Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon in San Diego

4.4 (199) 4625 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111, United States

Categories

Bar
Chinese restaurant
Dumpling restaurant
Gastropub
Lounge

Location on the map

San Diego, San Diego County, California, US

Phone: +1 858-268-9638
Site: http://dumplinginn.com/

Opening hours

Monday:Closed
Tuesday:Closed
Wednesday:11 AM–3 PM
Thursday:11 AM–3 PM
Friday:11 AM–3 PM
Saturday:11 AM–3 PM
Sunday:11 AM–3 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.4

199 Reviews for Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon 2024:

Review №1

2023-11-10 22:39:45

Let me start by saying that I’ve never had a tofu dish wow me, until visiting here! My husband and I stopped in last week and ordered the Kung Pao Tofu, vegetable fried rice, vegetable chow mein and the vegetable dumplings. The service was very quick, all the food was good, but the kung pao tofu was incredible! The depth of flavor they were able to pack in the tofu is out of this world and the texture was nice and firm/crispy. I will 100% be coming back again and again for this tofu dish. I may even try some of the others, like the honey glazed tofu. If you’re in the area, you should definitely stop by.

Review №2

2023-09-11 04:59:47

This place is always busy but the food here is so good that it feels like its just you and the food in the entire restaurant. I got the orange chicken, chicken chou mein, and soup dumplings for the first time. I had a shirley temple to drink. I ate almost all my food in one setting, made sure to take the left overs home for breakfast too. but the proportions of everything is well worth what I spent. Yum. The employees made me feel like royalty.

Review №3

2023-05-31 00:34:39

Excellent choice for our large party of 12. No reservations though-when I called they advised they do reservations for large ģroups. Once we arrived for lunch, at 11, they had our table ready quickly. Because we were a party of 12, it seemed like we ordered 1 of everything. The food was tastey and the service was delish tt

Review №4

2023-10-23 04:50:44

We ordered fried rice and wonton soup. The flavor is okay and they come with generous portions. But it is far from authentic Shanghai flavor.This place feels like American despite its called Shanghai restaurant and is located in Convoy. It comes with a bar. The floor and tables are greasy. We can smell cooking oil throughout the dining experience. It feels like this place needs serious hygiene correction. I have been to multiple other Asian restaurants in Convoy and none like this.If you want to get an authentic Shanghai flavor dining experience, go to Tasty Noodle House or Chef Zhu, speaking from myself who was born in Shanghai.Will not come back again.

Review №5

2023-05-31 04:33:37

Its busy here. We were lucky to get a table immediately. After i day Dien, i looked back at the entrance there were 3 groups waiting to get a table. The dumplings are really good especially the soup dumpling. The inside of the soup dumpling is piping hot. The pot stickers wrappers are not thick at all unlike other restaurants. The fried noodles is very good too. Overall, i am very happy to have dined here.

Review №6

2023-06-15 17:58:58

Dumpling Inn is one of my favorite places for Chinese food in Convoy. The service is fast, I can usually get a table, and the food is delicious. Some of my favorite dumplings to order are the pork pan fried pot stickers and the pork soup dumplings. My favorite entrees are the Kung Pao chicken, the Hot and Sour Soup, the Green Bean Fish with Black Bean Sauce and the Garlic Baked Fish Filet. I have also ordered sides of the garlic green beans, this is my favorite. I want to explore more of the menu, I will definitely be back for more. If you still are hungry afterwards, I like to go to Boba Bar next door for some ice cream or boba.

Review №7

2023-08-06 02:13:49

Happy my daughter and I found this place. Yum yum dim sum. Noodles and more. Tasty. Nice atmosphere. Lots of beers, spirits and mixed drinks. I will definitely be coming back to this place.

Review №8

2023-08-25 19:06:42

The food was great, it was just too hot in the place to eat warm hot food. But that’s just me, I like to eat in AC. Food is awesome though!

Review №9

2023-02-27 01:23:36

We originally were going to Kura Sushi next door but they had a 2.5 hour wait so we decided to try the Dumpling Inn. It was busy and also had a 25 minute wait but the three of us were able to get seats at the bar immediately. The bartenders were extremely helpful and nice. They gave us good descriptions and took the time to talk to us even though it was very busy. The dumplings were fantastic 😋, we also got pot stickers. We are waiting for our deluxe rice and orange 🍊 chicken 🐔. Also, a quick tip. The potstickers and dumplings come out pretty fast were as entrees take longer. So if youre hungry do a few orders of those first.

Review №10

2023-07-02 22:28:50

I went to this restaurant with high expectations from a previous visit, but I was very disappointed by the service and the hygiene. The food was decent, but the whole experience was ruined by a cockroach that crawled on our table. We managed to trap it under a plate not to make a big fuss, but then the waiter did not apologize or offer any solution. She just brought us the bill as if nothing had happened. When we complained to the manager, she acted like it was no big deal and reluctantly agreed to waive the charge. She did not show any concern or remorse for the situation.The staff should be trained on how to handle such incidents and prevent them from happening in the first place. The restaurant should also be inspected and sanitized regularly.

Review №11

2023-06-01 02:23:17

If the Dumpling Inn was actually a hotel, I would stay here every time I visited San Diego.Local craft beer on tap, fantastic daily happy hour deals, and delicious food.Everything was amazing, but highly recommend the Fish dumplings. Its like biting into a little slice of heaven.Shawn behind the bar was as attentive as he is conversational and artistic. Excellent service to an 8 top and provided a fantastic experience.Will definitely be back!

Review №12

2023-05-27 02:47:08

My husband and I stumbled over to this place after being told by Kura it was a 3 hour wait for two people. So glad we did! It was delicious!! The food was fresh and hot and the service was great. We couldnt really talk to each other because it was so loud but overall we both felt like its an amazing place! Will be back for sure!

Review №13

2022-09-22 15:48:59

Really enjoyed the dinner here. We had a group of 4 and shared a few dumpling dishes to start. The pork and chive dumplings were amazing! Parking is a little tight as this area is very congested. There is a parking complex behind the restaurant that charges $2/hr. I had the Chinese sausage fried rice and really enjoyed my meal. The food comes out very fast! Order drinks and apps first before main courses.

Review №14

2023-09-20 19:17:21

Really good. My family and I visited on a random Saturday night. It was a very pleasant surprise. Very nice atmosphere, food was superb and the service was great. We got seated quickly, and enjoyed the great selection of beers they had to offer. Theres a nice bar with TVs located around which they showed college football. Kid friendly as well.

Review №15

2023-04-15 02:57:04

Food is great. Dumplings are on point. Recommend everything pictured! Fried rice was good but ill get the chow main next time.Soup dumplings and beef dumplings are a must!Heather the server made the visit worth wild! She was very attentive and understanding!

Review №16

2023-11-25 04:28:16

Phenomenal food!! Everything we ordered was super tasty.

Review №17

2022-08-13 23:28:15

I think I am safely going to jump the gun and give this place 5 stars. Ive tried so little, but I want to come back and try much more! I sampled a couple things and already got full, but I could smell everything around me and its smelled great. Glancing at other tables I could see how appetizing everything looked, matching the aroma throughout the restaurant. The popular XLB, soup dumplings with pork were a good change of pace to the familiar dumpling. The beef curry dumplings were delicious as well as the pickled cucumber salad; simple but tasty. 3 bucks extra you can get the spicy soup and its a great deal, flavorful and its quite large so you can share. The place always seems to be busy, but it didnt take us long at all to find a table and order. Free parking is usually limited but they have a paid structure near the restaurant. I’ve passed this place up for years going to other restaurants, but I am glad that I finally chose this place to test. Next visit we will get full on meals and try the other options on the menu and I could only assume the food gets better from there.

Review №18

2023-04-10 01:42:28

The place is nice and clean and has a good atmosphere. The dumpling were good. Definitely like them more than the XLBs. I just felt the XLB dough was too soft and the inside felt like it was boiled for too long. If you are a ginger fan they give you plenty of fresh ginger which is a plus. Drinks were also okay.

Review №19

2023-01-28 03:37:34

This place is fantastic! We decided to give this restaurant a try tonight and it was amazing. Dumplings were so good. Seriously the best food Ive had in a long time. Try the lamb chow mein. The most tender lamb Ive ever had...and flavor was out of this world.

