitely not for dine-ins. The place is FREEZING because they wouldn’t let us close the door due to Covid related reasons. Come on! If they are afraid of the customers bringing in covid, why not ask for vaccination cards or take out temperatures?! Or just NOT open a restaurant if that’s easier.

Review №126

2017-07-08 03:12:34

Dumplings here are delicious! I love the variety of fillings you get - basically any combination of a meat (such as pork, chicken, lamb, and even fish) and a veggie (chives, cabbage, celery, radish). Prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you receive. There are plenty of vegetarian options as well.

Review №127

2019-07-14 15:31:38

What a lovely little dumpling place, the dumplings are delicious, lots of dumpling options. The inside is a little cramped, The interior layout could use some improvement but the food is very good. They could be a bit of a wait during lunch or dinner hour.

Review №128

2016-11-08 09:06:11

A hidden gem where my daughter and I keep coming back.May not be the best dumpling stuffing, but they make hand pressed wrappers and wrap them right in front of your eyes. Trust me, hand pressed wrappers more than compensate for any shortcomings in stuffing. (And there is nothing seriously wrong with stuffing; on the contrary, they use really good material.) Our favourite flavour is pork and cabbage bar none.Another favourite eat is green onion pita bread. They have a number of appetisers from regional cuisines. Many of them are not authentic, and not so good. Know what to order.They are half a block off busy street and unbelievably close to airport, so we sometimes go before or after air travel. But their space is so tiny that they often have long lines. Plus, they also does takeouts - including raw dumplings. This makes the lines even worse.Service can be spotty, especially when there is a crowd.

Review №129

2023-04-17 17:37:47

Im sorry to say that but it wasnt good at all. The food tasted like cheap frozen or microwave food.. The service wasnt t really friendly and the whole ambience isnt pleasant.

Review №130

2013-11-23 20:47:36

Came for moms tofu house, but it was closed. Saw this tiny place across the street and decided to give it a try. What a great find.This place serves authentic northern chinese street food. Dont be fooled by its not so great look. The food is great! The sesame pancake with marinated beef is a must try. The beef might be a bit tough, but the taste is worth the chewing effort:). There are so many kinds of dumplings to choose. We tried fish dumplings and loved it.

Review №131

2019-02-11 04:38:51

Great food, great value. Usually other places put lots of MSG and makes your thirsty for hours. I dont think they use that much MSG. The cold slided tofu was tasty and tye texture was perfect. One of the best that Ive tasted in years.

Review №132

2022-07-16 03:09:25

Very small place but the dumplings are excellent. Lots of items on the menu you just cant pick two.

Review №133

2022-02-16 23:45:59

Freaking delicious! I had soup dumplings, shrimp/pork/chive dumplings, and chive pancake. It was enough for two meals, and it was absolutely delicious. Very flavorful.

Review №134

2022-07-13 05:01:06

There is a huge variety of dumplings. it is dumpling empire and the menu and food reflects it. i go to a lot of dumpling spots and this one is hands down the best.

Review №135

2018-06-26 04:52:35

Two years ago, this place was very good and we would always have to wait outside for 10-15 minutes, then we noticed people we no longer going and the food was not as good. For example the dumpling skins started getting thicker, and the spicy beef tendon, usually cut very thin, was getting thicker. Still the service was OK, and the food still tasted pretty good.Well we just went back there for the first time in 6 months. It was 8PM and pretty busy. A couple of 4 that came after us got to order first. It took about 20 minutes before we got to order (for the 3 of us).We ordered Shoa Long Bao and were told they were out. That is one of their specialties and they were out at 8PM.. I wish they at least would have told us that when they gave us the menu.Anyways, we also ordered the thin spicy tendons, and were later told they were out of that too. A little while later the aforementioned table was getting served a huge place of spicy tendon. It took a long time to get everything out for that table and we were served nothing.Finally, 20 minutes after we ordered, we received 1 out of three dishes. Then another table that came after us started getting served and got two dishes, including one that we had ordered but had not yet received. We did not get the 2nd dish until we finished the first, and a did not get the third until after we finished eating the second. Meanwhile, yet another table that had come in 40 minutes after us started to get all their food served less than 10 minutes after they ordered. All of their dishes came to them right after we received our last dish.So we never got to try their specialties but I can only guess that they must be very good again due crowded atmosphere. I think a dumpling restaurant gets a pass on other items if their specialties are very good. But the dumplings that we ordered were doughy and chewy. Not good for a dumpling house. And their service for us was pretty bad and were never received any apologies. My wife gave a 10% tip. I wanted to leave 99 cents to make sure that they knew that we were not pleased. Well I am still fuming and writing this instead of leaving a small tip.

