The staff is rude. The dumplings were tasty but with the service being bad I would go elsewhere. They have a minimum charge to put on credit cards which is not clearly displayed anywhere.
(2)
R. M.
The xaio long bao are good... not significantly better or worse than any other restaurant in Chinatown. The service here is terrible: rude and unfriendly. I will not return. Anyone looking for good Taiwanese food should just go to Taiwan Cafe.
(2)
K C.
Average Chinese food. Indifferent wait staff that seems more bothered you are asking about the food than happy they have patronage. Excellent juicy pork dumplings! Everything else was bland. The beef itch hot sauce was watery and the General Gau chicken had a thick, pasty sauce on it. The shanghai noodles were pretty good. With so many options of delicious restaurants in this city, I wouldn't waste my time with this average food.
(3)
Cobra K.
What do you do your first night in Boston? Eat Taiwanese Dumplings! Rolled off the Orange Line and jumped into Chinatown...Dumpling Cafe was the first place we hit up. We compared menus between here and next door Penang and decided to come here instead. Two orders of soup dumplings, Yang Chow Fried Rice and Chicken Chow Fun later, we were satisfied...all for about 25 bucks too.
(4)
Roni E.
Hands down the closest I have come to Xiao Long Bao like they make back at home. Home meaning the place I go to in Flushing, NY (They have THE BEST XLB where they have the ladies behind the glass making them fresh by hand, mixing up the dough for the skin, packing the dumplings up with the meat, and steaming them right before your very eyes! And I won't tell you where that is since the line is already long enough!) However, I digress. I'd say Dumpling Cafe has gotten this down to about 97% match to what I grew up eating every weekend and what I crave whenever I go home. The dough consistency and flavor are right on par. My only 3% complaint is that the size can be increased a smidge to allow a bit more soupy goodness on the inside. While the XLB were fantastic, the service is definitely sub par. Somehow my table became the dumping ground for their tea pots whenever they walked by. And I literally sat at my table for a good 20 min. before someone acknowledged me despite them dumping teapots every 2 sec. on my table but not looking at me or seeing that I'm trying to get their attention. The best part was that since I knew I was going to be having XLB, I had ordered it as soon as they acknowledged me 'cause who knew when the next time I would get any attention, as I waited for my friend to arrive. Much to say the least, another 15 min. went by after my friend arrived, did they take our order. After about another 30 min, we ended up receiving all the other food ordered but still no sign of XLB, mind you it was the first thing ordered and it was the last thing on the table, over an hour after it was ordered. Guess the good thing is that, least I know it's freshly made! So basically what this boils down to is that if you want great service, go elsewhere, but if you want the best XLB around these parts, come here and expect to wait awhile. You better order something else while you wait if you're hungry!
(4)
Helen L.
If I knew their soup dumplings were great, I would've came here instead of the other place down the block! The soup dumplings were moist and filled with soup. The skin was thin but held the soup very well. They even provided a top for the bamboo container to keep your dumplings warm. Very important! There's nothing worse than a cold soup dumplings.
(4)
Alisha T.
I was here a few time because of a recommendation from a friend. Anyways, I loved trying the dumpling. The soup dumpling is the best here , and when you eat it, there's actual soup, it's warm and the wrap isn't too thick or thin so they inside didn't fall out. Also, there's a lunch special which gives you like 3 combination for around 20 bucks and its a great deal and the food is tasty. Next, the service is pretty good. The fact that the place is crowded often, the servers still pay attention to you and come out with your request and order pretty quickly. So I recommend you to try this place. It's a tasty and affordable place.
(5)
Kelsey C.
The word "restaurant" usually indicates a place where food served to customers. Dumpling Cafe is the first restaurant where we sat down at a table, ordered food, sat for ONE HOUR and got only one of the three dishes we ordered. 2 orders of dumplings and one scallion pancake. I can make these things. They don't take that long. To be fair, the table next to us fared much better than we did. They received their food within minutes even though they sat down and ordered 10 minutes after us. It's just a pity they didn't get silverware until their food had gotten cold 15 minutes later. After I became too frustrated to be polite, I was so generously offered the option of cancelling our other orders while still having to pay for the one dish we received. And it wasn't even good. Nothing could make me come here again. I will wait any amount of time in any weather for Gourmet Dumpling House. At least I know I'll get food there.
(1)
Jennifer W.
So...I guess there ARE pretty authentic xiao long baos in Boston. I always thought dumpling cafe and gourmet dumpling house were owned by the same people and had the same food, but oh was I wrong! The baos at Dumpling Care were SO much better, and is pretty similar to the real deal. The only downside was the crab ones really didn't have much crab meat in it, but for 50 cents more than the pork ones I guess you can't really expect much. We also got the spicy fish and that was really good too, a good amount of fish filet and spicy enough. You can't ever expect service in Chinatown to be friendly, but our food came out quick, they were decently friendly for Chinatown standards. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Michael D.
SO this wasn't my first choice to go to yesterday night, but at 1:55am after a night of drunken shenanigans, i didn't want to walk far and this place had a flashing open sign. I was sold. Here's what we got: $5.95 xiao long bao (dumplings with soup inside of em- yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) SO i can't be a solid judge of these just yet cause I haven't had too many of em in my life. BUT, I personally thought these were pretty good. The dumplings were steamed to the point they seemed to the point of almost being wontons, but the filling and the soup inside were tastyyy. I'm a fan. Now I just need to go over to Gourmet Dumps to compare... $6.95 Seafood Fried Rice ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) which surprisingly wasn't covered in soy sauce. It was light and seasoned with salt. OH and it was the first fried rice I've ever had that had calamari in em.. interesting. $6.95 Beef Roll aka Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) This wasn't anything special. I've had much better versions of it at other places. Roast beef was bland, and the scallion pancakes were standard. Not bad, but not good either. OVERALL, I'd come here if you're wasted, got the munchies, and are RIGHT next to it, but other than that, I probably wouldn't make the trek over here. There are so many better options in chinatown!
(3)
Bruce L.
One of the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston! Have quite a bit of varieties and at affordable price! I cannot imagine anywhere else in Boston you can get better service and food than this!
(5)
Danny F.
Dumpling Cafe is my default go-to in Chinatown. Period. The juicy dumplings here are indeed very fine, although not the best in town - that honor goes to Shanghai Gate in Allston. Regardless, they are the best in Chinatown, and everything else that comes out of the kitchen reminds me of home, i.e. Taiwan. In addition to the dumplings, I almost always end up ordering the pork chop over rice (amazeballs) and a green veggie. There's another restaurant in Chinatown that pretends to be Taiwanese, but Dumpling Cafe is the real deal.
(4)
Jerry K.
great food I always get the Taiwan style chicken strips with basil and mini juicy buns with pork (soup dumplings).
(5)
Josephine L.
All right, Bostonians: FORGET Gourmet Dumpling House. Seriously. The emperor has no clothes. Or in this case, the xiao long baos have no soup. Don't get sucked into the hype and wait 30 min in the freezing cold to eat at GDH. I don't care if they're related, owned by the same people or lifelong rivals fighting to the bitter end. Just go to Dumpling Cafe instead. It's closer to the T and so much better. Why: Bigger, cleaner, friendlier. Nicer interior, more organized staff, no disgusting earwigs/other bugs crawling around. Oh, and food is superior. The XLBs are much juicier (soupier?) and they hold back on the scallions/ginger enough to let the pork and crab flavor really shine through. The Asparagus with Beef in Sa-Cha (Satay) Sauce is delicious. Though it's really just stiry-fry, they manage to make the beef so incredibly tender. The beef noodle soup still isn't my ideal (a strange sweet aftertaste that I chalk up to too much sugar in the red roast), but it's still better than GDH's. It's of the more healthy, broth-like beef noodle soup variety rather than the greasy, thick, spicy kind. The unconventional item to get for those of you who want to be different is the spicy beef with longhorn peppers noodle soup. This also comes as a stir-fry dish, which I've also had, but I strongly recommend the noodle soup version. On a cold, chilly day, there is literally nothing else on the menu that will warm you up faster than this piquant bowl of hot, delicious broth, thick noodles, tender beef strips and abundant pepper shoots. In conclusion: Come here!
(5)
Sean M.
Among my work compatriots that hail from Mainland China, this is pretty much their #1 Chinatown restaurant. It is possible to order badly here, and if you have an American Chinese food bias go to PF Changs or that disaster on route 1N. If you are a Cantonese, fan, there are plenty of fine choices but this may disappoint. The name is not what this about, and as mentioned the Chinese name doesn't mean that see prior post. Still try the Taiwanese (mini-rolled soft taco-shaped) dumplings. They also have the best Xiao Long Bao in Chinatown. * chitlins/offal, mustard greens, this is what this place is about. * casseroles/clay pot stews, soups. * go early, with at least 3 people and get the 3 entree deal.
(5)
Cornelia M.
I've been here a couple of times and I can honestly say that they have pretty good food here. I love the soup dumplings they are just so tasty! From what I understand though this is the more touristy place and there's another place that everyone goes to that is better. I don't know the name of that place but I can say come here and get a beer with some soup dumplings! You can't go wrong!
(4)
Lynn C.
