Best Dumplings — Restaurant in Englewood

Here's the short version: the dumplings here are fantastic and well-worth the short venture off the beaten path.

I've gone up and down the main street in Englewood countless times, and it wasn't until I was hit with a hankering for Korean food and did a quick search, only to find there was this hidden gem right off Palisade Avenue.

From the outside, Best Dumpling doesn't seem like much. Nor does it seem like much from the inside. It's a squishy, two-floor space with just a few tables and chairs. On the first floor, most of the available space is taken up by the kitchen and the order window, but that's because they make everything fresh here. Dumplings dominate the menu (along with a few Korean stews and dishes, many of which feature said dumplings).

I don't believe there's such thing as a 'best' dumpling, but that's because I love most dumplings I meet. When one of the owners overheard me waffling back and forth between the pork and broccoli/shrimp dumplings, she kindly offered to do a split order. Boy, was that fantastic. My preference is for fried dumplings, and they're done up perfectly here. I gasped quite when I bit into a pork dumpling and felt some of the juices dribble out of its skin. My greater surprise was how much better I liked the broccoli and shrimp. I can't think of another place that offers a filling like this one (plus the other interesting ones they've got here) and it was fantastic, especially with the accompanying garlic soy sauce. Believe me when I say there's a reason why they sell this sauce by the bottle.

My husband's ramyun dish (complete with rice cakes and four beef dumplings) was also satisfying. Truth be told, it was something I could conjure up easily enough with a pack of Korean instant noodles and some of their frozen dumplings (also sold on site). But for a cold, fall night, this was a lovely meal.

There's a small and graveled parking lot adjacent to the restaurant. I didn't spot any signage so I took a chance and left my car there with no issues. Parking in this part of Englewood is always a little tough so I consider it a huge boon that there's at least a few spots available.

If you've got a yen for supporting small, super-local businesses or just a healthy appetite for fresh dumplings, you really can't get better than this small but...

The short: lovely place with lovely ladies who make fresh dumplings on site 😍. this place is one of those "If you know, You know". They make their own dumplings, they have their own ginger sauce and a BBQ sauce.

This is a small location. You can buy bags of frozen, handmade dumplings for ~$16 a pop (as to why they're so expensive, no idea -- mind you, this review is post COVID, post Ukraine/Russia conflict). The dumplings are worth it. If you have the dumplings there, they are fried (I think?) and delicious. Dunking them in sauce is mandatory.

If you buy the dumplings frozen, they will give you a bag of ice but this will most likely melt if you are traveling a decent distance. Also, their packaging for the dumplings could be a few mil thicker -- I had one bag rip in the store, and another bag ripped by the time I got home -- beware!

Now, the awesome part? Just order their stuff online. Unless you are dying for the fresh dumplings in your face, it is better to just buy it from them. Beats having to suffer driving to this part...

I really enjoy shopping in Englewood for the diverse shops and all the welcoming people in town. Best Dumplings is found on a side street off of Palisade Ave. They are very sweet people. My husband and I really enjoy going and getting our steamed or fried dumplings there.

If you don't want Dumplings, you can have fried chicken with plantains. They have something for everyone. I haven't found a better Dumpling place this side of the East River. They are very reasonably priced and you can get frozen Dumplings to take home. They really are "Best Dumplings" Thete is a small space to sit inside or outside under a tent. You can find them south of the Amazon beauty supply on Palisade Ave. Try them. You might fall in love with this...