Review №20

2022-03-06 05:08:39

Best Chinese and Asian food in San Diego. Great price, fresh and quality ingredients and huge portions! Orange chicken is made with real chicken tender meat and great flavor, large shrimp for honey shrimp. Was so stuffed we wanted to try cashew chicken which looked so great coming out of kitchen but we were stuffed. Going to be back very soon.

Review №21

2023-07-30 19:40:36

The food here tastes truly freshly made and each dish has a unique flavor to it.The ambiance does take you as best as it can to an old school saloon, and it gets noisy, in a good way. Try the spicy soup on the already famous soup dumplings, even if youre not a spicy aficionado, it will blow your taste buds away. Finally, no cocktail is a bad choice, just be aware that they are STRONG :P.Overall, a great all around experience!

Review №22

2022-11-02 07:40:58

The dumplings are the best. I tried other dishes but they were too oily! I also liked their beer collections. Overall positive experience and would consider going back to try more dumplings.

Review №23

2022-07-17 05:51:58

Loved the vibe of this place! We had dumplings which were freshly made and delicious. We had also vegetable crispy pan fried noodles and Kung Pao chicken with steamed rice. Both were super tasty. We also had cocktails- lady in the mule and Shanghai champagne. Shanghai Champagne was better. Their menu has lot of variety. We definitely look forward to trying more of their food! I recommend this place!

Review №24

2022-06-14 15:22:22

Came here a few times with family.Parking is horrible, but you can pay a few to park a bit faster.The tables are sticky gross. The stools are uncomfortable. Floor is really messy between the bar and the restrooms. Employees smoke too close to the back door, making the back of the restaurant a smoking section.Service is very fast and food is good to great. The pepper beef is very tender- outstanding flavor!Despite the criticism above (which is deserved), we actually love this place in many ways. It’s in a very cool shopping center with lots of after dinner treat options. The food is delicious. My kids eat bowl after bowl of the egg drop soup. The pepper beef is simply amazing- nutritious and delicious-so delightfully tender! Their Chinese New Years celebration is legit!

Review №25

2022-02-13 03:08:11

Delicious. That is all I can say. Great menu, along with a full bar with a great cocktail menu is a winner. The dumplings are sublime and they have great full menu as well. Favorite was the pork and chive dumplings and the fried rice.We will definitely be back.

Review №26

2023-12-05 04:11:04

Great food, some too American Chinese dishes (orange chicken) but killer soup dumplings, great beer selection. Almost all authentic Asian cuisines are heavy veg or a balance. Fried Mc Nuggets in orange jelly with no vegetables is everywhere. But this place has real deal hot & cold Asian plates. Lamb & Kung Pao are tasty.

Review №27

2023-07-18 20:25:57

Honestly... the food here is mediocre. I have no idea how its always so packed. If youre going for lunch, do yourself a favor and just head the other direction to Jasmines. Theyre just superior in every way. The wait is a bit longer but its worth it. The dumplings are relatively mild in flavor, the XBL is kinda neat but I was done after about 3 of them, and their menu is extremely limited despite the variety of dumplings that exist in the Chinese food culture. Ive been here on two separate occasions, not by choice, and have been disappointed each time. I will say that I did enjoy their walnut shrimp and I dont really care for shrimp or walnuts, so thats saying something. I remember looking at their menu and thinking that it was nothing special and I wasnt wrong after having tried their food. There are so many other great Chinese food places in the area and though their food isnt awful, its nothing to write home about.

Review №28

2023-10-22 21:38:06

Ive been going here with friends and family for years. We usually do pretty good sized groups for special occasions. and sometimes just 2 to 4 of us. This place is consistently delicious, reasonably priced and the service is always amazing! Highly recommend. The garlic fish with boc choy is my fave!

Review №29

2023-12-01 07:22:33

It is a decent place for Shanghai food and dumplings. The taste is about right and prices are reasonable. It is a place frequented by Chinese and westerners alike. The seating and spacing are comfortable.

Review №30

2023-08-29 19:24:03

We always come here when were craving some hot & sour soup with good flavor. Best hot & sour soup in SD that weve found. Its a busy place so service is sometimes slow but our food, other than the dumplings, came out quickly. Dumplings were fresh so they were worth the wait.

Review №31

2023-08-11 22:11:55

Soup dumplings and more !! We originally went to another place nearby, but the wait was more than a half hour. Came here instead and glad we did. We got seated immediately and ordered. The food came out really quick and was delicious. The place is big inside and had a lively vibe. Our waiter was friendly and even made a few recommendations, which we were glad to take him up on. Ill be back for sure.

Review №32

2023-08-15 17:19:31

Service is very fast and the server is very attentive. Really good dishes overall. This is our go-to when craving dumplings. My favorite is the fried curry dumplings. Be aware they close for 2:30pm and reopen at 4pm so plan accordingly.

Review №33

2021-11-21 05:16:27

3.5 stars. Dumplings are excellent, but service leaves much to be desired. The small cold cut plate is actually quite large and definitely enough to share among several people. The shrimp chow mein had a LOT of shrimp, so that was nice.

Review №34

2022-07-17 19:28:46

It was out first time here and the customer service was AMAZING!!! Our server was nice and explained the menu for us and show us how to order. She even stopped us and said no no thats too much food lol and it was! 🤣 we appreciated that. The food was PERFECTION! The taste was authentic and I had zero heart burn afterwards. The smell of the vinegar from the orange chicken gave me a runny nose but I was still a happy camper overall. The kids loved and ate EVERYTHING on our table. Will definitely go back again soon very soon.

Review №35

2019-05-27 12:27:40

Now i know what the hype is about. This food is paradise, heaven, and everything amazing adjective you can give for food.Got here around 8 pm on a Friday night and were told it would be a 20 min wait. We were given the option of sitting at the bar, but we decided to wait for a table. They give you one of those long-distance vibrator discs so you do not have to wait in the loud restaurant. And it gets pretty loud due to the crowd and the open spacing.Decor is very oriental. You do feel like youve entered a high-class restaurant in the East.Because they are crowded, the servers sound harried and a little pushy to make you order quick. I havent felt forced to choose something on the menu within a minute of sitting down. But, I will ignore that, because the food was SO SO SO GOOD!!We ordered the shrimp chow-mein, the pork soup dumplings and then the orange chicken because it looked good on the table next to ours.The chow-mein was fantastic. Properly steamed and cooked, so tasty and taken to another level with the chili sauce they provide on the table. I could not stop eating it!The dumplings were delicious also. Probably not as soupy as the ones at Ding Tan Fung, but really really good! Ive never added the peanut oil to my soy sauce before, and it really worked.The orange chicken was very orangy with a good balance of sweet, sour and a hint of spice. The jasmine rice was probably the best part of that dish.We were in a food coma through the whole thing and after. Normally we talk a lot, but there was silence as we devoured our way through it all.The drinks were a bit disappointing. We had the gin mule and the vodka with citrus drink (dont remember the name now). They were both sweeter than we anticipated, so I was more than happy when my food arrived later.The food is so good here, you can ignore everything that is less than stellar about the place, including parking. Start looking from about a mile away as the parking lot is usually full.

Review №36

2022-05-07 02:16:37

Felt like some XLB soup dumplings 🥟 and well of course they were good. Not as soupy as some I’ve tried but still pretty good. I did have the deluxe chow mein with house made noodles. Meat was okay but way too much sauce and overly sweet.

Review №37

2021-12-27 20:01:40

I will 100% be back here on my goodness the food was phenomenal! The service was too notch, we got seated almost immediately for a party of 3 and after we ordered our food came out about 10 min later. Super fresh and extremely tasty. I highly recommend the soup dumplings, they were phenomenal! The wonton soup was really refreshing and the broth was super flavorful

Review №38

2023-09-17 02:41:54

Always great to come get dumpling. Been coming here since it was just the Dumpling Inn

Review №39

2023-11-05 18:35:48

Ive come here several times over the past decade and not once has their xiaolongbao contained any soup. I dont know if they accidentally steam/drain it all out or what but theyre *just* dumplings, nothing like Shanghai (or even LA) xiaolongbao, so dont bother. With that being said, their bar taps have great picks, the bartenders are very nice and helpful, and the walnut shrimp dish is a dumb guilty pleasure.