The little sister of Gourmet Dumpling House also seems to have smaller portions. The same dish we would get at Gourmet Dumpling would be approximately the same price, but at GD it's a gigantic Chinese plate, while at Dumpling Cafe, it's a little tiny rectangular western plate. The food quality...I think I prefer Gourmet Dumpling too. Perhaps it has to do with the older Wok or the atmosphere, but for some reasons I find Dumpling Cafe to lack in the same aromatic and flavourfulness in its dishes. Don't get me wrong, the food at Dumpling Cafe is good, just not AS good. In the end, it's really about what you're looking for. The Dumpling Cafe is cleaner, prettier, bigger, a lot more westernized, but I think I prefer to eat in a greasier, aromatic cramped restaurant like the original gourmet dumpling house.
(4)
Carol W.
I came back here with family last week and enjoyed a nice late lunch. We ordered the scallion pie, crab and pork soup dumplings, salt and pepper soft shell crab, Sichuan spicy fish, and seafood udon noodles cooked in sacha sauce. I was impressed with the presentation of the Sichuan spicy fish as it came out with it's own flame plate to keep the dish hot. The only thing that I really didn't care for was the scallion pie as it was really thick and had very little scallion in it! What surprised me the most about this place was the very attentive service. At most Chinatown establishments, the service is mediocre, but on that afternoon, our waitress was on top of everything and even the owner took notice of us in helping to set up the table for our two babies. I made sure to leave a nice tip which the owner noticed as well.
(3)
Dyan K.
Great, cheap, Chinatown food. The Xiao long bao are the best I've had in Chinatown, better than gourmet dumpling house. The soup is tasty, even bordering on too salty, and the skin is thick, but they are delicious. I've also had braised fish here, which for around $16 I think was a great deal for a whole big fish. The fried rice cakes, nian gao, were good and cheap. I wasn't wild about the fried beef dumplings. They were good, but the other things I've had are much better. I definitely recommend coming here for a quick Chinese food fix. It's pretty clean, the service is passable, but the food tastes like home!
(4)
River L.
The food is OK but the service is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After we sat down and made our orders to a waiter, another waitress came by and asked us to change seats very impolitely. So we moved to another table per her request. However, she asked us to order again. We thought it was ridiculous and refused to order again. Then she appeared very angry and rolled her eyes. Come on. We didn't do anything wrong, OK?
(1)
Mark K.
This place is totally sucks. Noodles are tasteless and waitresses are just so rude. They would boldly and loudly talking about tips when you are done with meals. I'd recommend to stay away from this place
(1)
Nicole R.
While walking through China Town we stumbled upon the Dumpling cafe. The food is just ok, and the services is pretty lack luster. We sat at a table for four (only two in our party) then they sat a couple we didn't know next to us shortly after we were seated. A little odd. Staff is unfriendly and a bit abrasive. With the amount of restaurants around i'll be sure to keep on moving next time.
(2)
Doris K.
Really great dumplings with average main dishes. We had almost every dumpling that we could get our hands on in this place - from the pork and leak to the xiao long bao. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more variety of dumplings but what they did have was good. I really liked the thin skin of all the dumplings and the meaty insides. We also ordered the Szechuan fish stew which lacked flavor - Gourmet's is better. There was also an order of pan fried noodles with vegetables which I didn't care for...I wasn't the one who ordered it either (^_^). At around $6 for 6 dumplings the price seems a little steep but it's better than having to make these things at home by myself.
(4)
Loren S.
I read about Dumpling Cafe from a food blog called SeriousEats.com and had to give it a try on my recent trip to Boston. Here in Austin we don't have many dumpling houses so I was excited to get some chopsticks around a warms savory vegetable dumpling. My boyfriend and I also ordered the scallion pancake and a tofu and vegetable stir fry. All three dished were really good and hit the spot after a long day of sight seeing around Boston.
(3)
KoreanSoup S.
Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are good here. 4 stars Shui Jiao not so good. They taste like they came from my freezer. 2 1/2 stars. Overall 3 stars. but very happy to have another xiao long bao in the city!
(3)
Harry H.
Stopped in for dinner on a fall weekend and we were quoted a 10-minute wait, which quickly grew to nearly a half-hour as we waited outside amidst an Elizabeth Warren rally. We were seated and asked on three separate, not-far-apart occasions if we were ready to order - we still weren't, and the constant interruptions didn't help. We came here on the recommendation of a Chinatown resident so I don't knew it the tip was skewed White, but I tried to right that ship with an order of a few apps (preserved egg & chilled tofu, chilled jelly fish, grilled anchovies Taiwanese style), salt & pepper calamari, and some seafood dumplings. Received no preserved egg with my chilled tofu though the dish I did get was pretty good, albeit aggressively seasoned to the point of overpowering the dish. Liked the dumplings dipped in the sauce but to a level nowhere near approaching the point of them being eponymous. The rest of the apps were solid, though enjoyed without tea since the first refill a minute after we sat down. Service on the whole was brusque at best as we sat at the table abutting the fish tank and we were rushed out the door to turn the table. A pretty substantial amount of satisfying food, but not sure the addictive and nicely peppered calamari dish can really warrant the $79.13 pre-tax for three.
(3)
Katrina W.
Simply the Bomb!! Best whole in the wall noodle/dumplings cafes I've been to, which says a lot cuz I'm Asian.
(5)
K T.
Their Mini Juicy Bun with Pork is the best in town! If you don't mind of your fat in take, their gill chicken skin Teriyaki is also surprisingly tasty. Their lunch special is a great deal too, include a course, rice and soup. What more can you ask for!
(3)
Ida C.
I didn't try Dumpling Cafe for the longest time after it opened because the giant photos of the food decorating the wall outside made it look kind of like a cheap diner. Also having memories of when that area was part of the Combat Zone didn't help either. However, after walking in, I realized it's actually quite nice inside and wouldn't mind having a birthday or graduation dinner party there. Since Dumpling Cafe is a Taiwanese restaurant, I generally try order typical Taiwan-style dishes. While I've only made my way through a small sampling of their menu so far, I have tried and really liked C4 Roast beef with Scallion Pancake (a "Chinese burrito" as my friend calls it), M8 Taiwan Style Eggplant, and A3 Fried Stinky Tofu which is possibly the best stinky tofu in Boston. The picked vegetables and the sauce they serve with it make the whole dish more than the sum of its gloriously vinegary, sweet, salty, and stinky parts. But the real star of the menu has to be the Mini Juicy Buns aka "xiaolongbao" (C12 or C11 for versions with and without crab meat). Thin wrappers that don't break spill the delicious juicy porky innards!--a hallmark of a great xiaolongbao and definitely the best I've ever tried in the Boston area. Every time I go to Dumpling Cafe, I see each and every table order a basket or two or six (not kidding at all!) of these. They provide metal tongs to pick up the xiaolongbao, but don't try to grab the buns by the base or middle because the "teeth" on the tongs will pierce through the skin there. Instead, grab it by the thick topknot--trust me, it will support the entire weight and the buns will not break. It's kind of like magic sometimes. While the xiaolongbao are enough of a reason for me to go--and I can't imagining not ordering them while there--there have been a few misses in the menu. A4 Chilled Chicken with Chinese Herbal and Wine Sauce tastes and smells strongly of wine and little else. B10 Grilled duck tongues (we were curious, darnit!) was mostly flavorless bony meat with a little bit of bottled teriyaki sauce brushed on top. I've also tried N15 Szechuan Style Flounder which is a direct competitor to the popular dish from Gourmet Dumpling House. Dumpling Cafe's version is larger and currently a dollar cheaper and also comes served in a dramatically bubbling cauldron over a tiny Sterno flame. But I still think Gourmet Dumpling House's version tastes better a bit better. However, Dumpling Cafe's xiaolongbao beats the ones from Gourmet Dumpling House by a large margin. I'm really so glad I tried this restaurant and can't wait to see if I can uncover any more gems in their menu.
(4)
Ann G.
A great, affordable meal every time with fresh ingredients. I love that they are open until 2am. For an excellent meal, order the mini juicy buns with pork, the pork and leek dumplings, and the Szechuan style flounder.
(4)
Steve N.
went here yesterday around 3pm. the space is nice, new and clean. i understood what some people were saying about the slant to the floor but we were seated in the back half so it wasn't even noticeable. we started with the grilled duck tongues, chicken skin and chicken meatballs. the chicken skin while having a good flavor was pretty flabby with no discernible char, ask for this one to be Well Done. the duck tongues were OK but rather small. Taiwan Cafe's duck tongues are much larger and plumper making for a greater meat to cartilage/bone ratio. the meatballs were decent but would of benefited from some type of dipping sauce. for dumplings we got the juicy pork with crab, the beef with chive and the pork. all were very good but the juicy dumplings (aka XLB) arrived with most already being punctured which is one reason why i like my XLB with a thicker skin than most, i think Taiwan Cafe's are Spot-On. we also got the beef with long horn peppers and while packing a bit more heat than Taiwan Cafe's didn't have the level of flavor. an order of watercress with garlic was just OK. the greens went dull green rather quickly and the whole dish could of used a shot of vinegar or at least some salt. the rice was serviceable. we'll definitely be back to explore the menu a bit as it's pretty large.
(3)
Amit A.
This place is open till 2AM, we got in around 12, I think haha..We ordered a noodle plate with tofu and vegetable dumplings. If you are vegetarian you'll have a few options to choose from. Nothing more to say about this place, its ok, nothing great
(2)
Juan S.
