Dumpling Kitchen — Restaurant in San Francisco

We had a pretty large group here last night for a couple of friends' birthdays. For the value, Dumpling Kitchen was pretty good. It's no Michelin star restaurant but a satisfying combination of price, portion, and flavor.

XLB - The skins were way better than I expected at this price point. Their texture was smooth with the right amount of firm chewiness. Just from looking at them, the fine folds at the top was a good sign that the skins would be thin and delicate. They also didn't break open when picked up with chopstick. Not much to complain about there. The stuffing was not the best but still decent for a low end restaurant. The texture of the pork was on the grittier side, and I thought it could've had more ginger and green onions mixed in for more brightness. The broth was similar to the pork stuffing in that it could be brighter and bolder, but it still had good body and was seasoned with enough salt . The broth was also on the fattier side, which doesn't bother me, but I know some people out there prefer cleaner XLB broths.

Braised Pork Belly with Pickled Vegetables - You can tell this restaurant probably isn't run by Shanghainese people because of kitchen staff yelling at each other in Cantonese, and this is reflected in some of the menu items. This braised pork belly dish is a traditional Hakka classic from southern China, far from Shanghai. Dumpling Kitchen's rendition is actually pretty good. The pork belly was tender, and the sauce was a good balance of sweetness and pickled earthiness. My favorite place to order this is at Hakka Restaurant in the Outer Richmond. If I had to compare the two, Hakka's sauce is thicker and richer with a more complex spice mixture. There's a slight orange peel flavor in Hakka's that separates it from the rest. Despite not being as good as Hakka's, I would have no qualms with getting the pork belly here.

Green Onion Pancakes - Not really my cup of tea. They have the lighter and fluffier version of green onion pancakes, and I didn't think it had much green onion flavor. It kinda just tasted doughy. The crispy and layered green onion pancakes are way better.

Vegetarian Potstickers - There was a vegetarian in our group so we had an order of vegetarian potstickers. I was kinda surprised because they turned out to be pretty tasty. I probably liked them more than the pork and chive dumplings. There's a good amount of shiitake mushrooms to give it a lot of umami and earthy flavors. They also put in dried tofu (doufu gon), and it's firmer texture and five spice flavor paired well with the other ingredients in the stuffing.

Noodles with Black Bean Sauce - Not good. Sauce was not very savory and didn't taste black bean-y. Noodles were mushy and gross. Skip this.

Egg Puffs (Sah Yong) - Freshly fried and really delicious. They were light, airy, and full of eggy goodness. If I had to complain about something, it's that instead of surrounding the donuts in sugar, it's just poured all on top of the donuts. I just rolled the donut around to get the...

Alright, fellow foodies just got back fresh off a culinary reconnaissance mission to Dumpling Kitchen.

First off, the ambiance. It's not exactly a Michelin-starred palace, nor does it pretend to be. It's got that comfortable, bustling, slightly chaotic charm that screams "authentic." You know the drill: brisk service with the faint, comforting aroma of steamed dough and savory fillings. My kind of place, frankly. No pretense, just promise.

Now, onto the main event: the dumplings. I opted for a diverse selection, because one simply must conduct a thorough investigation. The Pan-Fried Pork and Chive Dumplings arrived first, glistening like little golden nuggets of joy with the kind of crunch that makes you pause, nod knowingly, and then immediately reach for another.

I also ventured into the Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) territory. Ah, the delicate dance of slurping the hot, savory broth without scalding oneself! These were satisfying. The broth was rich, the pork filling tender. They held their integrity well, which, as any XLB connoisseur knows, is half the battle. Not the absolute best I've ever had, but certainly a strong contender that satisfied the craving.

Beyond the dumplings, I enjoyed their Beef Noodle Soup. The broth was deep and comforting, the noodles had a good chew, and the beef was tender. It's a solid choice if you're looking for something beyond just dumplings, a warm hug in a bowl on a chilly evening.

Dumpling Kitchen is a reliable, no-frills spot that delivers on its namesake. If you're in the mood for well-executed, comforting dumplings that won't break the bank, this is your spot. It's not going to redefine your culinary existence, but it will certainly make your taste buds happy. I'll be back, perhaps to explore more of their noodle offerings, or simply to reacquaint myself with those glorious pan-fried pork and...

Dumpling Kitchen is a hidden gem among the SF Sunset District! Came across this place when finding good restaurants to eat with my friends. We were craving Xiao Long Bao 小籠包, known as the soup dumpling and happen to have found one around the area. Not too long of a wait, since we found that they also do Yelp Waitlist! Keep in mind that this restaurant only accepts debit card or cash unfortunately but luckily most people carry a debit card at least! Great to support a family owned business!

My friends and I ordered the A1. Xiao Long Bao that came with 10 soup dumplings. Definitely recommend dipping the soup dumplings in vinegar and a little soy sauce if you like a little base to the vinegar. We also ordered the Shanghai Chow Mein and the Pea Sprout Veggies, a classic Chinese vegetable dish that goes great with Xiao Long Baos. Xiao Long Baos were delicious as you pop them into your mouth and the flavor and soup explode inside with the tender meat wrapped up as a surprise. The Shanghai Chow Mein was fantastic since I love noodles and the noodles were thick with chicken and vegetables mixed into it. And finally the Pea Sprout Veggies are a classic vegetable dish to fill up your tummy with savory goodness.

The servers are super friendly and helped suggest popular dishes for us, and speak English, Cantonese Chinese. or Mandarin Chinese. Price was super affordable and cheap! I’ll definitely come back with family and friends to support this local...