Review №40

2018-08-20 22:23:03

First time here. I love the shrimp and the pork fried rice. We walked in but had to wait for our table. They have a great big bar that serves Happy Hour Specials which may be great to bring your visiting buddies in here for some wine, cocktails or beer get together.

Review №41

2023-07-31 01:02:16

We only picked up on our way home, so cant really speak much to service or ambiance. We didnt call ahead, but food was prepared pretty quickly within about 15 minutes and hostess was nice. Unfortunately, we werent very impressed with the food. The beef curry dumplings were super overcooked and had very little filling. The beef and broccoli was really bland. I actually had to add soy sauce to it, which Ive never had to do before. The orange chicken was overly tart and syrupy. They only gave us one small container of rice even though youre supposed to get rice with each entree. Wouldve been better off just going to a cheap express Chinese takeout place.

Review №42

2023-03-27 05:06:15

Got seated right away, staff was attentive and quick to take our order. Food came pretty quick and was amazing. We ordered soup dumplings, chicken lo mein, chicken frued rice and black pepper steak. Everything was delicious and huge portions so we had leftovers.

Review №43

2023-09-13 21:57:08

10/10. Soup dumplings are amazing, chicken chow mein, and beef broccoli were great. Great service and friendly staff. I will be returning!The only thing I did not like was the orange chicken. It tasted like an overpowering artificial flavor of orange.

Review №44

2022-02-20 21:32:31

Years ago, I ordered the veggie dumplings and veggie noodle soup with tofu and both were delicious! It was super crowded, though so challenges with service, though friendly staff.Recently I ordered all white meat Orange chicken, pork and chives dumplings, combo meat noodles dish....so freaking delicious!! Im hooked on this place! Not too crowded and still friendly staff!

Review №45

2022-01-28 19:47:49

Nice interior design. Clean establishment. The beef & broccoli and their deluxe fried rice is outstanding. Especially the deluxe fried rice. One of the best fried rice Ive ever tasted.

Review №46

2022-11-19 17:16:11

This place is big! So seating shouldnt be an issue, but there are times where its busy and you may have to wait... but isnt that just a way to show you that the food is good!?When I went here, I sat at the bar and ordered a couple things: some pickled cucumbers and the XLB (soup dumplings). Its filled with pork and super flavorful; the dumpling was plump so that means it was filled w/ soup! Definitely something you should try in your life@phidingthefam

Review №47

2017-04-02 05:47:41

Delicious, outstanding dumplings! The go to place in San Diego for dumplings. One of my favorites is sea bass in black bean sauce and the Chinese greens. Service is hit or miss, but dont let that deter you from visiting. I miss the busy service of the two ladies in the smaller place, eat and go! Its much more relaxed now, with a full bar in the middle of the restaurant. The over all ambiance is nice, parking is always a challenge!

Review №48

2023-11-11 22:53:51

I have to say I was expecting a lot more from this place.1. The atmosphere is not a authentic Chinese restaurant.2. The soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) were terrible and didn’t taste anything like how they should.3. The manager came over after I said the dumplings weren’t good and didn’t say sorry.However, the wonton soup was pretty good.

Review №49

2018-08-31 16:29:56

I think this place was only okay, the dumplings werent as good as other nearby places and the food was a little on the bland side. The interior is pretty huge with a big bar in the middle. Plenty of seats throughout. This restaurant seems to be a Cantonese place masquerading as a Shanghainese restaurant, because pretty much all the menu items are Cantonese.

Review №50

2023-05-07 20:46:49

I recently paid a visit to Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon, and while it wasnt perfect, there were some memorable moments that made the evening quite enjoyable.One thing that really stood out was the cozy atmosphere and exceptional service. Our server, Shawn, was attentive, welcoming, and always had a warm smile on his face. He definitely made the experience better, even when some dishes didnt quite hit the mark.As for the food, we found the pickled cucumbers to be a tad too sour for our taste. We also had a chance to try the honey walnut shrimp. Although we wished it was a little sweeter, we both agreed that the dish was still enjoyable. The fried rice, on the other hand, was a clear winner. It was packed with meat and shrimp, and we couldnt get enough of it!The Xiao Long Bao, however, was a bit of a letdown. They arrived without the soup inside, and the texture was somewhat soggy. It was a shame, because we were really looking forward to them. But hey, not everything can be perfect, right?All in all, our evening at Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon was filled with good food, conversation, and a cozy atmosphere. While theres definitely room for improvement, the excellent service made the experience worthwhile. So, heres to hoping for a better Xiao Long Bao next time! 🌟🌟🌟💫

Review №51

2023-02-25 00:20:48

Good food and plenty of it. Quick service…we came on a Friday about 11:30 and had our food within 20 mins. Very kind and helpful staff. The issue, as with most restaurants on Convoy, is parking. (The city is trying to take away a bunch of parking spaces for a bus lane and that’s a whole other issue ☹️)There is paid parking behind the building, which helps, but even that fills up super quick. I’m glad we found this place and we will be back!

Review №52

2020-09-20 16:30:53

The pot stickers were good. Hot and hearty. We also enjoyed the 3 ingredients pan fried noodles because it was crispy and loaded with fresh veggies, seafood, and chicken. The third dish was the fried beef curry which was ok but a little light on flavor. Where they fell short was on the pickled cucumber salad because it was a bit watery and didnt absorb the brine. I gave 4 stars because the service was great and they are taking Covid precautions more seriously than most restaurants weve been to lately.

Review №53

2019-01-21 02:05:13

Lots of energy and great food. We went in for the dumplings and we were not disappointed. The saloon side was full of smiles and lots going on with the NFL playoffs on their big screens. Parking was tight but there is additional parking on the side. Friendly servers and the food came out really fast. Really good experience.

Review №54

2022-01-31 19:25:14

I feel compelled to write a review mainly because the Cashew Chicken is SOO good. I’ve also had the orange chicken (good and lots of citrus) and black pepper steak as well but the cashew chicken is the star of the show! The black pepper steak has really good flavor, we actually ordered that after getting the beef and broccoli. I’m not sure if it was an off night as it was our first time having it but it was quite terrible. I was surprised at how bland it tasted, def wouldn’t recommend. That said, they took it off our bill and recommended the black pepper steak so I’m really happy with their accommodations :)The Lady of the house drink was pretty good too!

Review №55

2018-12-14 08:08:32

Best authentic Chinese cuisine in San Diego! Best seats are at the bar. Best bar crew and servers too. Can’t stress it enough. Best. Best. Best! All that I have tried so far are delicious and flavorful. It’s almost always packed there (not surprising) and parking can be challenging especially during happy hour and lunch/dinner time. Park in the structure ($1/h), side street, or at the main parking lot (good luck). Make sure you pay attention to your time as parking enforcers are on it and will leave tix for sure.Some of my favorites are XLB Dumplings, Spicy Dumpling, Deluxe Fried Rice, all beef entrees, Pepper chicken wings (served at the bar after 4pm), Chinese greens, egg drop soup, all fish entrees, and that chili sauce in oil omg! Great selections of drinks too! Definitely a great place to be with friends/family for some amazing food . See you all there!

Review №56

2022-02-14 04:46:31

Great place for Asian cuisine. Food really good specially the curry dumplings and spicy eggplant. Great place for families with kids. Parking little bit challenging during busy hours but there is Nearby paid parking structure.

Review №57

2023-07-15 20:32:45

This was our second time here. The first time was fine; good enough to come back. Today, I told the server that my son has a sesame allergy and asked if the dumplings we were ordering were free of any sesame products. No sesame and Ill make sure the kitchen knows not to use sesame oil was the response. My son threw up into the leftover bag the whole way home. Disappointed.

Review №58

2023-10-19 04:06:57

5 star for sure but the Calamari dish was horrible. The flour based batter tasted only like flour. The Calamari was chewy.Other than that Shanghai Saloon always delivers with food, efficiency and ambiance. The mood.was rushed when we got there but it was definitely controlled chaos.There is never a long wait. Servers are friendly and helpful. We got chopsticks but most needed forks. When we asked we got them ASAP.Dumplings are still on point even with all the competition around them. Convoy St is quickly becoming San Diegos unofficial Asian Town.