The decor is nice and not overwhelming, it doesn't try to distract you from your food or the people you are eating with. As my friends and I looked at the menu and went around suggesting to each other what to get my friends realized that I had never EVER had soup dumplings. SO we ordered them. We did order other things, and to be perfectly honest with you I have no idea what they were, I ate them and I enjoyed every last dish. But I have no recollection as to what they were. Once I tried the soup dumplings everything else was meaningless. to me. Don't get me wrong the other dishes were great too, but man these soup dumplings were delicious enough to run off with the whole dish for yourself and not share. The "shell" or the dumpling part, is nice and soft. and once you open the dumpling up and put in some ginger and sauce, you suck the juices out of it before you hog down that mouth watering dumpling. The filling is obviously soupy, with a sweet and sour taste. The sauce that you add is a bit vinegry(probably because it is vinegar),but not overwhelming. After this day I went on a spree of trying out other soup dumplings. I have only tried a couple more, and I have to say I keep coming back to this place, Dumpling Cafe, to eat them here.
(5)
Annie C.
Meh. I've had better. ...And better is about 2 blocks away. (Go here: Gourmet Dumpling House). FOOD: If you're going to a place called Dumpling Cafe, I would assume that you want some dumplings. While this place has a small assortment of dumplings, none are particularly stellar. The shaolin bao are too heavy (even when they are freshly made) and the skin tastes slightly off (too chewy or maybe too dry?). SERVICE: The service is slightly better (i.e. friendlier) than what you'd expect in Chinatown but it's slow ... which makes the mediocre execution of the food inexcusable.
(2)
Ray A.
Like others I excited to see a new place near me in Chinatown so decided to give it a try. However, I was very underwhelmed with the food -- not sure if it's stuff they'll work out or not, but given the other amazing places I'm unlikely to try again (i.e., I don't think there's any comparison between this and Dumpling House, which has been consistently good the 20-30 times I've eaten there). Of course maybe it was what I chose to order. Had a craving for General Gao's chicken -- the sauce was overly sweet and almost tasted synthetic. Could barely get through it (my favourite chinatown general gao's is chau chau city). Also had sauteed noodles with mixed vegetables. Noodles were overcooked and totally lacked flavor. They had also told me they have broccoli in them but instead had spinach. I thought maybe this would be a creative twist I might like, but it didn't work at all. I also ordered the shrimp skewers and prefer to peel off the skin, legs, etc, but they were almost stuck on making that a cumbersome experience (once done though the shrimp was decent). I actually think it's a one-star but will give it a little benefit of the doubt for being brand new.
(2)
Al A.
Tasty dumplings! Good location. Meh service. Relatively cheap.
(4)
Busy L.
Came here with my Mom for an early lunch after getting back to town at Logan. This is a newer Taiwanese style restaurant in Chinatown and a nice addition. Very similar in style to Taiwan Cafe. Food was very good. My mom loves dumplings and says the steamed dumpling with the soup inside (forgot what they're called) are the best in Boston and better than the ones she's had in NYC or China.
(4)
Helen S.
We LOVE Dumpling Cafe...and even that might be an understatement. The food is extremly affordable and always delicious, especially the juicy pork buns, which they are known for especially (and the beef teriyaki skewers are fantastic!!) There is usually a wait, but it moves fast and it 100% worth it, and the waitstaff is also very nice and accomodating, considering how busy they are. We have been there many times, and have no complaints!
(5)
Rob E.
Came here for the first time for takeout. They only give 6 dumplings and they were only ok. The hot and sour soup was only ok as well. Also, the girl gave me the wrong dish in my takeout bag. I think the dumplings and hot and sour soup are better at gourmet dumpling house.
(2)
Lala L.
I really like their steamed dumplings....too bad the service is horrible. It's about one of the better place to get the xiao lung baos in Boston. Yummy steamy dumplings with pork filling wrapped with wicked thin dough, bursting with the broth when you bite into it. yum-O. (try not to burn yourself).
(3)
Sweet T.
This review is strictly for their soup dumplings. After a late night and obviously unfruitful search for char siu bao, we came here and ordered some dumplings to go. Waiting for the T at Boylston and too hungry to wait, my boyfriend and I dug in and immediately regretted not buying more! These things are delicious, filled with a tasty broth and a small but satisfying meatball. Will be back for more.
(5)
Jordana S.
I lived in Taiwan a few years back and really missed xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. The xiao long bao are the real deal, and the guotie (half fried, half steamed dumplings) and tsong you bing (scallion pancake) are also excellent, and very authentic. We tried to order our favorite chicken dish, la tze ji din (pan fried spicy cubed chicken with dried hot peppers), which was not on the menu but when we asked the waitress assured they had, but what ended up on our table was in fact gong pao ji din (kung pao chicken). That said, it was still very good, as was the yangzhou fried rice, which is white and fluffy and not brown and greasy like you usually get at Chinese restaurants. But really, order the xiao long bao, they're amazing.
(5)
Tim W.
This place is just okay. The dumplings are average. Compared to other soup dumplings, Dumpling Cafe's were extremely fatty. Actually all the food we had was extremely fatty. The noodle soup we ordered literally congealed after sitting there for a couple of minutes. The soup dumplings had balls of fat drip out if they were not eaten immediately. However, it did have good flavors. Like I said, this place is just okay. Nothing to wait in line for though. Worth a trip but not a return.
(3)
H T.
Food is equivalently good to Gourmet Dumpling House on Beach St in Chinatown. If you're looking for a bit more of an authentic taste of Chinese food, you'd come here. The space is very small. The general services provided by the waiters and waitresses are not very good and it's very typical in most Asian restaurants. This restaurant is not very creative in terms of their business name as well as the dishes they served (including the dish name on the menus). All the dishes I can get at their place is all available at Gourmet Dumpling House. Regardless, the food tastes good for those who like to experience more authentic Chinese dishes.
(3)
Courtney T.
This place gets some serious points in my book because we stumbled in past closing time (after 2am on Thursday), but the place was still full and we were graciously seated. I got the seafood dumplings which were ok (I think I prefer pork ones) but my bf got the flat noodles with beef and it was SOOO GOOD. The beef was cooked really nicely, a little on the rare side, tossed with scallions, bean sprouts, and those amazing flat noodles that are so good for soaking up booze. Super cheap too. Thumbs up.
(4)
Dave O.
Really good chinese in Boston's Chinatown. Try the stir fried beef with Chinese Long peppers. The juicy mini pork dumplings were fabulous. Service is slow as expected in Chinatown. Reasonab;y priced and a fun atmosphere. I would recommend over many other Chinatown spots.
(4)
Katherine D.
This is your typical Chinatown restaurant in that the service is essentially horrible. You'll be asked what you want, maybe you'll get water, maybe you'll get courses one by one, or all together, maybe you'll get the check while you're eating, and maybe you won't get it until 15 minutes after you've been done with your food. That being said this place is worth a trip. The food far outweighs the minor annoyance of inconsistent service. The mini juicy pork buns are outstanding. The noodle soups are so outrageously priced it is ridiculous. For $5-$7 you can get an enormous amount of food. The lunch rush is busy, but you'll be in and out quickly enough. I also appreciate that the tea is served in a nice big mug instead of the common tiny little thimbles you get other places.
(4)
Mk E.
I'm a huge Dumpling Cafe fan. We always seem to arrive just before a big rush, so we've never had to wait for a table (knock wood). Service is curt but very prompt, and the food is incredibly delicious, comes out quickly, and won't break the bank. Perfect pre-movie dinner spot. We recommend the roasted duck buns and the stir fried pork with mustard greens noodle dish. Spring rolls come out hotter than hades. In general, we recommend fried over steamed if you have the choice on dumplings; the steamed ones are a little limp. Oh, and use your spoon to eat the mini juicy pork dumplings--don't waste that delicious broth!
(4)
Yuan W.
From the outside, Dumpling Cafe isn't much to look at, but it's one of those hole-in-the-wall places that I'd consider a gem in the Boston Taiwanese/Chinese food scene. In the context of Chinese food in Boston, which is pretty mediocre, I'd give this place 5 stars. Here's why: -Soup dumplings are authentic and delicious. The dumpling skin is delicate and thin, the meat is seasoned nicely and the soup is plentiful and flavorful. They offer pork and pork + crab meat. I prefer the pork on its own. -Pork intestine hot pot. If you're an adventurous diner, try this item from their specials menu. It's chewy and flavorful, and also quite authentic. Don't be intimidated by the main ingredient, it's a tasty dish! -Steamed flounder. I love Chinese steamed fish. You don't get steamed fish often (or at all) in Western restaurants. It's lighter and can be less greasy, yet has bolder flavors. -Taiwanese lu rou fan (minced pork rice) is pretty authentic, although I'd say it's better at JoJo Taipei. -Great service. The waiters came by frequently to refill our teacups and make sure we didn't need anything. That's rare in Chinese places! I like this place better than JoJo Taipei. It has a similar selection of dishes but is MUCH less greasy and has better service. Don't be intimidated if you see a line, the wait is actually pretty short. Go there!
(5)
Tara Z.
Soooo I have spent many an evening at Gourmet Dumpling House, and I certainly don't regret it.....but I think that Dumpling Cafe takes the cake for me as far as Chinatown restaurants go. It is nicer inside than GDH, you can make a reservation which is a nice luxury, they serve food until 1am, and the staff doesn't rush you out (Taiwan cafe anyone??) As everyone else has stated, I will agree that their soup dumplings are the best by far. The pan-fried pork and leek are amazing as well. Definitely don't skip the Szechwan flounder. Beef with longhorn peppers are a staple with my order. And the fresh oranges at the end are just a bonus! I am reluctant to share this secret, considering I have never had to wait for a table - unlike at GDH with a line out the door - but I think Dumpling Cafe is a total upgrade!
