Youpeng Seafood · Go Believe 友鹏海鲜·狗不理 — Restaurant in City of Industry

Where do I even begin? My expectations for this place were sky-high, given the fame of 狗不理包子. Unfortunately, this visit was a colossal letdown, and I regret wasting my time and money here. This review is specifically about the breakfast experience, and while the food had potential, everything else was a disaster. Here’s the breakdown:

The meat buns were indeed flavorful and well-prepared, deserving of one of the two stars I grudgingly gave this establishment. The decor was also pleasant, adding a semblance of charm to an otherwise disastrous experience and earning the second star. However, these minor positives could not compensate for the litany of issues that plagued our visit.

Unacceptable Wait Times: Despite arriving at 9 a.m. with at least five visible empty tables, we were told to wait 20 minutes to be seated. This speaks to either a severe lack of staff or abysmal management practices—or perhaps both.

Incompetence in Handling Orders: When we placed our order, the server informed us that popular options like 三鮮 (three-flavor dumplings) and 黑豬肉 (black pork dumplings) were unavailable, leaving only beef dumplings as a choice. Yet, after waiting 30 minutes, we were told that even the beef dumplings weren’t available, and to make matters worse, the server had the audacity to blame us for ordering them. The lack of communication and accountability was astounding.

Hidden Appetizers: Each combo allegedly came with a complimentary appetizer, but this information was not listed on the menu or mentioned by the server. We only discovered this by observing other tables and asking directly—hardly the seamless dining experience one expects at a well-regarded establishment.

Basic Amenities Neglected: The table featured a communal water pot, but no cups were provided until we specifically requested them. When the cups arrived, one had a disgusting yellow stain inside, raising serious concerns about hygiene.

Timing and Organization Failures: The meat buns were served quickly and placed under a robotic steamer at the table. Yet, the rest of the food—including the jellied tofu and beef dumplings—took an additional 15 minutes, only to be forgotten entirely. The server appeared clueless about the status of our order and failed to offer any apology or acknowledgment of the delay.

As we prepared to leave, the chaos outside was a glaring reminder of this restaurant's systemic failures. A long line of visibly frustrated customers extended from the entrance to the food prep area. Patrons waiting for to-go orders jostled with those attempting to use the reservation kiosk, creating an atmosphere of pure pandemonium. Even worse, the food being prepared in the open was exposed to people coughing and breathing nearby—an egregious violation of basic hygiene standards.

Final Thoughts

This establishment's reputation rests on its famous meat buns, but the overall experience is a far cry from the standards one would expect from a place of this renown. Poorly trained staff, woefully inadequate management, and chaotic, unhygienic conditions turned what should have been a memorable meal into an exercise in frustration.

Do yourself a favor and skip this place. There are plenty of other options nearby that are far more deserving of your...

Update as of 9/25: we came back after being away for a few months, and we’re disappointed. The gobuli baos were decent still, but the several seafood dishes weren’t that good. The fish and the crabs weren’t very fresh. This used to be my favorite in this area, but no more. I have reduced it from a 5* to a 3*.

Update: we’ve came back a few days later with several friends to try its other dishes. The pork head meat was very good and as was the pork leg. We had another mixed noodle打卤面. This time it still tasted quite good, but it was much bigger than a few days ago with about 40% more. Hopefully we will get this size on our next visit. I thought the one I had before was on the tiny side on our last visit.

First time tying this place and we really enjoyed our lunch today. This place specializes in Tianjin Pork Buns (Go Believe or Gobuli), steamed dumplings and steamed seafood. Every table has its own steamer, which I have never seen before, but what a great idea. Our pork buns were cooked at our table in 10 minutes and the steamer kept our food warm for the duration of our lunch. What a great novel creation in Chinese dinning. We also tried a couple of cold appetizers, the potato strings （凉拌土豆丝）and black fungus (凉拌木耳), both were very fresh and tasted fine (not particularly great, but certainly acceptable. The whole place looked very modern and clean with each booth separate by bamboo dividers that were both visually aesthetic and kept our conversation private (to a degree). Now, for the food, its Tianjin pork buns were just as good, if not better, than those I’ve had in Tianjin (and I ate a lot of Gobuli buns in Tianjin overs the past 15 years). The dough was perfect and the flavor was not overpowering unlike many Chinese restaurants here in the U.S. The three flavored mixed noodle (哨子面）was very good , though the noodle was overcooked just a tad. The server even mixed the noodle at our table for us, a wonderful notion. Speaking of which, the service was excellent and friendly. All the buns were freshly made daily and you can choose from pork, beef, veggie, seafood, or even sweet ones, such as chocolate or red bean paste. The prices were reasonable to boot, so do try it out if you haven’t had Gobuli buns before.

Note: I totally disagree with a prior review stating that the service or amenities were poor. The service was excellent and our table/booth was very well designed; it even had a drawer that held additional napkins, just like in China. The decoration was modern and pleasing.

My experience of this place certainly exceeded my expectations since I’ve eaten more Tianjin Gobuli buns than I probably should over the years. As stated above, the buns were not exactly the same as the real Gobuli in Tianjin, but I like the ones...

I ordered from this restaurant via Panda Delivery yesterday, and part of my order was missing. When I contacted customer service, they told me to go pick it up myself from the restaurant. I told them—if I had to go myself, why would I even use the delivery service in the first place? What’s the point of using your platform?

I asked the platform to cancel the order, but they said they couldn’t and told me to contact the restaurant. I did, and the restaurant pushed it back to the platform, saying only the platform can cancel the order or send another driver. So basically, both sides just kept passing the buck like I’m some kind of fool.

I know the restaurant technically can’t cancel the order, but honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to argue—I just wanted the problem resolved. It was a $20 item. In the end, I called the platform again, and they still said there was nothing they could do. They expected me to go pick it up myself. That was the end of it. It’s not about the money—it’s about wasting my time and no one taking responsibility.

Ultimately, they told me I had to bear the loss for something I never received. Fine. I accept it. I’ll just pretend I fed a stray dog on the street.

I’m deeply disappointed in both Panda Delivery and this restaurant. I’ve ordered from this place over a dozen times, both online and in person. Honestly, it used to be okay—except for the last time I dined in and my friend and I had stomach issues afterward (possibly from some not-so-fresh sea urchin). It wasn’t serious, so I let it go. But after this experience, I’m done.

Never ordering again. Never...