Review №59

2018-08-01 05:22:58

The place I like to go for authentic Shanghai style soupy dumplings. They also have really amazing red oil won tons in the evening, and the fish and chive boiled dumplings are amazingly tasty. Theyre always fast to get our order and fast to the table, and the lady we had was very knowledgeable and asked us what we needed continuously. It was really good. They also have an amazing beef noodle soup that has thick, chewy noodles, tender, fall apart beef, and spicy soup.

Review №60

2022-11-17 03:46:27

The food is delicious. Dumplings, noodles. The shrimp, The beans, the drinks. They knocked it all out if the park. Highly recommend.

Review №61

2019-02-10 21:26:33

(Menu in pictures) Friendly staff and really busy on Sundays. However there is only a small wait and half the time if your over 21 you can just sit at the bar even if you dont get alcohol. Smells nice and seems to be pretty clean and up kept. They refill your drinks without you even asking and on a timely basis. Food was very good quality and definitely would come back.

Review №62

2023-10-24 22:52:43

Love this place ! My favorite when it comes to Chinese food everydish that we have try is just YUM ! Full of flavor. I take friends and family for birthdays, to celebrate occasions, or for when we are in the mood for chinese portions are big ! Check their Hours before going since they close to get ready for dinner and on Mondays and Tuesdays the restaurant is closed.

Review №63

2021-04-10 05:45:19

Everything was very good! The dumplings, walnut shrimp, and chow mein were absolutely delicious! We’ve been coming to this place for a long time and have always loved it.

Review №64

2023-05-17 23:55:52

Food was good and wait wasnt terrible all in all had a good experience a few things they could work on but so is life. Dumplings were really good and the filet was my favorite

Review №65

2018-12-10 05:33:22

Great place to get dumplings. Steamed pork dumplings are great and the portion sizes are a great bang for you buck. Atmosphere is very laid back with great artwork, TVs for sporting events and a full bar with custom cocktails and full bar. Parking is TERRIBLE, so off peak hours are the best time to visit or ride share to get there.

Review №66

2020-03-19 19:58:08

This place isn’t what I would call authentic. The stir fried noodles is overly greased and not flavorful. The happy hour option aren’t great. The beer selection isn’t extensive. And lastly the parking is just passable. Other than those the place is huge and can accommodate a large party. The servers are great and attentive.

Review №67

2017-01-11 03:07:45

This place definitely lives up to its name as the Dumpling Inn! The decor is super cool it gives you the feel like youre at an out door market and the bar is pretty huge. Most importantly the dumplings are delicious! I like that you make your own sauce to your liking. Great place to meet up with some friends and hit up the happy hour

Review №68

2021-04-18 07:43:33

Great dumplings (plenty of ginger in each steamer), veggies (Gainan), and loved their Chinese Sausage Fried Rice. The cold cuts were very good. Our server was top notch and took great care of us

Review №69

2019-09-27 03:29:18

This place is awesome and only five minutes from my hotel. So glad I discovered it. Its really hopping for a Thursday night. Ate at the bar. Besides them introducing me to a delightful apple and ginger cider, the food is fantastic. Started off with a Curry Beef dim sum. Only a hint of the curry and really yummy. It was fried so a perfect crunchy mouthful. Then I had the pork and eggplant which was tangy, sweet and with a little spice. Delicious.

Review №70

2023-08-13 01:25:54

My familys new favorite Chinese restaurant in San Diego!!! The place was beautifully decorated, the food was delicious, and the service was amazing (& fast)! Not to mention the cocktail selection/quality was great!

Review №71

2021-05-25 05:43:55

Changed my review on this place... The food tasted plain and the shrimp had a not so fresh flavor. I mentioned it to the waitress but not much was said other than food being made fresh. Perhaps so... But the ingredients did not.

Review №72

2019-06-11 06:23:22

This place had a great variety of dumplings! The soup dumplings were full of flavour and extremely delicious! We had another dish that isnt posted as we seemed to devour everything. It was a really friendly environment and we really enjoyed sitting at the bar. Also, the Thierry special version of the Moscow mule was really tasty! I would recommend if you are a dumpling lover.

Review №73

2023-07-30 18:43:42

Huge and spacious with a bar to match. Traditional American palette Chinese food done well. The chicken in the Chicken Chow Mein is deftly prepared with lighty sautéed strips of chicken. Dumplings are worthy of praise. Shrimp dishes are with nice sized shrimp cooked just right. I like the Walnut shrimp. To-go orders are packed well and still hot 20 minutes later when I arrive back home.

Review №74

2017-09-23 07:05:04

We usually order the dumplings but ordered a bunch of entrees this time. We got the honey walnut shrimp, green bean fish with black beans, chicken wings, lamb and vegetable, soup, chow mein, and deluxe fried rice. The honey walnut shrimp had too much mayonnaise on it. The chicken wings were crunchy and tasted really good. The rest were just average and dont really stand out.

Review №75

2023-07-27 23:57:51

The dumplings werent bad. The Chow mein however, tasted salty and didnt have a lot of flavor. Unfortunately the atmosphere was a little off putting as well. Playing Justin Bieber on the radio and advertisements about donations on the tv isnt something that helps achieve a great environment. Something smelled like the sewers and although the service was quick and very friendly, our dishes werent handed out at the same time, which left me waiting until my partner had finished half is plate.

Review №76

2023-09-26 02:35:18

Don’t take your mom to celebrate her birthday here. They won’t let you in. That list that they have outside doesn’t mean a thing. They’ll let people that got there 2 mins ago go in first while they have you wait 40 mins. You’ll ask why the wait and they’ll tell you that they don’t have tables for a party of 7. While they’ll let a party of 10 go in before you.It was really embarrassing to be there so early before they opened and have them treat you so terribly.

Review №77

2018-02-14 22:59:45

The larger space was much needed to serve the massive amount of people. While it lost a lot of their authenticity and special Chinese dishes this place is still good. You go for the dumplings and beer selection.The parking for this place is a headache but the food is good. This place is part of a chain of different stores that vary in decor and class.

Review №78

2021-11-26 02:03:17

Visiting San Diego and made our way over to Convoy Street our last day. Deciding on a restaurant was so tough, but we picked a real winner with Dumpling Inn! The place was fun and relaxed and didnt make me feel out of place like a lot of the hipstery restaurants we visited on our trip. We tried an assortment of dumplings with our favorite being the unique and tasty beef and curry! Barely any left by the time I took a picture 😂 Will be dreaming of this place until we can get back.

Review №79

2021-12-03 04:04:06

I was in the area and knew there were some good dumping places around. A handful of suggestions showed up on Google and I remembered a friend had mentioned this place. I got lucky with a parking spot and saw that it also said Shanghai Saloon. Oooh!! Right up my alley! They had lots of sports TVs going which was a nice plus. The hostess was prompt and let me cruise right to the bar seating. Perfect spot in the middle of the restaurant with plenty of personal space and a neighbor bar patron to chat with. MORGAN greeted me right away to offer a drink. It was happy hour and cocktail Thursday!! Lucky day! They only had the QR thingy but I was very impressed with the online menu. Pics and descriptions galore with an appealing online layout. Cool. I ordered an IPA made with Thai Tea. Neato and delicious. Then which dumplings? She said the soup ones. Yep they were yummy. Now lets try the fried beef curry ones. I enjoyed those too. The barback RAUL was super helpful and recommended the chili paste which I loved!!! He also said the pepper chicken was his favorite, so I ordered that to go. The service from those 2 was OUTSTANDING!! I also got the owners creation Lady of the House cocktail, nice recipe. The to go packaging was the right size and the food will satisfy my man. I am SO HAPPY I came here and cant wait to come again. Thank you!!