(5)
Brian D.
I was introduced to this place by a coworker a few months ago and I have NEVER looked back... I've been the Xian, China where the dumpling was INVENTED and the soup dumplings here are legitimately on that same caliber. Most everything here on the menu is quite good, and respectable as a Taiwanese restaurant. Lots of hot and spicy items to also get your hands on as well, including the beef and long horn pepper, another great staple. I'm looking forward to the next time I pop in this place and/or convince my buds to head down to chinatown for some grub. Dumplings here, although not as in variety, are much better in my opinion than Gourmet Dumpling House over on Beach St.
(5)
King A.
Our go-to place for soup dumplings ... we've ordered a few other dishes, but mostly we just order their soup dumplings. Lots and lots of soup dumplings. The other stuff we can get elsewhere, but we drive here specifically to get soup dumplings, and they are good. Right up there with Joes' Shanghai in NY (prefer the one in Flushing but the one in Chinatown NYC is good too).
(5)
YNOT S.
Went there for lunch today and it was horrible, both the food and the service - I ordered the Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style as appetizer and the Taiwan Style Rice Cake w. Veggies & Pork. Well, the fish took forever to arrive after the rice cake arrived first. And one bite, it's so salty as if the chef knocked over the salt jar into the dish - I told the waitress but she kept explaining that it's the dish's style, supposed to be salty! Yeah right! What am I gonna do when I was in a hurry? So I thought maybe I should just ask for a bowl of rice and use that rice cake as a side dish? Then the fish came in, and only two, it's not BBQed, nor baked - prob deep fried - but that's fine, right? Then I opened the fish, wow, the fish's internal stuff all there! Never cleaned? luckily I can cut the meat part off the fish. Hardly any flavor - but I am ready to leave, so I asked the check. Oh, they even charge me for the bowl of hard chew rice I asked - when I told the lady about the salty dish and why I asked the rice, she started to blame on the waitress saying that "she can't just give you a bowl of rice, if the dish is salty, you should say so and get it re-cooked!" Actually I thought about that but I was afraid to ask to be "recooked". How? Running under the faucet to remove the salt? Or mix some dirt since I am asking for less salty? Did I say I was in a hurry? I feel bad for the waitress because it sounds like she might be in trouble later as well. So I guess I will let it go and leave $0 for tip - and now you know... and it comes up to $18. I am sure my dinner ill be much better. Of course, never this place ever again.
(1)
Erin C.
Not everything here is a good but this is our go to place in Chinatown because Gourmet Dumpling House is usually absurdly crowded and the soup dumplings here are just as good. We usually order: - Hot and Sour soup (the best, most-well-balanced in Chinatown) - Soup dumplings - Stir-fried peapod stems - Three cup chicken (classic dish! chicken with bones and skin-on stir fried with tons of leeks, covered in a delicious sauce of oil, soy sauce, and chinese cooking wine. it's super simple but they do a good job here) - Sometimes we get the pot stickers or eggplant in garlic sauce I can't vouch for dishes not on this list so if you decide to strike out and order something different, don't blame me if it's a one star dish! Warning: the food here is actually very greasy but the bountiful amount of peanut oil also makes it tasty!
(4)
Adam E.
When I found myself in need of an appetizer-sized meal in the Theater District, I hoofed it over to Dumpling Cafe for a good, cheap snack. Knowing that when you go to a place named after a certain dish you have to eat that dish, I somehow managed to pass on my desire to order one of the other apps. This was tough, since I was hankering equally for some Chilled Jellyfish with Garlic, Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines and Fried Stinky Tofu (with pickle). So I got the Taiwan-style dumplings, which were just what I hoped they'd be. Pan fried pork dumplings that were juicy, with a perfect wrapper to meat ratio. The dipping sauce didn't blow my mind, but the dumplings were fantastic even without the sauce. I didn't stay to dine in, I just ate these dumplings while I walked, like an animal. So I can't comment on the service or ambiance, but I can certainly tell you that I'd eat these dumplings every day if I could. Like an animal.
(4)
Sarah D.
I like this place so much that it has made me pretty lazy. If I'm anywhere in the area without solid dinner plans, I get all "Yup. Dumpling Cafe. Let's do this." True to their name, they sling some excellent dumplings. Pork juicy buns or whatever they want to call them. I mean I can never say "no" to juicy buns, so there's no reason to start now. That shoot is delicious. I've tried so many things at this point and have tried them when I was so many drunk that I have a hard time remembering specifics, but I do know for sure that the Szechuan White Fish or whatever it's called on the menu is just the right kind of spicy and is super delicious. The frog with chives is full of bones but is also really chivey and awesome. The General Gau's Tofu is, like, shockingly good (don't be hatin'; I didn't order it. But I did like it.) While we're sharing, I will admit that I wasn't too keen on the duck tongues, but I think that's mostly because duck tongues were not expressly created to be eaten by me. Lesson learned. I think this Yelp listing might still say they don't serve beer, but that is false. I have definitely ordered and received beer in this establishment. I may also have harassed some Northeastern students in the waiting area about "nose replacement surgery" a few months ago with the help* of my younger brother. Sorry, guys. Anyway. Eat here. Really. *not very helpful, it turns out
(5)
constantconsumer c.
We got here on a Wednesday morning at 11:30 for lunch and surprise surprise, it had plenty of tables. The next rime, we got here at 12:45 on a Tuesday afternoon and also plenty of tables. I noticed that they try to pack the tables in as close as possible and since the last time I was here, I noticed that 4 tables are now pushed together so that you are dining with another group right next to you. The sauteed watercress was delicious, the yeung chow fried rice was good with the exception of the very very very chewy squid which tjey should have just omitted. The crab and pork xiao long baos were very thin skinned, on a scale of 1-5, i would give it a 4.5 it was thinner than the first time i was here. The taste was great too, i give it a 4 (Joe Shanghai happens to top my list). The soupiness (amount of liquid inside the dumpling) is a 5. It was perfect! The texture of the meat (tender vs chewy or had) is a 4.5. The only thing i didn't like was the dipping sauce which is more bitter than most.
(4)
Eric F.
Looks like I have a new Xiao Long Bao source in Boston. The meat's very juicy and tender with a thin yet surprisingly durable skin. It has some added texture to it too that I haven't seen in other XLBs that's more than welcome. I'd also recommend the Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines - very light despite the frying and a great balance of crispiness and chewiness. As for the staple Pork & Leek Dumplings, they were nicely done with thin skins and fresh, tender meat. A big step up from the junk at GDH that tastes exactly like it from the frozen section at C-mart. Service? It's a Chinese restaurant...speaks for itself XD Don't expect much and you'll be okay. Quality XLB + dumplings + spacious, clean interior = Win.
(4)
Tammy K.
This place gets four stars for: 1. Being open late and conveniently located near the T 2. Not kicking out my rowdy group of friends 3. Having delicious soup dumplings 4. Never having a wait (unlike a similarly named dumpling place in C-Town). 4.5. Having super fast take-out (food is out within 5-10 minutes of ordering)
(4)
Mary S.
The juicy buns with pork and the roasted duck buns are the greatest! But I gave them 5 stars to counteract the reviewers who complained about the service. Those people obviously went to the Dumpling Cafe in an alternate universe- not the one i've been to at least 50 times!!! I live hours away, but come to Boston often on business, and ALWAYS go there for either lunch or dinner. After I'd been going there for a while, several of the servers began to recognize me, remembered I'm vegetarian; and if I missed a week would say "Hey...where you been?" A number of times, they've sent special instructions to the kitchen for me. Even the servers whose english isn't great are happy to try to explain unusual ingredients to me. I don't speak Chinese, and I'm not a huge tipper....these folks are just NICE! Don't pay attention to the cranky reviews. Go. Eat juicy buns. Smile. You'll love it!
(5)
David C.
I don't usually give five star reviews, but thinking about lunch here today, I can't realistically think of a way it could have been better. Two families of three, came more or less on a whim, the place was basically packed but we were seated right away at a round table. We ordered the mini juicy dumplings, pork and leek dumplings, vegetable dumplings, Gen Tso's tofu, scallion pancakes, I think that's it. Oh, and people had egg drop and hot-and-sour soups. Service was friendly and fast. Everything was tasty and fresh; the tofu in particular was the perfect degree of silky softness inside with a nice crunchy skin. All the various kinds of dumplings were good, and our vegetarian was happy with the veggie things. The bill was very reasonable, and the server had no trouble splitting it across two credit cards. Five stars, hope to eat at again soon. :)
(5)
Samuel F.
Heck yeah dumplings! Juicy buns (soup-filled dumplings), scallion pancake, bitter mellon with garlic, huge bowls of spicy noodle soup! Bubble tea, too! Nothing that fancy, but it's just good stuff. I love the food at this place enough that I'd probably give it five stars regardless of spotty service. But the service, in my experience, has been fine. Great place to go after a movie at the Boston Common AMC.
(5)
Chris C.
Thick and tough soup dumplings (called "small juicy dumplings" here) and ok food otherwise. Nothing special though our server was sweet and efficient, we were really annoyed to have been asked to give up our table only moments after paying because other customers were waiting..
