Restaurant Dumplings Nian — Restaurant in Berlin

The food was nothing special, but will do if you’re looking for a quick and cheap fix. 10 steamed dumplings only costed 5€.

The overall experience was quite bad.

First we almost got the wrong serve of dumplings, but realised on time it didn’t belong to our table.

Then my friend ordered a mojito, but it was very watery, I believe with no alcohol at all (and quite frankly barely any other ingredient). She sent it back asking for a new one. After a rather long wait she told the waitress she didn’t want it anymore, but the answer was that it wasn’t possible to cancel the order at that point and brought one anyway.

The girl who served us appeared rather bothered the whole time. After getting our plates we asked if there were any sauces available, she looked annoyed and said we had to get them ourselves from inside. Nothing wrong with that, but she could have said it before or she could have been less unfriendly. It was simple question.

At some point she asked if everything was fine, my friend answered “more or less”, but she just left without asking further nor showing any interest at all.

We had steamed dumplings (serve of 10, with beef), 3 fried bao with meat, cucumber salad and the eggplant plate that was served with a fairly big portion of rice. As I mentioned: the dumplings were okay, but nothing special. None of us liked much the cucumber salad, it was pretty flavourless. The eggplant was okay, not good nor bad. Again: nothing special, and not really worth the price, in my opinion.

I’m not likely to be back, and I would personally not...

As a frequent patron of their excellent hotpot restaurant in Friedrichshain, I was eager to try their new culinary venture—specializing in dumplings and more. After perusing their enticing menu, I found myself spoilt for choice. Naturally, I had to sample a variety of dishes, and I’m happy to report that most were outstanding.

I started with the crispy duck in sweet-and-sour sauce, which was a delightful surprise. While I’m not typically a fan of sweet-and-sour sauces, this version was subtle, allowing the rich flavor of the duck to shine. Next, the mapo tofu proved to be a winning choice—perfectly balanced with just the right amount of spice and umami.

The dumplings, freshly made to order, were excellent in both steamed and fried preparations—though I must admit, the fried ones stole the show with their satisfying crispiness. The crispy fish dish (described as a stew but arriving more stir-fried) was a happy accident. The fish was soft, flaky, and coated in a light, well-seasoned batter—abs delicious.

The only minor letdown was the cauliflower dish, which lacked the wow factor of the other plates. But as they say, you can’t win them all—especially when the rest of the meal was so strong.

Overall, the dining experience and atmosphere were top-notch, and it was a pleasure seeing the owners again. If their new spot maintains this standard, I may have to start splitting my loyalties between their hotpot and dumpling ventures!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (Would’ve been five stars if the cauliflower had brought...

If you’re looking for a masterclass in how not to run a restaurant, this place is the crown jewel. From the moment we sat down, the service radiated the kind of energy you’d expect if we were inconveniencing the staff simply by existing. Our waitress in particular seemed to have trained extensively in the art of eye rolling every time we dared to ask a question about the food (like, you know, what’s actually in it), she reacted as though we were asking her to solve advanced physics equations.

The décor didn’t do much to help the experience either.

As for the food presentation, imagine cafeteria food, but somehow less appealing. Plates looked like someone had dropped the food from a distance and just decided to serve it where it landed. Appetite? Gone.

The only redeeming factor was the low prices, but honestly, even that felt like a scam. Sure, it’s cheap, but so is instant ramen at home and at least instant ramen doesn’t come with a side of attitude and food poisoning.

In short: if you like being treated with disdain, dining in an environment that feels like a health inspector’s nightmare, and eating food that looks like it lost a fight with gravity, this is the place for you. Otherwise, save...