Review №80

2019-03-03 20:59:15

In search of Shanghainese I decided to try this restaurant. Specifically I was looking for classic Shanghai dumplings - pork, broth, and wrapped thinly. The traditional way to eat includes biting into the side, pouring the broth into your spoon, then eating the dumpling and sipping the now cooled broth. Unfortunately the broth is nonexistent. So when you bite into it to pour it out, only like 3 mL pours out. The dumplings when picked up have a very flat bottom, and do not take on a pouch shape. This is likely due to two reasons, first is they are frozen or prepared far ahead of time, leading to more moisture to the bottom of the dumpling wrapper, and also the lack of broth (imagine a balloon without water). The pork was also under seasoned. I also had the spicy soup while I was there, and the heat was moderate, but profile lacks complexity and only hits on one note. As for service I did not have my water refilled one time while there. I cannot recommend this location for food (inauthentic, lacks richness) or for service (absent). If you have dumplings and Shanghai in your restaurant name, it should be stellar, but here it is too Americanized. Too many better options nearby for fantastic authentic food at similar price leading to better value.

Review №81

2022-02-25 06:48:56

Fast, friendly and very busy. Delicious hot moist food, full of flavor, cooked at the right temperature, decent portions for 2 people, come in hungry and leave happy n full

Review №82

2023-08-19 06:58:03

We ordered shrimp fried rice, wonton soup and potstickers.Potstickers were good and fresh. However, shrimps in the fried rice were overcooked and fried rice was lacking flame flavor. The rice texture was too sticky.I’ve tried the best chinese food in Richmond Canada and Flusching in NY. This place is in 2nd tier and not top notch.I like thin shelled wontons- DTF makes far superior wontons and dumplings.

Review №83

2021-07-27 18:14:13

Very good staff and food. We got there just before there was a long line. I was told it can take up to an hour if you arrive right after noon. So arrive early.We got a variety of dishes and all of them were good. Just taking a bit more of time due to covid restrictions but everything was good

Review №84

2023-05-14 20:21:26

Great food. Ive been coming to this restaurant for many years. Love the food, great variety. Dumplings are the best around. I like the soup dumplings. I love the crispy noodle dishes. The soup noodles dishes are great and I always request the homemade noodles. Service is fast. The restaurant is very loud. Probably my favorite Asian restaurant in San Diego.

Review №85

2023-07-31 02:33:34

Food was really bad and had a weird aftertaste. Ordered the xlb and there was no soup in them. The egg flower soup was so small for $8. Service was not very good either. Would rather go to din tai fung for the price.

Review №86

2023-06-16 19:32:31

The parking lot here is really crowded. The service was so fast, to the point that we felt pressured to leave quickly. The wonton soup was pretty good, but something tasted off. The chow mein was good and all the proteins in it were enjoyable. Nothing stood out too much though.

Review №87

2021-09-07 19:50:49

The food was delicious and the service was great! I got Calamari, Xia Long Bao and Deluxe fried rice. The Calamari could have been cut smaller so it would’ve been easier to eat. Xia Long Bao was perfect, probably one of the beat I’ve had on Convoy, and the Deluxe fried rice has great flavor! Will be back with friends! 😋

Review №88

2021-07-12 17:40:48

We went early, about 5:30pm, and got a table immediately. Ordered the curry dumplings, pork and chive dumplings, pork potstickers, vegetarian salad, and beef shank noodle soup which three of us shared at it was all very good. Great customer service.

Review №89

2023-11-04 02:34:09

Tasteful yummy 😋 good food, great dumplings, good price. Parking is a bit complicated after 5:30 PM, so arrive early if is possible.

Review №90

2022-06-21 05:17:21

Solid well prepared Chinese food. They try to take all of the flavors from the different regions in China. In order to attract the average American, they are not as tasty and blend some of these very distinct cuisines.

Review №91

2018-10-10 22:17:25

Hip Chinese restaurant serving Xiao Long Baos and Chinese dishes. They also have some nice Japanese whiskies on the menu like Yamasaki 18 and Hibiki 17. Cool, chill place. They do not accept American Express here.

Review №92

2023-07-03 00:03:34

The food was great, and we got served rather quickly, but when we were almost done, a cockroach walked on our table. We didnt make a big fuss about it, but the waiters and manager handled it very poorly, acted almost as if it was normal, not even offering an apology.

Review №93

2021-09-19 04:05:06

Great service and not too much of a wait. Most of the dumplings are fantastic(try the soup dumpling!) But avoid the beef curry.

Review №94

2023-02-04 04:09:34

Delicious!! Make sure to order the soup dumplings! The deluxe fried rice is delicious also!!!

Review №95

2022-07-03 00:07:22

Showed up on a sunday night, this neighborhood was packed but we were seated with no wait. Staff were hustling and running around to make sure everyone had what they needed- super nice and fast. We loved the veggie dumplings and chinese greens plate- could eat those every day. Good old fashioned as well! We’ll be back! Great walnut shrimp, honey shrimp and fried crispy noodle dish too!

Review №96

2022-09-08 03:01:36

Got the Xiao lung bao and it was very flavorful. Honestly the Xiao lung bao is just as good as the ones at Din Tai Fung and it is like 1/4 of the price. I also ordered stirred fried noodles with everything in it. That dish was ok. Potstcikers were good but kinda wished they cleaned the pot... Good Chinese food. Very affordable!

Review №97

2023-05-12 19:33:10

I don’t understand the hype for this place. I came here for lunch and the food that came out didn’t seem fresh at all. We ordered duck, soup dumplings and pork&chive dumplings. The duck was very dry and lacked flavor. The soup dumplings were ok, but seemed old, like it’s been sitting out for awhile and wasn’t hot. The pork and chive dumplings were probably the best in our meal, but I’ve had much better from farmer’s markets. The service was good and fast, but I wouldn’t come back again.

Review №98

2021-04-15 11:50:24

First time here and wasnt disappointed. Service was excellent, our waiter checked up on us in a timely manner, refilling our drinks without us having to ask. Ordered a bowl of Hot & Sour soup along with Spicy 3 Ingredient Lol Mein. The walnut shrimp was very tasty as well as the Xia Long Bao. Will definitely eat here again.

Review №99

2023-09-21 05:35:37

Very disappointing! If I could give 0 stars I would! I have been coming for years however the last 5 visits have been terrible! The service is awful, food is not good and the whole staff is rude. From the moment you walk in the door to walking out the door you are rushed, talked to rudely and it is very dirty, even saw a cockroach on the floor….will not be back, ever!

Review №100

2019-10-11 09:59:59

FOOD & DRINKSWe came here specifically for the Pork & Shrimp wantons in hot oil to compare it to the ones from Din Tai Fung. I think the first letdown was that the item came out lukewarm while Din Tai Fung served them hot and steaming. Also the hot oil was more vinegary than actually hot oil and we had to ask for more of the so called hot oil cause it wasnt a lot to begin with. The wantons themselves were yummy though. Good amount of filling in a thin wrapper. And that is the keyword for the second letdown. We also ordered pork & chive as well as shrimp & chicken dumplings. The dumpling skin was doughy and thick. Also I couldnt neither taste nor see any of the shrimp in the filling. I wish there were some actual pieces of shrimp in the filling. All I tasted was either the doughy skin wrapper or just the meat.SERVICEOur waiter was very helpful, quick and nice. Very good service.ATMOSPHEREAt peak times this place is bustling. You dont just see Asian people here. Everyone is coming here to have a good time. Either to sit at the bar, in the saloon or at a table to drink and eat. Shanghai Saloon is practically a part of Dumpling Inn. The interior is modern and fun. There is an open kitchen to look into while waiting to be seated. Really nice place to hang out on the weekend.RATINGThis is hard. I want to give this place a four star rating but in my personal opinion the refinement of some items is still necessary.

Review №101

2020-03-17 06:11:55

Love the couch area in the Saloon section when getting together with several friends. Look for the dime shellacked on one of the tables in that area...my dad dropped it from heaven😇🤷🏻‍♀️The bar is open seating and great for party of 2 or 3. The food never disappoints. Just give me a pair of chopsticks with my shrimp fried rice. Won’t share. Don’t care. Washing it all down with a Mai Tai to tie it up in a nice bow.

Review №102

2023-05-13 16:47:49

This was my First Time here!!!It was great! Awesome food, ambiance (if you like bustling places), and the wait staff were good at helping us figure out what to order.Alcoholic drinks were really tasty! We were there for my friend’s birthday so we splurged. I mentioned her birthday as we were talking but not directly to the wait person & they didn’t do anything…. So I don’t know if I would have had to say something directly or they just didn’t do anything. My friend didn’t want the attention, so I let it go.The only reason for the 4 stars is the loudness. We practically had to scream to hear each other, and there were 2 of us!!You know, I’ve studied hearing & once it’s gone, it’s gone…. That’s why I wore ear plugs here! And, they helped me hear my friend better.