Review №136

2017-07-09 04:59:23

Fresh dumplings and hand pulled noodles make a difference.

Review №137

2017-10-23 22:03:36

Tasty authentic Chinese dumpling place. You can see the workers making the dumplings by hand in the back. I had an issue with one dish and they promptly gave me a refund for my dish, so I am very happy with the way they handled the situation.

Review №138

2022-10-02 03:20:15

Straight forward dumpling restaurant. Tasted good. It does what it says on the tin: Delicious dim sum in a no frills setting.

Review №139

2017-05-20 19:26:25

Homemade style dumplings at a reasonable price. The place used to be small and there were always line but they have expanded their dining area. Now double the size and not too bad of a wait.

Review №140

2017-12-28 07:31:29

The best Dumplings and food ever! Right near the airport! May not look like a gem, but go in. You will come out feeling fed like a king and queen and the whole corner block will light up with a new look while you say yes, so happy we came and ate amazing food!

Review №141

2019-05-12 08:07:06

All 6 items we ordered were meh or not good. The cucumbers w/peanuts appetizer was refreshing but at $7.95 for the small portion, it was way over-priced. The shanghai dumplings did had a bit of soup but weve had alot better. Xiao Long Bao restaurant on Grand ave, SSF has better Shanghai dumpling but thats the only thing we like from there though. My kids said the frozen Shanghai dumplings we get at Costco are better too & tea had almost no flavor either. The pork w/napa dumplings were nothing special either. Both the skin were kind of thick & not smooth. We accidently ordered the beef pancake that had ground beef instead of the sesame beef pancake that had fillets of beef. The beef pancake was so oily that the oil was literally dripping down my fingers while I held it up to eat. We barely ate the noodle w/bean paste because it was completely flavorless like they forgot to put the bean paste or any seasoning. We didnt even get a serving spoon or fork to mix it or serve it. The sesame balls looked good but they were a bit too dry & hollow, not much black sesame paste inside. Also, the restroom was very tight & kind of grossed. The mop bucket & garbage can were both about 1ft right in front of the toilet. Barely had room to stand or bend down in front of the toilet. I was afraid my pants or hair or purse would touch the mop bucket.I give Dumpling Empire 2 Stars because ambience, food & service were all not that good. I gave them 0.5 stars more because we only waited 8 mins to be seated, food came at a timely manner & we found metered parking right outside.

Review №142

2018-04-22 15:38:19

Small family owned restaurant specializing in Shanghai style dumplings. Everything here tastes home-made & delicious. Favourite neighborhood spot for XLB-soup dumplings. Overall good comfort food. Try the garlic string beans, fried tofu, & black bean noodles (similar to jajamyang). Keep in mind though (esp if youre dining with a group)-they dont accept split bill payments.

Review №143

2021-08-31 21:07:58

Tried for the first time traveling through this area and the food was amazing. Dumplings were so good and you can tell they’re made fresh.

Review №144

2016-12-30 09:18:30

Weve been here twice within a month... Our tried and true favorites. * indicates we ordered twice.*Shanghai soup dumplingGarlic green beans (amazing - fresh!)Pork and shrimp dumplings*Pop corn chicken (spicy!)*Chicken chow mein (first time was great, second time - no flavor)*Sesame with marinated beef (like a sesame pita sandwich with seasoned beef, scallions, hoisen sauce) Our favorite.*Chicken and corn dumplings (wonderful)Salted pepper tofu (yum!)