(2)
Sherry T.
the dumpling is greatï¼but the service is "ok" not warm at all,feel want to finish the food quickly.
(4)
R M.
The dumplings were good, the rest of the food was fine, but service was TERRIBLE!
(2)
Vivian C.
I was eager to try Dumpling Cafe's version of the iconic Chinese dumpling - mini steamed buns with pork ($5.95 for 6), also known as XLB or xiao long bao or soup dumplings. Fortunately my lunch buddy was up for it. I've ordered this before at Taiwan Cafe and at Gourmet Dumpling House (and outside of Chinatown, Jo Jo TaiPei), but had read on Yelp that Dumpling Cafe's was thinner skinned and so much better... and it was indeed! Thinner dumpling skin (although a little pudgy where the skin was gathered on top) with tender juicy meat inside... it was very good! Taiwan Style Sauteed Rice Cake w/Veggies $6.25 had rice cakes with a nice chew and a tasty sauce. The mentioned veggies were sort of disappointing however, consisting solely of bean sprouts and green onions. On a previous visit, I had tried their Roast Beef Scallion Pancake $6.95 (tough to make a BAD version of this; theirs was tasty, but not as good as Jo Jo's), Beef Stew Noodle Soup with Spinach $5.95 (okay), and Sautee Scallop with Mango $15.95 (spicy, even though it wasn't marked spicy), and wasn't impressed. This second visit was much better. Can be slippery in the single person bathrooms off to the side from the kitchen, so be careful. (The gratis peanuts disappeared after my first visit.) *** 2/2012 visit *** It was quite busy here for lunch on a Friday, so of course I was willing to sit at the long table down the middle of the room with a bunch of other parties. Everything my friend selected for us was quite tasty and made for a satisfying meal for 2: . Mini Juicy Buns with Pork (6) $6.25 (take out menu lists $5.95) . Taiwan Style Grilled Chicken Leg $5.95 . Pan Fried Noodles with Mixed Vegetables $6.95 (take out menu lists $6.50) *** 12/2012 visit *** The rice cake dish was a bit too salty this time around, and the soup dumplings were still yummy, but I really liked the salt & pepper fried chicken (was that the Crispy Chicken Strips Taiwan Style $5.95 from the Appetizer section?... yes, someone else ordered for the table...) with its fried julienned chicken bits with the fried basil leaves. *** 7/2013 visit *** On this visit, I favored the Sa Cha Beef Vegetable Noodle $7.25. *** 5/2014 visit *** Tried the stewed pork over rice $3.95 which came with a soy egg - good filler to go with the appetizers we ordered. We didn't want too thick a noodle, so we opted for the Taiwanese noodles in the Braised Beef Brisket Noodles Soup with Spinach $6.95 which one DC claims is the best noodle option for the noodle soup. *** 10/2014 visit *** We vegged out on a set of Combination of Three special combinations for $21.95 (normally $7.75 each) which came with rice and soup - #48 Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable, #53 Chinese Zucchini with Garlic, and #57 Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant. Each was great. And #53 was my formal introduction to the vegetable Luffa which I had curiously read on menus in the past but had never recognized it as Chinese Zucchini, or as a vegetable that my mom's prepared before. It was crisp, yet silky, and the simple garlic sauce was more than the sum of its parts. Then arrived our meaty appetizers - the Mini Juicy Buns with Pork $6.95 and the Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake $7.25. Yup, an enjoyable meal. Only thing was their refusal to honor the 10% off coupon I had snipped out of my Boston Metro because we had ordered off the special combination menu which had scored us a $1.30 discount. No where on the coupon did it state any restrictions outside of a minimum $25 purchase. But I did not put up a fuss - it was Chinatown after all, and a local, non-chain business. *** 11/2014 visit *** An order of their soup dumplings $6.95 (sadly just wet rather than soupy on this visit) and the Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable $7.75 from the Special Combination menu (so it came with rice and soup) was plenty for our two appetites at lunch.
(3)
Rod H.
I love, love the various dumplings in all their iterations! The won ton soup is solid, but a bit bland. The bottomless cups of tea are a hit in my tummy. Stay away from the chilled pig's ear. It is not a tasty dish. Pigs ear is great when it is hot and fried, but is nearly indigestible when it is chilled. I would give this place 5 stars if the servers were a bit more friendly. It is quite hit or miss service wise. On some days they are great, attentive, and prompt. Other days they leave you by yourself forever requiring you to stand up and wave like you are flagging down a bus to get attention.
(4)
Victor W.
We're placed at a set of tables right beside a few strangers. They could have separated our table by a crack to give us a bit of space, but oh well, no real complaints so far. Waitress comes over. "What do you want?" "Do you have any suggestions or specialties?" "You just pick from the menu." I don't expect much service from anything in Chinatown so not a huge deal at this point. They still have the potential for 4 stars. -1 star Our newly laid out chopsticks had some sticky residue on them so I asked for a replacement. No apology, not a word, the waitress just took them. Fine. But then she comes back with a couple of disposable chopsticks. We weren't here for take out. -1 star My tea cup was empty for the entire last 2/3 of our meal, at least half an hour with nobody coming around to refill. -1 star Got the bill. Counted out some cash, half of it in change (hey I have a lot of coins to use up anyway -- let's see what happens). As we stack up the coins in nice piles, the waitress comes by and swaps out bill out with a new one that includes an 18% mandatory gratuity. Hmm, kind of sketchy, but sure, I was going to leave a tip anyway, despite the terrible service, because we had a lot of change that probably would have taken the waitress about 60 seconds to count. Then she says she will not accept the change. I reply that it's legal tender, but I don't think she understands what that means. She leaves and comes back after probably talking with the manager, who I'm guessing ordered the mandatory tip. She says she wants us to count the change in front of her eyes before we leave. Not a very customer-friendly request since cash is cash but I oblige, takes less than a minute anyway. By that point there were 3 waitresses + the manager standing around our table. We left a 15% tip anyway, but there goes.... -2 stars The food was just dandy though. So they get +1, for a total of 1.
(1)
J R.
Food is great and delicious but taiwnese waitresses are the meanest in all of chinatown!!!!! I am not sure if it is because I brought my black friends the resturant. Never gave me a menu. They poured drinks all over the table. They threw the napkins on dishes. And gave the fakest smile when we thanked them. Give taiwainese people such a bad name!!
(1)
Y M.
They made way better dumpling and buns than gourmet dumpling house with thinner dough and very fresh stuffing. I also tried Clams with basil and stir fried pea pod stem with garlic and I found that Clams were fresher here, but the pea pod dish were on the same level as Gourmet which was excellent. I meant to give them 4.5 stars just because their spicy sliced fish Szechuan Style was not as good as Gourmet dumpling house. They offer better value because it has no line, less expensive, a little bit cleaner and not too crowded.
(5)
Jason A.
I understand that when you set foot inside of a restaurant like this, that service is secondary to the product. In other words, I know that the service is going to sh***y and I am okay with that. Even with these low standards, I was impressed by how low they could go at Dumpling Cafe. Boston, be warned, you may actually pop that blood vessel in your head as a result of your dinner here. I think the experience begins and ends with the waiter who, after noticing I left the "Gratuity" portion of my credit card slip blank, looked at me and asked me if I was planning on completing it for him. I'm not sure whether this made me feel more violated than that time that I was bending over on a crowded T and... well that's a story for another day. I let him know that I would be paying the tip with cash. As I left the restaurant with my party, he came running up to the table to count the cash that was left for tip. Couldn't even wait until we were out of sight. He must be saving up for those etiquette classes he enrolled in. Oh, and the food? After reading all of these positive reviews, I figured they would be amazing. I was let down. There are better dumping houses within walking distance, which are much much cheaper.
(1)
Pete J.
I'm going to let you into a Yelp secret. When deciding on any Asian restaurant, every good Yelper is going to read the reviews, that's a given. I want you to go one step further and look for the reviews written by Ambrose C. yelp.com/user_details?us… I have had the good fortune to meet Ambrose a few times at Yelp events, and boy does he know his stuff. Case in point - Dumpling Cafe. I too ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is what everyone here raves about, the soup dumplings. They were excellent. Read the reviews here on how to eat them, that will save you a scalding mouth. Six dumplings served steaming hot! I also ordered Tai Shi Kong Rou, the Taiwanese pork belly, and that had so much flavour. I can't wait to go back for the three entree deal!
(4)
VuAnh N.
They have really good xiao long bao (mini soup dumplings); they're super juicy and the flavor is just right. Oftentimes I've had them at other places in Chinatown, only to be disappointed by the lack of soup or saltiness, but not here! Service isn't that great, but you don't expect much when you come to these kinds of restaurants.
(3)
Theodore Y.
Soup Dumplings = delicious. The skin was a bit thin so they popped even with delicate care. But who cares, i slurped that juice uppp. Taiwan style eggplant = delciousness. Get it. Taiwanese style tofu was ok. Not it's usual bomb-diggitiness. Beef with long-horn pepper. = yummy in the tummy. Sitting next to strangers cuz the restaurant is packed = Elbow wars (i won).
(4)
Jeff H.
This restaurant has excellent, fresh lunch specials 7 days a week. Over 50 items available with rice and soup, and they are really fresh and delicious. These are not just the American Chinese warhorses, but rather a nice selection of authentic Taiwanese dishes. Excellent fresh flavors!
(5)
Eric S.