Review №103

2022-06-09 05:54:55

Love the Food! Dumplings and the Orange Chicken and Noodles 🍜 😋 Just flavors of Love. A must Try in SD.

Review №104

2019-08-31 17:43:25

A good Chinese place with lots of Chinese vibes in the decor, in the food. By the name of it, I thought there gonna be a lot of dumpling options; but there are only 10 standard options for dumplings. Other than dumplings, there is a full Szechuan style menu, full of spicy options, very good portion sizes for the price. The taste can be better. Cocktails, beer at the bar are very good.

Review №105

2022-04-23 03:09:20

This place has become an institution. Consistency is the name of the game. Food is delicious and simple. The broth is the star of the show. Good job

Review №106

2023-09-10 20:57:01

The orange chicken was wayyy to sweet. The dumplings were ok nothing super delightful. I wont come back again prefer going to different place.

Review №107

2019-06-11 19:41:02

Completely friendly, answered all my questions. Food was amazing and more than enough. Would recommend for yourself or family. Connie was the one who attended me and was amazing. I ordered the soup dumplings and 3 item spicy soup 🍲

Review №108

2023-05-28 21:42:28

Really good soup dumplings and potstickers, fried or steamed or deep fried. Various Chinese dishes, including noodles, meats and vegetables and tofu, stir fried. We had peppered steak and sauteed lamb with Chinese greens. And both dishes were awesome. I would definitely go again.

Review №109

2023-12-07 22:43:28

Good food, big family sized portions. Not chinese take out type of food.

Review №110

2023-06-07 02:20:19

Friday night dinner. the place is Lways hopping and the food is great. Started with soup dumplings (awesome), also had shredded pork with green beans, and spicy eggplant with pork, all were delicious!!

Review №111

2020-10-24 03:18:06

Pork steamed dumplings and Hot and Sour Soup were amazing. Creamy walnut shrimp and orange chicken were just alright. Shrimp kinda tasteless and chicken too churchy but soup and dumplings were a must. Perfect share for a lunch for 2. Wouldnt try entrees again. Hot sake machine was down but peach cold sake was good.

Review №112

2017-03-19 18:36:14

Best pot stickers place in San Diego. Theyve expanded the place from a mom and pop to a saloon now. Cute decorations!

Review №113

2020-11-14 22:46:20

Ive been wanting to come to place for awhile and it was worth the wait. We had the soup dumplings which were so amazing and i loved the taste of the pork and ginger. We also had the shrimp, chicken, and chive dumplings. They were good as well but not as much as the soup dumplings. For entrees we got black pepper beef amd honey shrimp. Both were delicious! The beef was tender and had a small smokey flavor to it. The shrimp was lightly fried with a crispy coating. Both slightly spicy but hands down would get again.

Review №114

2019-06-03 03:35:40

The wait to get in is longer than the wait for food. Its surprising how quickly the items we ordered were showing up at our table, especially considering every table in this very large saloon was filled. Definitely recommend the jellyfish and the XLB. Food was fantastic!

Review №115

2019-12-31 22:31:33

Very busy when we got there. Told we had a 30/40 minute wait but it was more like 20 mins. Dumplings are delicious! Chinese Pork sausage fried rice, sautés lamb with green - yummmmmm!!

Review №116

2020-02-11 16:18:14

Visited here for the first time and it was delicious! Our server was friendly and showed us how to mix the sauces. The food came quick and it came in big portions. Would definitely visit again! We ordered dumplings, chow mein, kung pao, orange chicken which did not disappoint. The jasmine tea was great as well.

Review №117

2023-04-22 23:46:08

Excellent good, my family of 7 ate plenty for under $100 and were able to share plates. The soup dumplings were delicious and everything came out fast. I’ll definitely be returning in the future.

Review №118

2020-01-13 00:28:33

Fantastic service and first pick in San Diego for authentic homestyle chinese cooking. Enjoy a fun and dazzling ambiance with cultural decor. The XLB is a must have and can be split with another person when also paired with shrimp and lobster sauce over rice.

Review №119

2023-08-02 05:08:32

My favorite dumpling place in San Diego. Their fried rice is amazing too. Service is lightning fast.

Review №120

2023-06-26 04:27:39

Not worth the hype. Soup dumplings are dry, shank noodles beef are dry too. Server are in rush for you to get out.not stroller friendly

Review №121

2023-06-25 04:50:42

At about 9:30 the waiter told us to take our time after we paid the check.At 9:30 the bar manager guy shouts at us from across the restaurant that we gotta go now!. Then continues his expletive laden rant to his co-workers.The food really wasnt great.Service was absolutely horrible.

Review №122

2021-07-25 11:06:54

Great food and drinks. We love their deluxe fried rice and variety of dumplings.

Review №123

2018-01-01 04:08:42

Been there a couple times now. The dumplings are great, the entrees are tasty and large, and they have a good bar menu. The wait time is less than I expected for how busy it is. Parking usually sucks though.

Review №124

2019-03-28 22:22:40

I always order the chicken fried rice and it is amazing. I usually cozy up to the bar and order one of their Draft beers. They have a great selection of craft beers. Service is always quick and the food is Delicious. I love this place!

Review №125

2023-03-25 01:22:18

Great traditional dumplings, everything was big portions, bit pricy. Lots of space for big group of families. Difficult parking.

Review №126

2019-04-28 03:48:08

We order xiao long bao, it was quite good. Honey glazed Shrimp was really tasty. I had asked for house made noodles as well as normal chowmein which took time to cook, but they replaced long noodles with flat noodles and was not equally tastier. I do not recommend House-made noodles for chowmein.

Review №127

2023-06-28 03:23:57

Great food, quick service. Lots of drinks options. I recommend their Soup Dumplings!

Review №128

2021-09-17 04:17:30

This was the first time going here and it did not disappoint. Parking is a little rough but once we were in, service was quick. Great place for chillin with some friends while eating dumplings. 🥟😋

Review №129

2021-07-09 01:55:08

We wish we wouldve found this place sooner! I had the BEST orange chicken of my life here. The fish & chive dumplings were off the charts delicious as well. Cocktails from here are a must.

Review №130

2023-04-01 19:44:53

This place was absolutely amazing. We ordered 3 dishes and all of them were good. The soup dumplings are so flavorful and I like how they’re bigger than the soup dumplings I’ve had at other places. We also got the shrimp with vegetables entre and it was so good and garlicy. Lastly we got the deluxe chow mein with handmade noodles and the handmade noodles were totally worth the extra cost.

Review №131

2017-11-05 22:46:21

Pretty good Chinese food place on par with other average other restaurants, maybe dumplings are more better here, food took long time to arrive and they werent busy.

Review №132

2020-08-16 18:57:35

OK Chinese joint. The soup dumplings were small and bland. The shrimp dumplings had an excellent filling but the wrapper was thick. The Sichuan pork was very tasty with large thin slices of pork and a very good sauce. The Chicken Lo Mein was a soup. It was bland and after we added chili oil, hoisin, sesame oil and soy was better. They had lots of outdoor seating available and the service was quick, pleasant and helpful.

Review №133

2019-09-15 05:45:29

Flavorful foods, speedy service and many options to choose from on the menu. They do serve family style if you request and this place is family friendly as well. A little loud during the busiest hours (dinner time)- so not a good place to have intimate conversations or 1st dates 😉

Review №134

2023-08-20 03:56:45

Every time I come here, I am greeted with the best food in San Diego. I love this place and look forward to it every time Im in town

Review №135

2018-02-17 07:09:47

Staff is very friendly, first time trying dumplings and they were really good. Chicken chow mein had good flavor and was not heavy. Pork fried rice was really good. Vegetable egg rolls are very flavorful. All food came out hot and fresh. Beware the egg rolls come out extremely hot. Will definitely come back to try more of the food. This place is legit.