Review №145

2018-01-15 14:47:27

Small mom and pop restaurant. Dumplings are made fresh in house daily. Moved to SSF and this is my go to place for a great meal at a value price. The soup dumplings are the best!! I have tried most of the menu and nothing has disappointed. Sorta small for anything over a party of six. If in SSF and craving dumplings or just very good food at a great price drop in and try it!!! Service was top notch.

Review №146

2023-02-09 06:19:10

Beef pancakes are very oily and disappointing. Dumplings are just ok. Not going back.

Review №147

2020-02-10 00:10:24

Here’s a tip: don’t go off of the prices from their website which shows various dumplings for 6.49 for a dozen. When you mention that to the staff they’ll laugh hysterically at your expense. Also, they will most likely say something vile in Cantonese behind your back and tell you, “We’ve been telling the owner to change that for years.” To top it off they still missed some items from my pickup order.My first and last visit👎🏼

Review №148

2019-12-03 20:27:49

Dumpling Empire has been my go-to dumpling spot in the Bay Area, ever since I found it back in 2012. I would argue that they are better than Din Tai Fung. Their Xiao Long Baos are fantastic, so are their Garlic Sting Beans, Chicken and Corn Dumplings, and Green Onion Pancakes. The restaurant is small and they can have a wait around the typical meal times (12PM and 5PM). I couldn’t recommend this place any higher if you’re looking for some great dumplings!

Review №149

2017-10-23 17:29:52

The best and delicious dumpling place in the bay area. Our favorite is pork with corn dumplings, stir fried green bean, cucumber w mushroom salad. Very crowded during dinner time, so come early and be patient.

Review №150

2020-03-15 18:23:19

Hole in the wall but so authentic. Great dishes. You cannot go wrong. Loved the sesame beef sandwich. Crunchy. Lamb dumpling yummy. Eat while hot. Juice pops out.

Review №151

2019-07-15 05:12:24

Best dumplings in town. Garlic string beans are a must, soup dumplings are solid, and even the lamb skewers are tasty(and spicy). Overall a great place.

Review №152

2016-07-13 21:01:34

Ive been here a few times since its close to work, and its a pretty good place for a decent lunch.The XLB are cheap, but theyre not the best. The skins are twisted at the top instead of folded and pinched, so the top becomes too thick and doughy. Theres a decent amount of soup inside, but the stuffing isnt very well seasoned. Its somewhat bland with only a tiny trace of ginger and green onions. It definitely needs more of those aforementioned aromatics to bring out the flavor.On the other hand, the dumplings are pretty good. Theres a large variety of different stuffings, and theyre generally all pretty decent tasting. I personally enjoy the lamb and vegetable dumplings. One thing that stands out is that the skins have the perfect texture. Theyre not too thick, break apart smoothly, and have a nice firm chewiness. The orangy hot sauce is also the perfect compliment to the vinegar dipping sauce. I always dump a spoonful of that stuff into my little dipping plate. The sweet, spicy sauce provides a good contrast to the acidic tang of the vinegar.It also helps to identify which menu items dont really belong in this regions cuisine. Id steer clear of the Cantonese style dishes like the Beef Chow Fun. Getting Beef Chow Fun here would be like ordering a Margherita Pizza at a Mexican restaurant.