This place does well since they pretty much ripped off the other place's name in Chinese. I generally come here since the other place is always cramped and crowded. The food here is a mix of different areas of Chinese cuisine, so don't come here looking for anything authentic. Don't get me wrong, the food is decent, but if you're looking for Chinese food from a specific area, go elsewhere.
(3)
Kimmy T.
Went here a few times already, kept on forgetting to leave a review. Mini Juicy Buns : Delish, juicy, bursting of flavor (literally)! be very careful when you get these! The broth inside is extremely hot so do not dive in or else you'll burn your tongue! I like to drown my spoon with the vinegar soy sauce with a little bit of ginger first and plop those bad ass dumplings on top of it. I'd nibble the tip of the dumpling first ( looking like a rabbit of course ^_^ ) , then i'll blow in the tiny hole to cool it down ( get your mind out of the gutter you peerrrvs LOL !) . Cripsy Chicken : crunchy , thin strips of chicken and basil chips? The first thing i went for was the Thai basil, which was deep fried into a chip!!! I like the concept of it! The chicken was pretty good, though i'd prefer it a little be more chunky. It's missing something.. It's a bit too dry all my tongue can taste is the batter.. but not the meat. At one point i was eating a chunk of deep fried yummios batter straight up , like a Bosssss! Which was not cool. Wonton Noodle Soup: Hot water , bland, Uncooked noodles and wontons. Sorry but this was the worst thing i ate today, no flavor what so ever. It taste like something mama dukes would do when she's lazy to cook. Throw in some water let it boil and toss everything in it and SERVE! Yup that's how it tasted like. At least use chicken broth for the soup or something?! Thank you, but i'd go back for the mini juicy buns.
(3)
Myrna C.
After trying out nearby Gourmet Dumpling House, I realized how much more amazing Dumpling Cafe is. Still hands down the best Xiao Long Bao ever (a little on the pricier side but so worth it). We also got the wonton again and the twin lobsters. $19.99 for very fresh lobster cooked with ginger and scallion. Yum yum yum. The shrimp with tofu was also quite delicious. The table next to us ordered this fish dish that looked amazing. We were going to go back the next day to try that but then decided to go somewhere else. Sigh, next time. The service was quite good and my dad also said that they had one of the cleanest bathrooms he had ever seen at a Chinese restaurant (though maybe he was slightly biased having just come back from China). Either way, I highly recommend this place! :)
(5)
Matthew A.
We wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House, but it was hot, and the long was LONG. We took a walk and found Dumpling Cafe. It was cleaner and nicer inside than GDH, but.......... Started with pork and leek dumplings (steamed) so good and fresh. Tea and water was brought out. Never refilled. We got a spicy chicken dish, and a noodle dish, both were good and solid. But the service was borderline rude. The woman that brought the food did not even look at me or responded to me. No eye contact, no come back to say how are things, and no WATER. Sorry but no excuse. There are so many other 3 star or worse restaurants in China Town that have better service that this. Food 4 stars. Atmasphere: 3 Service: 1
(3)
Shang S.
This is not so much a review but more a bookmark - I go here often when Gourmet Dumpling House's line gets too crazy. Soup dumplings here are excellent
(4)
X. K.
My favourite was the braided fish, which arrived after our watercress with satay sauce, mapo tofu, tofu with shrimp, long beans and edamame+ beancurd strips (we love our tofu). We only paid $11/person for a party of 4. Amazing. They gave us green tea and a choice of fried/white rice, and we got an extra bowl of white rice for, I think, no extra charge. Great location too.
(5)
Paulina B.
I've been here a few times with my boyfriend and we absolutely love the soup dumplings! Little pillows of warm goodness. They come in a little bamboo steamer and taste delicious. We order them every single time. This time, we also ordered the mango chicken which was sweet, spicy and flavorful. The mango was ripe and the sauce was well seasoned. All the food they seem to bring out of the kitchen looks good so I'm excited to try new things every time we go. As for the restaurant, I've been here when it is extremely busy and felt really rushed. We got approached by four different waitresses asking if we were ready to order before we even really got settled. The second time we came here, it was much quieter and slow and we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves. The food is tasty and cheap, and who can complain about that?! Looking forward to going back!
(5)
Alexandra S.
fast service, great price, delicious food. I read a lot of reviews on here complaining about the service, but seriously? what do you expect? they want you in and out as fast as possible to make as much money as possible and honestly, it doesn't seem like they'd miss you much if you didn't come back again because the line was out the door so obviously they're doing something right! capitalism at its finest. maybe take the first date somewhere else and come back here when you're not trying to impress. now that I've said that, moving on. I ordered spring rolls, pork and leek dumplings, general gau's chicken, and pork fried rice. it could be concerning how quickly they brought the food out but upon digging in, I knew immediately it was very fresh. The pork fried rice was really good. It seemed like they maybe used less oil than other places do so it wasn't as sticky but delicious nonetheless - some might think it is a little too salty but I can't get enough salt so I was happy. The dumplings were also delicious. Brought out later than the rest of the good and very fresh. I really enjoyed the general gau's chicken. Sometimes I shy away from fried chicken because if it sits it can get hard and hard to chew but this was perfectly done. Happily heading home with plenty of leftovers.
Don't order the noodle soup here. It's horrible! It's so bland! We had to add so much hot sauce & other condiments to make it decent to eat. If we have to write a review based on our noodle soup alone, we would've given a 1 or 2 stars. It's 3 stars because of our family who was also with us for dinner says their dishes were pretty good. Everyone was enjoying their meal here except us. If we ever come back here again, we would definitely stay away from their noodle soup. The service here is decent. We definitely can't complain. The place is small & it was busy when we were there.
(3)
Natalie P.
Came here to try to XLBs. Disappointed. After one or two, they actually taste kind of gross. The dumpling shell is thick and sticky. Not delicate like I prefer my XLBs to be. If you've had great XLB from Asia or din tai fung you know what I mean. The pork inside was questionable. Not very soupy. Not even sure if it was cooked through either. 2 stars at best. Probably only really gets a 1 in my opinion.
(2)
Daniel C.
I came here for a late dinner (7pm) after doing some research on Yelp. I never been to Boston's Chinatown and was pleased to find that it was an easy walk from my hotel. Upon finding this place I was surprised it was packed, and even more surprised to be seated immediately, across another customer getting ready to leave. Tables were not yet cleared which was awkward. In terms of food, the entrees I ordered are 5-stars in quality. Mini Pork Buns (Xiao Long Bao) were a misnomer - they should be called Da Long Bao since they were enormous! Easily double the size from Din Tai Fung and other places in SF Bay Area, but with the same excellent rich broth and juicy pork. I also ordered Beef Brisket Noodles with Spinach - excellent broth, very tender and juicy brisket, and good use of spinach and pickled greens. Noodles were chewy, which is how I like them. Minor quips is that the tea was a bit bland. I ordered a coconut boba tea (to go as a dessert) that was pretty good, except pearls were a bit bland. Service was decent but I can't help but feel its a bit erratic with seating folks and moving chairs and tea pots from table to table.
(4)
Erica K.
More popular than any bar in Boston, this place is out of this world. All joking aside, drunk Chinese food is the way to go. We ordered beef with pepper, soup dumplings, pork chops and I got rice noodle soup. The broth was so good, it's a little salty, but I love salt. The pork chops were incredible, crispy and had a nice ginger taste, and the beef with peppers was good and spicy. Service is kinda terrible but it was 1 in the morning, the line was out the door and I had a happy tummy.
(5)
Clara L.
Communication fail on this visit. After I ordered my delicious dinner and spent the prerequisite $20 to make a credit card payment, they brought the bill and when I showed the plastic, they told me cash only. Machine broken, no heads up, no signs on the door saying cash only, nada. Womp womp. Because I'm a jerk, I only had $15 in cash on me and I had to run out to get cash, which was super annoying. Delicious food still, but always be prepared to pay cash here is the lesson I'm taking from this visit
(2)
Edward W.
Food was good, but not amazing. My only gripe with this place was the service. Now don't get me wrong, I know that Asian restaurants are known for their quick efficiency so I'm not expecting 5 star service. But I had to wave down the waitress 5 times to get 2 cups of water, which is sort of ridiculous considering the place wasn't even packed when I went. Also most watery tea ever. Now for the food: Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) - easily best thing ordered. Very juicy and authentic. Taiwan Style Eggplant - aka with garlic, basil, and black bean sauce. Pretty good, but liked the one at Taiwan Cafe better as I think they overdid the sauce a bit and I could only taste sauce. Beef and Chicken with Basil - Good, but again not amazing. I don't know if it's because the eggplant was so saucy, but I thought this was a bit bland. Portion though was generous. I'll consider coming back and trying other dishes, but at least for this time, the only dish I found worth re-ordering was the xiao long bao.
(3)
Arlyn S.
The mini juicy buns are amazing. I like the pork and crabmeat and the plain pork buns. The juice pours out and can burn your chin if you are not careful. We went three days in a row after discovering it walking late night in Chinatown. The lunch specials are a good value. If you buy the appetizer combo. Choose three appetizers instead of getting fried rice. This will leave more room for dumplings. The braised short rib soup with spinach and noodles has a great sweet and salty taste to it. The wonton soup was ok. Get the short rib soup instead. It's flavor profile is worth the time.
(4)
Hung C.
