1912 Dumpling Bar 小籠館 — Restaurant in Sydney

1912 Dumpling Bar 小籠館 is a must-visit for dumpling lovers, offering an excellent variety that’s both authentic and delicious. Their xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are the star—perfectly steamed with delicate wrappers that hold rich, flavorful broth inside. Alongside the steamed version, they also serve crispy fried dumplings, as well as specialty fillings like crab and pork, each bursting with taste. For those who enjoy heat, the spicy dumplings pack a punch without overpowering the flavor, making them a standout option too.

The quality here is consistent—every plate feels carefully prepared, from the texture of the dumpling skin to the seasoning of the filling. It’s clear why the restaurant has built up a reputation.

The staff are friendly and attentive, adding to the welcoming atmosphere. Given the restaurant’s popularity, it’s quite normal to wait 10–15 minutes for a table during busy times, but the food makes the wait more than worthwhile.

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✅ In short: 1912 Dumpling Bar 小籠館 serves some of the best dumplings around—steamed, fried, crab, pork, and spicy varieties—all done with excellence. With friendly staff and a reputation that draws crowds, it’s a spot where a short wait is rewarded with...

20/7/25 - 4 stars

I'll be the first to admit I'm very skeptical of social media recommendations and I definitely had my doubts about this place. The decor is quite nice and certainly improves the experience. Service is good enough.

I definitely expected the food to be better than other cheap eats in Burwood, given the price, but, didn't keep my hopes high since I've been fooled before. However, this place was genuinely appreciably better quality than the likes of Sydney Dumpling King. Whilst it definitely is a fair bit more expensive, actually probably worth if you want better taste.

XLB Flavour: S, 8/10. It's not bad but kinda sweet which wasn't that nice Texture: S+, 8.5/10 Value: B, 6/10. $15 for 6

Pan fried beef dumplings Flavour: S+, 8.5/10 Texture: S, 8/10. Base could be more crispy but not bad Value: A, 7/10. $15 for 6 fairly big pieces

Chilli wonton Flavour: SS, 9/10. Filling and sauce were quite nice! Don't burn ur tongue like me though. Texture: S+, 8.5/10 Value: S, 8/10. $16 for 8

Dan Dan noodles Flavour: S, 8/10. Texture: SS, 9/10. Noodles had a nice amount of bite. Value:...

Ordered the Wonton Soup from here and was not impressed. I'll give it a star for being freshly made but wow I was not expecting the wonton dumpling meat to be so scarce.

I took a bite into this and surprised how much dumping pastry there was. After breaking one down I released how little meat there was in there. Just to double check if the first one was a dud I fished out the biggest wonton in my bowl and broke down the wonton again. The meat is barely bigger than a finger section.

For $15 it's an okay price for a bowl of wonton but I left feeling hungry and disappointed. It just felt like I had a bunch of wonton pastry and msg soup.

On a side note as well I had a weird experience. A chef came out of the kitchen exclaimed loudly in Mandarin that 'there was no tables free for her to use', glanced at me for a second then walked back to the kitchen in a huff. Probably her lunch break and I know it wasn't directed at anyone I found it weird to complain about a...