Review №153

2018-04-13 00:09:10

Ive been here a few times, not everything Ive ordered is great but I have my favorites. The service is not the best, has always been slow. But Ive searched high & low for green onion pancakes and pot stickers and that they do a fantastic job! Ive learned tho just stick with what I know is good so for that I give them 5 stars.I recommend the followingGreen onion pancakes $4.95 this is 1 of 2 restaurants that make them best. Multi layers, light & fluffy and crispyPork potstickers $5.95 another item that I love and done right.Fresh cilantro bean noodles $5.95 this is a refreshing starter. Simple yet delicious.Sesame pancake with marinated beef 6.95 made e with tender perfectly seasoned beef tendon, Hoisin sauce and finely slivered scallions. Im used to this dish made with green onion pancakes and with cucumbers but it was delightful.Dishes Ive had in the pastCrispy chicken wings $6.95 the batter was good but the chicken was lacking flavorBeef pancake $5.95 it was ok but the big beef patty was a bit much.Beef chow fun $7.45 BLAND, thats all she wroteLamb skewer $7.95 lamb is a delicate meat and when overcooked, it is ruinedFresh noodle with bean paste $7.45 this was the worst dish Ive ever eaten... here or any Chinese restaurant.

Review №154

2020-02-06 20:13:03

Its a hole in the wall, and it is a fantastic hole in the wall. The dumplings are as fresh as one can get them, and the difference is noticeable. Try the lamb and dill. Lots of non-dumpling dishes as well

Review №155

2022-08-20 04:19:37

The noodles were very salty and too soft, dumplings skin were soggy, we were very disappointed from the review, I wouldnt recommend it if you want authentic Chinese.

Review №156

2018-04-24 19:21:11

Excellent dumplings. Pork chive, napa cabbage pork and chicken corn are all solid. Fresh noodles with bean paste are also good with a fresh, cucumber taste. Dumpling dipping sauce is also great with a bold vinegar flavor.

Review №157

2018-01-07 21:56:02

Food is probably authentic to a typical Chinese person because the place was packed with natives.Food was OK, quite forgettable. 4 stars.Service Wrong dumplings were served and the appetizer came last. 3 starsBathroom: Dont go if you dont have to. 2 stars.

Review №158

2017-01-02 16:34:03

The decor doesnt look like much, but they were open on new years day, packed with people, yet were able to seat us quickly. The sesame pancake with marinated beef was amazing! Bathrooms could be a bit cleaner, though.

Review №159

2015-09-28 01:17:48

Lamb dumpling with Chinese vegetables was exceptionally good. Very light but with good lamb flavor. Went well with garlic string bean.Xlb and jlb were only okay here. Shrimp and chives dumplings were seriously lacking shrimp. Id skip those even though they are my favorites.

Review №160

2019-07-16 05:34:01

After all these years, I must say that Dumpling Empire is still my favorite boiled dumpling spot in NorCal. Seriously.Their food preparation and execution time after time is consistent. Their restaurant is also a tiny one, right off the Grand Ave exit, so be prepared to wait! And find parking! Unless you come on an off hr, of course. Then it’s no wait and plentiful parking.Personal faves are: Fish Dumplings, Bean Curd Noodles, Bean Curd Skin, Seaweed, Green Onion Pancake, andddd Spicy Seafood Pot.

Review №161

2020-02-18 01:10:32

Another great discovery on Grand Avenue. Dumping Empire is a no frills restaurant that lets its food shine and take center stage. While its namesake is arguably the star of the show, the other players--fresh, crisp vegetable with deep sesame, garlic, and ginger flavors, shine just as bright.Try the crispy lotus roots, fresh cucumber w/ straw mushroom, garlic bok choy, and green chives pancake.Pro: Lots of vegetable dishesCon: Dishes not marked vegetarian or vegan

Review №162

2013-09-20 07:47:26

This place doesnt look too appealing in terms of decor or aesthetics but the food is pretty great. Homemade everything. Tried 3 different dumplings and have to say my fav is definitely the soup dumplings.

Review №163

2018-01-26 14:24:54

Service is fast and friendly. Food is pretty decent. Of course, not as good as places in the Sunset... Soup dumpling wasnt steamed all the way. Regular dumplings are good though.

Review №164

2016-04-14 05:33:43

Nice hole in the wall location. The soup dumplings were good. Parking was not hard to find. Price was good, 4 decent size dishes for a total of about $25

Review №165

2016-12-05 21:47:11

The waiting time is way way way too long! The restroom, table, chairs are dirty and greasy. The staffs are rude, often ignore you during busy time. The dumplings are OK, but for such small size, its expensive. By the way, there is NO free parking near the restaurant.