The food was ok. The server and owner, didn't seem to care much about the customers who were dining. Or even came over to help, sat there for a good 15 min before we had to asked someone to help us. During the dining, all the servers and owners where talking so loud you can't even hear all the other customers in the place. The owners was just sitting at a table near the register eating peanuts and talking very loud. Don't suggest anyone to go here!
(2)
Rick M.
Xaio Long Bao... or soup buns... or mini juicy buns... or pork "soup" dumplings. So many names for one delicious little dumpling! Try to pop an entire dumpling into your mouth and it bursts with flavor and well... soup! This place does a good job on their dumplings. And the Roast Duck Buns are wicked pissa good too. Service was standard for a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Next time I come in I'll try a few other dishes but definitely can't go wrong with any of the dumplings and buns here!
(4)
Clare Z.
The dumpling and bun in this cafe are really good. I like the Mini Juicy Bun's taste and various kinds of soup.
(4)
Vincent H.
Came here for dinner the tonight and thought that it wasn't too bad. Probably lucked out cause there was no wait with the rain. Seafood Fried Rice and Beef Pan Fried noodles came out really fast. Adequate portion and hit the spot. Xiao Long Bao on the other hand was definitely something different for me. Felt like XL Xiao Long Bao's. Also would it hurt if they gave out more than one sauce plate? I'd like to toss some chili on mines and I know some of my friends don't like spicy foods. Lastly what's up with them not leaving a teapot work us? Also there's a $20 minimum for card.
(4)
BostonBestEats X.
Having only recently moved back to Boston, this was my first visit to what is apparently a one of the better restaurants in Chinatown according to those in the know. I first discovered Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings or "mini juicy buns" as Dumpling Cafe more evocatively calls them) at the legendary Din Tai Fung in Taipei, and it's pretty much been all downhill since as far as dumplings go. Maybe the Shanghainese invented soup dumplings, but the Taiwanese perfected them. But as for XLB in Boston, Dumpling Cafe's renditions are probably as good as it gets. However, the real reason to go to Dumpling Cafe appears to be the rest of the menu, which is some of the best Chinese (or more accurately, Taiwanese) cuisine I've enjoyed in Boston. Our Saturday Lunch group of Chowhounds enjoyed: 1) Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ($7.75) ~Whether this is a specifically Taiwanese version of the ubuiquitous pancakes most Chinese restaurants serve, I couldn't say. But it would make a delicious lunch sandwich, with the crispy fried pancake wrapped around tender, thinly sliced beef, raw green onions and hoisin sauce. Not as standout as some of the other dishes, but well worth ordering again. 2) Twice Cooked Preserved Pork, house-made ($11.85) ~My favorite course, the tender slivers of pork belly are pickled in-house, and stir-fried with leeks. Not only delicious, it was actually a beautiful looking dish as well. 3) 3 Essence (aka, 3 Cup) Duck Tongue in Clay Pot ($18.85) ~3 Cup Chicken is classic Taiwanese, and something I love. But with duck tongues??? I will try almost anything once, but for some reason duck tongue is something that has always scared me. However, I had heard this was a must-try dish at DC, and I'm so glad I finally overcame my timidity...this was DELICIOUS! Admittedly, a little complicated, even annoying to eat, because there is a cartilaginous bone in the center of each tender little tongue. But I eventually worked out a trick for stripping the meat off using my tongue and teeth. Maybe I should make a YouTube video? Maybe not. But once you figure out the trick, they are no longer so annoying to eat, and actually quite addictive. 4) Braised Chicken Meat Balls ($11.45) ~A dish I would have never ordered if it didn't come recommended, this turned out to be another lovely dish. The meatballs are light and almost airy in texture, but with a nice slightly crispy sear on the outside. Framed with baby bok choy, this is also a beautiful dish. 5) Mini Juicy Buns with Pork ($7.75) ~An ancient example of molecular gastronomy (just try to guess how they get the soup inside!), as I mentioned these are decent enough examples, with fairly thin yet strong skins and a flavorful broth. Do read up on how to eat them, or you will end up with soup on your shirt or a burnt tongue, or both. Much better than the thick-skinned monstrosities that are served at what is otherwise the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston, nearby Taiwan Cafe. 6) Taiwan Style Pan Fried Dumplings ($7.75) ~A Taiwanese acquaintence makes what are the best dumplings I've ever tasted, with the distinctive open ends allowing the meat stuffing to peak out. These are not in that league, but tasty, and the favorite dish of at least one of our number. Afterwards we went to nearby Xinh Xinh for an excellent avocado boba shake (a Taiwanese invention, although XX is Vietnamese).
(4)
Kim S.
The restaurant was typical of an eatery in Chinatown. Tables and seating were cramped in the small area and guests are quickly seated with strangers to minimize wait. We were seated next to a couple that was obviously on a date. It was kinda weird at first to overhear their conversation and menu selections but I quickly got over it. To my surprise, the diners consisted mostly of western clientele ordering Chinese delicacies such as intestines and tripe. Kudos to them... I don't even eat that! We were served tea in a large clay pot in large cups. That was pretty handy because I hate having to refill the typical small cups. Although we placed orders for apps and dumplings to start, everything came out at once at "Chinatown" speed. Staff is always in a rush but gets you what you need if asked. I don't mind it so much because it means a shorter wait time for a table, food and for your bill. For starters, we got the steamed duck bun, mini pork bun and fried crispy chicken strips, Taiwanese style. It seemed like everyone else ordered the scallion pancakes but we opted not to. The duck bun was very flavorful and there was plenty of meat filling inside the warm bun. I liked that it was lightly grilled on the bottom for a nice crispy texture. I made the mistake of NOT letting the Mini Pork buns cool down and the piping juices exploded in my mouth. The large pieces were a bit bigger than "bite size" it was more like two bite size, if there's such a thing. The Taiwan style crispy chicken strips reminded me of fried catfish with a cornmeal batter. It was addictive. Although I saw fried red basil on the dish, I couldn't taste it on the chicken. For dinner, we went the family style route and split a few dishes. I wished I referred Yelp before our visit. I was overwhelmed with the extensive menu that had appetizers, grilled dishes, dumplings and buns, noodles, braised soup, beef/chicken/pork/seafood/vegetable specials, Chef;s specials and lots of other authentic Chinese food that I've never heard of but wanted to try. This menu was NOT for the faint of stomach, after all there were dishes that had blood pudding, pork intestine, pork blood, duck tongue and frogs, just to name a few. The salty fish chicken fried rice was very good and affordable at only $ 7.25. We wanted a side vegetable dish and was bummed to hear they ran out of pea pod stems. The waiter suggested Chinese broccoli so we went with that. It was good but I think the price was a bit steep at $ 11.35. The pork belly was reminiscent of Cambodian/Vietnamese 5 spiced braised pork belly stew made from thick soy sauce and sugar. The consistency was the same just that it didn't have the strong anise and black pepper seasonings. I was thrown off by the chicken with garlic sauce. I imagined a chicken breast stir fry in an oyster and garlic sauce. Instead there were strips of chicken, scallion, dried wood ear mushroom and bamboo. It was quite different and on the sweet side. Dinner was very good and I definitely want to be back to try the other 200+ menu offerings. I definitely want to try some of the casserole dishes as well as the hot pot items.Our bill total was $68.64 Crispy Chicken Strips Mini Pork Buns Chinese Broccoli Shredded chicken in garlic sauce Salted Fish Chicken Fried Rice Special Duck Bun Pork Belly Taiwanese Style 2 diet cokes It fed four of us and there were plenty of leftovers...until Next time! **NOTE I'd try to go between 11 AM-4PM next time when they offer a combination special. You can get 3 dishes for 21.95 and there are 59 choices to choose from. Great deal! For food pics mami-eggroll.com/2014/09…
(4)
Nancy C.
Went here again for lunch with a lot of friends; we ordered mainly off the lunch special. There were 7-8 of us so we ordered 2 xiao long bao orders, beef with long horn peppers, string beans, watercress with garlic, pork belly, flounder with ginger and scallion, ma po tofu, fish fillets, twice cooked pork, general gao's chicken, egg with shrimp and tomato, and various other dishes I don't remember. Typically I'm not a huge fan of lunch specials because they tend to be very Americanized. I did try the flounder, watercress, beef with peppers, and the pork belly - I have to say all of those were pretty authentic and some even tasted similar to my mom's cooking. The best dish was the beef with longhorn peppers. I'm a huge fan of spicy food and have a high spice tolerance, and this was actually pretty spicy. It wasn't too greasy either, which I appreciated. Coming in a close second was the pork belly. Tender and flavorful and drenched in a delicious sauce, both this dish and the previous one are similar to what my mom and aunt cook for holidays. The flounder was a smaller portion than most of the other dishes but was decent - it was flavorful without being too salty and the fish was pretty fresh. Egg with tomato is a dish my dad often cooks but I was disappointed to see that this dish was too sweet (they must've added a lot of sugar). The watercress was very oily but also very tasty. Same goes with the green beans, though the watercress is far more authentic and probably healthier. As always, the xiao long bao are a must try, though they seemed to be not as good as the last time I had them. I liked the soup the lunch specials came with - it's not your typical egg drop or sweet and sour soup. Instead, it's a simple soup made with pork broth and has chunks of daikon (if you're lucky). The lunch special also comes with rice, thank god. Overall, all of this food only cost is $15 per person after time. Honestly, where else but Chinatown could you find such a good deal? Personally, I'd come here again for dinner because as good as some of these dishes are, I wouldn't order them again. I'm mostly a fan of the huge steamed fish. But if you want a very cheap lunch that is good and will fill you up (and a lunch special menu that had something beyond your typical Americanized Chinese food), Dumpling Cafe is the place to go.