Review №136

2023-03-19 06:28:38

Absolutely love this place. Great Chinese food and a great bar all in one. You can get as authentic as you want, or stick to the Americanized food. Everything I’ve ever eaten has been incredible, and the draft beer selection is impressive. It’s a gem

Review №137

2023-03-07 22:03:42

FANTASTIC. Every. Time. If 6 Stars were a thing - they’d deserve them. We’ve been here so many times now. The food is consistently delicious. Kung Pow Chicken, Orange Chicken, Shrimp dishes, Chow Mein! Pot stickers… and the dumplings.. I didn’t think I even liked soup dumplings! Let them cool just a little, pop the whole thing in your mouth… life changing. Seriously good! When we don’t feel like cooking, when friends come to town - this is the place to go... we have never had a bad meal here, not once. Try it out! Hope you love it!

Review №138

2021-06-12 20:32:59

Good food, fast service, as a Taiwanese, I like it.However, chairs are not so clean....

Review №139

2023-01-16 20:09:40

I used to love this restaurant. I would bring my friends and family to dine here regularly. However, the quality of food has gone down quite a bit. I would never get any dishes other than soup dumplings and pot stickers here again. Service is very good here still. Just the food doesnt taste authentic or flavorful at all like it used to be.

Review №140

2019-01-20 04:18:15

This place is amazing. Not only do they have excellent dumplings they have an amazing whiskey list. We had the beef curry fried dumplings, the pork pan fried dumplings, and the soup dumplings. Easily some of the best dumplings I’ve had. My brother had the Founders Old Fashioned which is made with a special bottle of Makers Mark that they bottled!

Review №141

2019-01-04 17:45:06

The dumplings were okay at best. I wish they had more filling. I also think the restaurant should add more pan-fried options. The chow mein was very very good, though.

Review №142

2018-03-11 17:25:42

Consistently good food. The dumplings are what theyre known for and the best are the Xiao Long Bao. Alike all other restaurants in the area, parking is impossible and neighboring businesses block off parking spots, sitting outside to blast you if you attempt to park and not patronize their business. Staff is consistently professional and friendly. Food comes out in waves as its prepared. Sit at the bar if youre in a hurry. Pepper wings on the bar menu are a must.

Review №143

2022-11-20 07:17:38

A great place for some solid Asian food. The dumplings were great as well as the garlic string beans. Prepare for a wait, no matter when you go. Also parking is a bit of trouble, there isnt much room and the spots are tight. Its definitely cute and a must see if youre in the area.

Review №144

2023-11-26 19:30:02

Gorgeous interior and helpful, accommodating staff, and the food was delicious, well-priced, and served plentifully

Review №145

2019-08-14 21:22:06

Food was okay. Food mentioned spicy wasn’t spicy at all. It was sweetish. The dumplings were pretty good. The ambience is good. The closing time mentioned is 8.30pm but they didn’t provide us a table when we arrived around 7.50pm.

Review №146

2023-06-18 21:32:48

This is our regular spot for Chinese food. Chow mein and steamed fish is simple superb. Sake is also good.

Review №147

2021-12-31 01:50:41

Best service ever here! Very attentive staff. And we loved the pork dumplings and sausage rice.

Review №148

2021-09-27 20:56:33

Dumplings were great...great flavors great broth...thumbs up... beef curry dumplings were pretty good,beef chowmein was good too noodles werent greasy the beef did leave me wanting more flavor to it..but not bad. We also had a pork dish that remember the name of but also made very well. ..quick service is always a super plus for me

Review №149

2023-03-15 04:31:03

Food was really good. Had the soup dumplings, and walnut shrimp. There was only one bartender, so service was slow but overall it was cool. Would come here again.

Review №150

2023-02-21 18:57:30

In my opinion, the best Chinese food in San Diego.Wait times can get extended and parking isnt always easy during the busiest dinner times. Keep that in mind. You may have to pay to park. Parking on site is around $1.50 an hour.

Review №151

2022-06-19 03:02:36

Large place with seating at a bar or tables. Nice and friendly staff - quick service and good food. The vegetarian dumplings seemed to be mostly spinach and it seemed maybe canned or something, so wont order those again and thats why 4 instead of 5 stars, but otherwise everything was delicious. Pork and Chive dumplings are the best and the honey glazed shrimp is delicious also.

Review №152

2023-10-24 01:55:51

1st time at this restaurant. Will definetly be back! Too many things on menu left to try !

Review №153

2023-02-19 02:12:36

The food was excellent, and our waiter was incredibly helpful. We had a variety of foods and all were tasty. I particularly liked the soup dumplings.

Review №154

2022-12-02 17:31:11

Not bad but nothing special. Soup dumplings needed more broth. Pork green beams were also kinda dry. Service was ok. Went before 5 and was able to get a table right away.

Review №155

2023-11-18 01:14:08

Fun place good drinks great food. Love it

Review №156

2023-03-20 23:15:31

Food was not bad -pretty mediocre. Some dishes are much better than others. Avoid white fish. It has that funny Tilapia taste. Avoid fish in the kung-pao mix. Just say, no fish. Mixed fried rice was delicious.

Review №157

2017-08-08 20:19:49

Came with in my 3 kids for lunch, host decided to put us next to the restroom when the restaurant was half empty. As a chef that where we put all the undesirable customers. Order 3 soup dumplings on 2 came & a Szechuan pork (Twice cooked pork) way too sweet. The soup dumplings is so so. They do not even have black vinegar just plain white vinegar.

Review №158

2022-06-12 19:50:21

My family came here for lunch for a special occasion based on all the positive reviews. The food was... fine. It was very American, and while American style Chinese food can be good sometimes this was barely a step above Panda Express and expensive. The soup dumplings were pretty good, but only in comparison to everything else on the table. All the food seemed to get cold instantly and was overall bland. The chow mein noodles were very crunchy, the beef was extra bland, and the orange chicken literally just tasted like oranges.As for general atmosphere, the pop music from the speakers was blaring so loud we could barely hear each other. The server tried to get us out of there really fast even though the restaurant wasnt busy at all (although I guess that meant we got our food quickly). I think just about any other restaurant on convoy st would have been better, so Im pretty mad this is where we ended up going.

Review №159

2023-04-14 16:30:35

The worst food ever, the dumpling soup tasted just like plain water with salt.I could make it better than that. Well known restaurant but the quality is under average. Will not go back again

Review №160

2023-11-06 04:20:40

The driest dumplings I have ever had. I cant figure why the review is high.

Review №161

2022-03-10 16:15:12

We walked in and it was really busy but we didnt have to wait as we chose to sit at the bar where they still serve the full menu. The bartender was really friendly and was familiar with the whole menu and helped us out with our drinks and food order. We got a couple of different dumplings and some noodles and the food came pretty fast. Everything was delicious and priced very well - this was the second time Ive been here and Im overall super satisfied and would go again.

Review №162

2023-09-15 04:18:17

Great food, will return to try more menu items.

Review №163

2018-04-19 02:41:05

My boyfriend and I always make it a point to stop in when we are in San Diego. This is our favorite place to grab a beer - and the bartender Steve makes it even more enjoyable. Always a good vibe.

Review №164

2022-04-03 21:43:50

Im giving this 2 stars only because the food itself was very good, and maybe we caught them on an off night. We came here on a Saturday at 6pm with a party of 6. After we watched several groups that arrived after us get seated, my husband went to check on our status. He noticed that our name was not crossed off, but others below had been. The hostess insisted that they had already called our name. This was not true as we were sitting right by the front door near the greeting station. No one called our name. Once we were finally seated and ordered, our food came out in good time. However, that is when our service ended. We were not checked on even once. We ordered a large hot and sour soup in a big serving bowl, we had to ask for small sharing bowls, spoons and chopsticks. We had to flag down our server for the check after clearly finished our meal for 20 minutes. The most disappointing bit is that we were charged an automatic 20% gratuity for a party of 6. We are normally generous tippers, and were not high maintanence customers. Its just disappointing that service should at least be up to par, or just reasonable, if the restaurants practice is to assign a tip amount.My final take is the food is good, the service is lacking.

Review №165

2021-03-14 04:41:00

Soup dumplings were tasty but when 6 out of 10 are stuck together and have to be pulled apart, they lose all of their juices. Disappointed.