Review №166

2017-12-20 21:29:42

Amazing freshly made dumplings! You can actually watch them make the dumplings. Its a small place with not too many tables but the food is really good!

Review №167

2016-06-05 02:20:40

My family and I found this place with Google almost by accident. We decided we would give it a try and are very glad we did. By the number of patrons we saw inside, I think this is one of the local favorites. The service was friendly and the food was great. Beat the great rated food we had in Chinatown!

Review №168

2019-03-16 02:51:32

Really decent north Chinese home made dumpling. You gotta try that fennel&pork, lamb and Chinese spinach&pork. Please dont order white rice for Gods sake. Lol just enjoy the dumpling!

Review №169

2019-10-14 09:58:54

The fried, boiled, and steamed dumplings/wonton/gyoza/dimsum are very good, and the bok choy with garlic had a homey taste. The extensive menu has a lot of Chinese comfort food, but the noodle soups are particularly enticing.

Review №170

2022-06-11 16:24:08

Amazing little hole in the wall . Very good meals at great prices. Many unusual dishes for a Chinese restaurant. Will always return to eat there.

Review №171

2017-06-09 00:45:24

They had a good variety of dumplings, and the ones I tried were very good. I also enjoyed their green onion pancake. Would go back again if Im in the area!

Review №172

2013-07-15 18:24:52

Absolutely fantastic mom and pop spot. Food is so good, they dont even need to decorate the walls. Its gourmet and affordable. I give it my highest ratings in terms of flavor, service, and value.

Review №173

2017-02-04 06:07:04

Extremely bad service！！！！We came here，waiting more than 30 mins to order！！！We ordered first（include shrimp dumplings），then the table next to us. About 15 mins later the waitress came asking people next to us - the dumplings they want were sold out，how about change to shrimp dumplings.Ages later the waitress came to us told the Shrimp dumplings were sold out - we ordered first！！！10 mins later the people next to us got all the dishes. We waited even 40 mins more！！！ I talked to the waitress and got very rude reply - we were so busy and you ordered to late！！！ - The worst Chinese restaurant I have ever been！！！

Review №174

2017-06-15 05:25:41

I make a point to stop here everytime Im in the area. Great dumplings, good food all around. Its a small place and can be busy during prime eating hrs but worth a stop if you are near the store.

Review №175

2019-01-13 00:57:23

Food is quite delicious, however their cleanliness and attention to service and detail was a bit lacking during our visit. The table we were sat at was absolutely disgusting. Waters were left empty for quite some time until a refill was requested. All in all a good little dive joint.

Review №176

2013-11-04 04:52:01

Nice little shop that looks to be family run. I love dumplings, and even moreso, I love xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Ive been on a quest to find a good xlb spot outside of the richmond/sunset since I dont live close to those areas. Dumpling empire had a good selection of dumplings and other chinese fare like green onion pancakes and noodles. The pancakes were really good, and I loved the napa cabbage/pork dumplings, which are a great value. The xlb was pretty good, but not amazing, as the skin was a little on the thick side. Still, this place was more than enough to get my dumpling fix and Ill definitely be coming back.

Review №177

2017-11-08 22:00:20

So tasty. Authentic northern Chinese dishes. Dumplings were amazing. I️ lived with a family in Beijing for a year, dishes here remind me of my host mom’s cooking. 😃 Zhajiang Mien was so so.

Review №178

2021-12-22 03:17:29

Bad attitude. 4-5 groups are waiting while nobody asked to get anyone seated. When I asked if we can still dine in, the waiter rudely pointed at two groups of people who are seated and still not served and said “if you want to wait like them you can sit.” What kind of rudeness is that… the two groups sitting got up and left as well.

