Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao — Restaurant in New York

Scams customers, & manager will not to speak to you. Probably my WORST NYC restaurant experience.

If you're craving Chinese, I HIGHLY recommend that you go across the street to Dim Sum Palace, instead.

On 12/30/2024, I received an email from Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, stating that they would be offering "free drinks" on New Year's Eve to patrons who arrived after 6PM to their K Town location (screenshots of this email are provided). There was zero fine print stating that drinks would only be limited to cheap canned soda. The email clearly implies that customers could pick one alcoholic drink for New Year's Eve!

Based on this email, I suggested to my group of 5 people that we go to this particular restaurant to enjoy a free drink and a nice meal. I texted a screenshot of this email to my entire group, and we all agreed to go here, based on the free drink offer.

After we sit down and order over $200 worth of food, we ask about the offer. Our (very nice!) waitress takes my phone with the email, and brings it to the manager, who refuses to honor the offer.

We are told we can only pick from the soda choices. We cannot pick alcoholic drinks. We cannot even choose the bubble tea options, as they had supposedly "ran out of the cups." They refused to make the bubble tea and put it in regular cups. We should have just walked out, but my group was really hungry at this point.

I was extremely mortified by this behavior. I am Chinese, and I had advocated to my non-Chinese friends that we patronize a Chinese restaurant for New Year's Eve!! And the Chinese restaurant scammed us!!!! How embarrassing.

I asked to speak to the manager, but the manager would not even come to our table. She couldn't even face us herself - she made the poor waitress deal with us.

Via the waitress, the manager stayed firm, and insisted we could only pick from the soda options. When the "free drinks" came out, they were cheap cans of soda (pic provided).

As a Chinese person, it was soo mortifying seeing a Chinese restaurant behave this way. A table of five people are ordering $227.40 worth of food, and you can't even honor your advertising email by offering a single beer to those who would like it? On New Year's Eve?

The only good part of the night was our nice waitress, who saw that we were very unhappy, and again talked to the manager for us, completely unprompted. She stated that the manager finally agreed they could make bubble tea for us, and put them in regular cups (manager said "no" to doing this earlier.)

She stated the manager emphasized she was "making a special exception for us" - as if the manager was doing US a favor by (not really) honoring an advertisement their own company sent out! Honestly this really pissed me off, but I didn't want to keep making a scene.

Props to our waitress, she was really nice. None of this is her fault. Shame on the management.

I'm not even mad about the drinks. As a Chinese person, I am mad, mortified, and ashamed that a Chinese restaurant would pull this embarrassing and cheap "bait and switch" tactic. Makes us all look bad. (To those white people reading this and thinking I shouldn't feel bad about the actions of my fellow Chinese people - this is a minority thing.)

I regret suggesting Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao to my friends. I have come to Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao many, many times - with friends, with family, on dates - but I will NEVER...

A spacious restaurant in K-Town, this place offers a large and reliably tasty selection of classic xiao long baos (soup dumplings) and other noodle and dim-sum dishes. With a group of 6, we ordered the following dishes (** = especially recommend):

**Shanghai Pan-Fried Udon Noodles: These noodles were really chewy, flavorful, and well stir-fried. The beef and veggies were also not overcooked and full of flavor.

Scallion Pancakes: These had a great crispy texture, but could have been more flavorful.

**Cucumber Salad: A small, light, and fresh-tasting dish with strong garlic flavor. This was a good palate cleanser amid all the soup dumplings and buns we ordered.

**Crab Meat & Pork Soup Dumplings: I was a fan of this one— the filling inside (orange crab roe mixed with pork) had a nice texture and flavor profile.

** Gourd Luffa Shrimp Pork Soup Dumplings (green skin): Another one of my favorite soup dumplings out of the ones we ordered. The inside filling had the best and most unique texture and flavor, in my opinion.

Signature Pork Soup Dumplings: This is your standard, classic pork soup dumpling. It tasted good, but nothing super special.

Chicken Soup Dumplings (yellow skin): This was pretty good and the chicken was well-flavored, but not really my favorite of all the soup dumplings.

Shanghai Siu Mai (chicken and shrimp): Came with a hefty block of dense, meaty filling. The taste was fresh and good.

Pan-fried Pork Buns: Biased because I’m generally not a big fan of pan-fried buns, but these were okay. The pork filling was a little too dense/concentrated for my liking.

Overall, all the soup dumplings were well-made and tasty, though many of them tasted kind of similar overall. It would have been more interesting to have more unique filling combinations. Nonetheless, they made the classics very well.

The vibes in the restaurant were really chill: bright lights and ample interior seating. The service was very good and friendly— they were constantly refilling our waters, which was much appreciated, and our group of 6 stayed in the restaurant awhile without feeling rushed at all...

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, located in New York City, is renowned for its authentic and delicious Shanghainese cuisine, particularly its soup dumplings (xiao long bao).

Cuisine: The star attraction at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is their xiao long bao, known for their delicate wrappers, flavorful fillings, and rich, savory broth. Other popular dishes include scallion pancakes, pan-fried buns, and a variety of noodle and rice dishes. Many reviewers praise the balance of flavors and the quality of ingredients, emphasizing the authenticity of the offerings.

Ambiance: The restaurant has a casual and bustling atmosphere, often described as lively and vibrant. The decor is straightforward, focusing more on the food experience than on upscale aesthetics. Despite the often crowded space, many diners appreciate the energetic and authentic feel of the place.

Service: Service at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is generally efficient, though some reviews mention that it can be rushed during peak hours due to the high volume of customers. The staff is typically described as knowledgeable and quick, helping to keep the dining experience smooth even when the restaurant is busy.

Value: Many reviewers find the restaurant to offer good value for the quality and quantity of food provided. The prices are considered reasonable, especially given the authenticity and craftsmanship of the dishes. The portion sizes are also noted as generous.

Overall Experience: Overall, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is highly regarded for its excellent soup dumplings and other Shanghainese specialties. It is recommended for anyone looking to enjoy a satisfying and authentic Chinese dining experience in New York City. Due to its popularity, it's often advised to arrive early or be prepared for a wait, especially during peak...