Review №166

2023-03-04 21:46:37

A gem of a spot... I dont know why the kitchen closes so early but they are so quick... The dumplings were perfect and so was everything else. The bartenders were great too

Review №167

2023-01-08 18:05:36

Great food. Honey walnut shrimp was fire. Great spot.

Review №168

2023-05-01 19:25:31

The drinks are really good. Workers are really nice but the place is always filled with people talking too loud and always a lack of seating its more of a place you would go to pick up your drink but not a place you would stay

Review №169

2023-01-18 01:45:38

Food was really good. Service to seat was slow as there were a lot of people. It was a bit cold in the restaurant as it was cold outside and the door was open a lot with people going in and out. I had to pay for parking, but I guess on Convoy I should be happy to have gotten parking.

Review №170

2022-08-15 04:49:43

Had high expectations going in but was not impressed with the food. For a dumpling inn the dumplings are kinda disappointing. The ambience is pretty cool though. They serve a variety of craft beer and cocktails which is pretty rare for a Chinese restaurant. Overall a good hangout place for some drinks and maybe some food. But I wouldnt go back there just for food

Review №171

2023-02-18 22:48:17

Food, as always, is amazing. Reasonably priced, big portions, authentic and absolutely delishious. Some staff have been there forever. This place never disappoints!

Review №172

2023-02-08 06:32:37

If you like crowded theme park atmospheres you might enjoy this big feeling space with its high decibel chatting chewing and chuckling.Cant speak to the cocktails and brewskis but it seemed like they were having a hard time keeping up with their food orders. Dumplings seemed like they were long in the tooth and late to the table rather than aldente and plump.

Review №173

2023-08-28 17:43:01

Great selection and delicious food. Soup dumplings a must.

Review №174

2021-05-02 06:03:27

Food so good- the duck Chinese spice s delicious--i do recommend

Review №175

2018-10-19 03:29:29

My first time here and was very busy on Thursday nite the food were tasty and fresh definitely will be back

Review №176

2022-09-05 08:14:36

Iconic spot in the convoy area. Super busy on the weekends and evenings so expect a wait during those times, but well worth it. Soup dumplings are a must, but its tough to go wrong with nearly any dish or drink here.

Review №177

2023-05-19 15:20:53

We love the shrimp fried rice. Quick service and the food was rapidly served hot off the grill.

Review №178

2022-04-23 09:03:02

Had take out at this unique dumpling place in San Diego. We tried the Xiaolongbao aka soup dumplings. They were really one of a kind. That during dough followed up by the warm salty broth is a must. You wont be disappointed with checking this place out.Cheers

Review №179

2022-07-04 02:26:33

When this place was a tiny hole in the wall it was delicious. the only reason I gave them two stars is because the service was great and the dumplings were decent. but the noodles, the veggies, and the soup were horrible. It was disappointing and we won’t be coming back.

Review №180

2023-05-02 15:20:17

Love this place. The food is great and the service is great! Be aware it does have long waits to be seated and to get food.

Review №181

2021-07-25 02:14:04

Wonderful food. Had the pork dumplings, lamb chow mein, vegetable fried rice. Service was super as well.

Review №182

2022-04-24 21:11:11

We called ahead but they wouldnt take reservations. The place was very busy, so we had to put our name on the list for a group of 6. After 45 min, I checked in again and they said that they had called our name, but we were right next to the entry. They actually just skipped us and made no apology. They still took their time to find us a table. Finally after over an hour we were seated. It took a while for someone to take our order. Food showed up very quickly, but we could never get our server back for assistance. We had been done for a long time and couldnt get our check. We almost walked out. Our meals were OK for the price, but Im not sure Ill go back again.

Review №183

2022-09-07 04:45:29

Ive been going since I was a little kid, and Ive had a great experience 99.9% of the time. Their food is great and theyre generally fast. If you go when theyre really busy and you didnt have a 5 star experience, please try it again as its definitely worth it

Review №184

2023-10-18 16:42:07

Best dumplings I have ever tried, the soup dumplings are 🙌🏼

Review №185

2023-05-01 02:20:17

Tastiest Chinese food Ive ever had, unique flavour not just a generic flavour for the typical menu items. Also its not too expensive here.

Review №186

2022-02-25 12:39:44

Soup dumplings are just okay a little bland for my taste. I kept adding hot chili on everything but fried dumplings were delicious and they are big. We also order the Tofu with chili and that was delicious too with steam rice. Din Tai Fung still my favorite for soup dumplings. This restaurant is much closer to us and location is great if you want to get dessert after dinner.

Review №187

2017-11-17 03:11:27

A decent price with a good quantity of food. Parking is horrible so take an Uber

Review №188

2022-12-31 03:32:44

Worst service in 5 years, super rude hostess claiming it was lack of staff while we had 4 people waiting on our table. Drinks didnt show up dinners didnt show up. After saying something to host she harassed us in the way out never going back.

Review №189

2021-11-07 17:19:44

Great place for a delicious group dinner. Table got a variety of dumplings to share, general favorites were pan fried. For vegetarians, the vegetable dumplings were good and they can do the vegetable and noodle soup with a water broth (better than it sounds, haha). It comes as a sharing portion, and is definitely veggie heavy. Delicious.

Review №190

2022-05-22 19:56:08

I recommend the Xiao Long Bao. Some of the best Ive had.Also really enjoyed the mapo tofu, but its definitely on the sweet side.Now why its 3 stars:NORMALLY BAD SERVICE AT CHINESE RESTAURANT=GOOD FOOD.Not in this places case. Service was almost non-existent and the rest of the food wasnt great.Bad chinese service usually means rude and quick, but theyll still take care of you while bringing out good food.They dropped off a big bowl of soup but didnt bring any bowls till 10 minutes later when the same guy brought the next set of food, saw that the soup hasnt been touched, and was about to turn around when we flagged him down and asked for bowls.Tea wasnt refilled, used dishes were hardly taken away at a good time. This isnt what typical bad Chinese service is supposed to look like. This, plus we saw the server maybe 3 times...Everything else we got food wise: the boiled dumplings were definitely home-made but lack luster. Too much dough for the amount of filling. Restaurant should put chili oil on table, and also put a revolving glass on the bigger tables for ease of passing food around.Unfortunately overrated. Next time you go to LA, go to ANY Chinese spot near Alhambra and just prepare to have your mind blown, in comparison to here.

Review №191

2022-03-27 16:52:12

Idk how this place is so highly rated. It’s not bad but certainly not something I’d go out of my way for. I’ve had a lot of soup dumplings in my day and can say these don’t even make my top five. Rest of menu was okay not terribly impressed.

Review №192

2018-11-11 18:39:53

Always great food...definitely worth the wait!

Review №193

2020-01-07 05:32:37

Not bad, overall quality is good, but nothing amazing. Pretty long wait at peak hour

Review №194

2023-02-13 00:25:14

An underrated dumpling option in SD! Great selection and top not quality. Just as good, if not better than other *cough* DTF *cough* dumpling spots, without the insane wait times

Review №195

2023-02-14 00:51:58

I love their Xia Long Bao Soup Dumplings.Their Lamb Chow Mein is very delicious too.Servers are prompt and friendly. Will definitely keep going back.

Review №196

2021-05-01 20:51:18

Absolutely delish!! The soup dumplings are the best I’ve had.

Review №197

2022-11-20 03:32:37

I honestly used to really like this place, but...UPDATE 07/30/2022Sadly this place has really gone down hill. The food quality has declined. Still a pretty limited variety of dumplings for a place that bills itself as a dumpling restaurant. Also, they seem to be trying to cater to a less Chinese cuisine aware crowd. The menu is packed with dishes like orange chicken and beef with broccoli. Theyve also put up big screen TVs showing sports and are really pushing the alcoholic drinks. Imagine Panda Express and a sports bar had a baby. Another gripe is that they dont seem to know how to clean tables between guests. The first table we were seated at was actually so sticky we had to ask to be moved. The second one we had to ask for extra napkins to wipe down ourselves. I wont be going back.

Review №198

2018-01-07 02:41:35

Great food, perfect dumplings, nothing missed the mark

Review №199

2023-02-13 01:15:52

Minor damages around the property. The moment we got in, we smelled bleach at the entrance. Food also tasted a bit like a bleach or cleaning product. My stomach was not feeling right after that.