Review №179

2014-03-03 23:13:42

Really great dumplings quick and cheap. Hot and sour is good here too if you like it on the more hot and more sour side. Scallion pancakes are also excellent.

Review №180

2020-12-12 15:51:49

Amazing dumplings! Super delicious, well made, and fast. Really good place to go to have good dumplings for lunch or dinner, with friends. Authentic Chinese dumplings!

Review №181

2023-03-25 15:21:12

Super solid place, especially considering the place. I was the only white guy there lol. All paper plates, quick service

Review №182

2017-04-17 02:40:20

Yum on the dumplings!!! Crappy parking situation. Coins needed for street parking. Long wait during lunch. No wait for dinner. Take out doesnt taste as good as eating while its fresh.

Review №183

2017-07-26 03:34:07

The dumplings here are fantastic! I had the pork chive and the pork cabbage varieties and the cabbage was personally my favorite. They provide tea for you drink as well.Im here on vacation and it makes me sad I wont be able to eat here again until I come back to California!

Review №184

2017-07-11 22:56:27

Food is good. I like their orange colored hot sauce. Place has some bugs flying around but Im okay with it. As long as theyre not in my food and I dont get sick.

Review №185

2021-07-18 03:26:35

Small, hole in the wall type of place, but if you know this type of foods thats exactly the kind of place you want to go. Good food for a decent price. Parking is available on the street outside of the establishment.

Review №186

2020-06-14 05:30:42

Everything we had was absolutely delicious. Chewy and crunchy green onion pancakes, perfect dumplings, savory beef chow fun. Would absolutely order again.

Review №187

2020-11-28 03:23:07

Great down home dumplings. Anyone ordering burgers and fries should have their head examined. hot pot is very good too.

Review №188

2018-11-06 18:47:44

Good dumplings but not a lot of different items. For example 15 different flavored pork dumplings. A bit pricey for an off the beaten path restaurant.

Review №189

2019-08-05 02:25:37

Foods are very good. Especially the dumplings which they have a large variety and made fresh. However, service is slow.

Review №190

2015-11-13 19:03:47

Their dumplings is the best in this area. If you love eating dumplings, you will love any kind of dumplings here. However, the noodle is not as good.

Review №191

2016-11-12 19:49:36

No frills dumplings, exactly the way it should be served and enjoyed. 100% authentic and rivals the joints I like to visit when I am in China. One of the best in the city.

Review №192

2017-08-16 20:56:09

This is my favorite Chinese restaurant. I go every weekend and always get: cold wide bean noodles (cant find this in many places), cucumbers, shrimp and chives filling, green beans and sometimes fries tofu, onion pancake, and tomato/egg soup.

Review №193

2023-04-27 23:02:58

Excellent staff, wonderful food, very friendly.. cant wait to visit again

Review №194

2020-01-06 02:23:46

Regular here...consistently delicious...food is addicting...xiao long bao is the best! Minus one star for cleanliness of bathroom and and restaurant’s dining room (spicy sauce container, sticky vinegar bottle, no low fat soy sauce, etc) but still worth the value...

Review №195

2018-07-15 00:35:39

Tasty dumplings but their bean paste noodles werent particularly good. Seating can be cramped and fills up quickly. Food came out quickly.

Review №196

2020-06-25 02:57:25

Was looking for a quick Chinese place in the area and this was sufficient. Pork dumplings were better than chicken if that’s what you’re interested in. Chicken chow mein, on the other hand, was bomb!

Review №197

2018-01-01 20:51:55

Excellent food. Didn’t have to wait in line that long especially during a holiday. The wait time took approximately 10 minutes for a party of 5. Make sure you check in on the list on the right when you enter the restaurant.

Review №198

2018-09-27 04:12:13

One of my favorite dumpling places in the area! Their classic dumplings like pork and chives are great, but their lamb dumplings are also amazing!

Review №199

2013-12-08 21:17:36

Hole in the wall with yummy authentic food, especially dumplings. Try the five spice marinated beef (served cold) or the peanut and cucumber appetizer. Addictingly tasty