(4)
Khunravin H.
I've been here many times. Every time I go service is always great. It gets packed quickly here. Seating is very limited. So limited that sometimes you have to share a table with other patrons. So why would one come here? For the mini pork soup dumplings of course! I mean they have other food too, but it's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason.. If you need help learning how to properly eat a soup dumpling, there's plenty of help on blogs and on YouTube. I'm not particularly good with handling chopsticks, but a girl I was seeing taught me how to hold the dumpling for consumption. Anyway, do stop by here, you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Raymond W.
The soup dumplings were okay, skin was too thick and dried out too quickly. Service was fast. So fast that the waitress kept taking away our tea pot and did not return with a fresh pot. They were also quick to put on an automatic tipping charge of 18%. Ouch.
(3)
Cheeba C.
Yummy delicious. Waitresse can be pushy, but you're in Chinatown. Soup dumplings are great and general gau's chicken was crunchy....yeah!!!
(4)
Shani T.
Really a 3.5 star rating. So let's start by saying I love efficiency at restaurants, and Dumpling Cafe totally nailed that aspect. All our dishes came out quickly and that definitely deserved my nod of approval. Now, I don't go to places in Chinatown expecting great service, but I expect, I don't know, some sort of politeness at least? My boyfriend and I walked in for an early Sunday dinner. We got seated quickly with our menus with little talking, which was fine. I opened my menu and began browsing, and after a couple minutes I motioned at our cups when I made eye contact with a waitress and she came by to pour us tea. She definitely didn't care much for how she was pouring the tea--it was super sloppy and she overfilled my boyfriend's cup before proceeding to overfill mine and spilling the tea on the table and somehow, on my foot (I had my legs crossed so my left foot was slightly out from under the table I guess). The waitress disappeared quickly to grab napkins without us asking which was good at least, but when she came back she threw down the pile of napkins on top of my menu. Um. Okay. I was kinda reading that. Anyway, we end up ordering two orders of xiao long bao (soup dumplings), an order of Chinese watercress, and an order of salt and pepper pork chops. All of this done with barely any acknowledgement from the waitress. 1) XLB--these were actually super awesome. I would even say better than a lot of places in NYC. Definitely the largest XLB that I've received at a Chinese restaurant. Each order comes with 6 and man, and I almost regretted the fact my boyfriend and I ordered two orders (not that we didn't finish them, they were really good!). The skin is doughy, but still soft and easy to bite into. The broth is quite good and seriously, I can't get over the sheer size of these. 5 stars for sure 2) Chinese watercress--I was really in the mood for a good vegetable dish and I love kong xin cai so I decided why the hell not, let me pay $12 for this. It definitely satisfied my craving. The garlic was cooked perfectly to season the watercress and the veggies weren't too salty. Still, $12 for this is a reaaaaally steep markup... It also takes like literally 2 minutes to cook. 4 stars, due to the price 3) Salt and pepper pork chops--also a very large portion. Not too salty, not too peppery. A bit thick on the breading, which I could taste a little more of the pork. Overall though, not bad. 4 stars If I had to judge Dumpling Cafe strictly based on quality of food, I would give a 4 star rating. The service though was just so subpar to the point of bothersome. At some point I asked for two glasses of cold water and the waitress turned around and walked away before I even finished my sentence. Yeah, she knew what I wanted and got it for me, but it's kind of just common courtesy to, I don't know, let me finish talking? I did all of the ordering in Chinese too. Anyway, I guess I would come back here for the food. Kind of reminds me of Shanghai Asian Manor back in NYC, just not as friendly.
(3)
Miriam S.
We got the beef and long horn pepper - delicious! And the mini juicy pork dumplings - amazing! We ordered the seafood fried rice that was really mediocre and asked the waiter for a spicy chicken dish, he recommended mango chicken. It was a way too sweet mess. Do not get the mango chicken. The service here isn't great either haha. Just order what they are famous for and enjoy!
(4)
Theodore T.
I've gotten food here twice now, both times for dinner, takeout. Most recent visit I tried the egg fried rice, Taiwan eggplant, spicy pork chop, and soup dumplings. No complaints, food has always been hot, tastes good, and service is fine. Seems busy for dine-in usually.
(4)
Thomas L.
The first warning sign was no boneless spareribs. But ok, I found several other items on the menu that seemed appetizing. - pork fried rice - pork/leak steamed dumplings - spring rolls - chicken wings - crispy chicken strips The pork in the pork fried rice was very soft and chewy; not quite the consistency I was looking for. The rice was flavorful, as were the peas. The sauce on side was helpful for that added bit of flavor. The pork/leak steamed dumplings were the highlight of the meal. Very tasty pork/leak combo, juicy, and hot. The dumpling dough was good. The spring rolls were very pedestrian and nothing at all to write home about. Nothing really jumped out at me here. The chicken wings weren't good at all. I'm not even sure they were cooked all the way through, although they were extremely hot on the outside. I couldn't quite pinpoint the sauce that they were garnished in. Doesn't matter, it didn't make them any better. The crispy chicken strips were decent but overall not that crispy. They were a mix of white and dark meat, which was nice. But, they were lacking. We left half of them on the plate. We arrived right before a lunch rush, but service was still subpar. We had to ask for water and tea refills. My plate was dirty, although it might have been a water stain from the dishwasher.
(2)
Sarah C.
Food is great. Customer service is still awful. Will I go back? Unfortunately yes because they do make the best soup dumplings. We pointed out to the manager that we found 2 ant like bugs in our wonton noodle soup. He quickly removed the plate and told us that the vegetables were probably not rinsed thorough enough. That was it. He was scared that will make a commotion and other customers will find out. Geez
(1)
Anita L.
Within the 3 times I came to this restaurant, my first experience was okay. They got me my food everything was an in and out experience however the last two times was absolutely terrible. The same waitress that served my party was rude, didn't know her menu and got our order wrong. And when we explained to her kindly that theres a mistake she took the plate away and started talking trash about us thinking that we couldn't understand. What also threw me off was the fact that on the check that they printed out it already included the tip. So when they print out your receipt for the card she told me to write the tip in the tip part of the receipt. So she practically forced me to tip her for the bad service.
(1)
Myan T.
We usually come here for lunch. Overall meals are pretty good. Dumplings and steam buns are pretty fresh and enjoyable. They have an inexpensive daily lunch special from 11-4 for $7.50 or $7.95 a plate that includes rice and soup. Service is prompt and they always make sure the table are kept clean. There are a few downsides. One being that this place is pretty compact and you occasionally have to squeeze your way out. Secondly that if it's packed there is a good amount of wait time. They also serve beer and wine until 1AM!
(4)
Al G.
Make sure the lobster is cooked. It was jelly like...we asked for it to be cooked some more...then got attitude from the head guy and reheated (still jelly clear) lobster. The biggest issue was the overall filthyness overall. Try other options first.
(1)
Karen W.
My friends and I must have come on a bad day. Or maybe things are usually like this. Communication problem: We ordered 2 steamed pork buns, salted fish and chicken fried rice, and Taiwanese style noodles. They gave us the rice and noodle dishes, but instead of the pork buns they gave us pork dumpling. (I remembered we said steamed pork buns because we joking about buns as we ordered.) The waitress who gave us the dumplings saw our confused expressions, but walked away. So we told another waitress and she took it away. No apologies, but that's okay because we got our buns in the end. Food: Everything was okay except for the Taiwanese noodles. There was an excessive amount of vinegar and salt/sauce in it. I can't tell if this taste is Taiwanese style or not, but it was extremely salty and weird. Social grouping: I am not sure if this is normal, but the workers were always in a group socializing either at the counter or near the bathrooms. It was hard to grab their attention when we needed something. The tea: Our tea was not refilled unless we asked for more tea. After getting one of the workers' attention and letting her know we wanted more tea, she gave us a teapot of hot water. When we wanted to tell her or another worker we wanted tea and not water, everyone was in their social group again. Incense: We sat near the incense holder. A worker lit the incense. I personally do not like the smell of incense, but I had to suffer since we were already eating. We smelled like incense afterwards. I thought if they were to have incense in the restaurant, they should at least light it before the restaurant was opened. Instead, they lit it when everyone was eating. We were there around noontime. Maybe it was supposed to be some common sense knowing that they have incense in some consistent manner, but I never got the memo. The bill: They included tips in the bill. 18% gratuity. I ate with three other people... Overall, I did not feel comfortable eating here. I cannot tell you if I would recommend this place or not since you may like that specific taste of Taiwanese style food, hot water, and/or the smell of that specific incense, but just keep in mind of things that may happen such as what happened to me today.
(1)
Dan R.
So first off, my friends and I went here two nights in a row - so think about that. The szechuan style flounder is AMAZING. It is served in a simmering bowl of spicy goodness and cabbage over a flame. It's super hot so don't burn your mouth on it at first! There is something in there that finds its way to my bites sometimes that's weirdly numbing/bitter with an almost concentrated anise flavor? If you know what that is, hit me up, I don't like it. We think it may be the pieces of pepper? Scallion pancakes are too thick/doughy but I'm ok with it because I just get some of their other magical treats like Juice Buns (DIVINE), proc dumplings, and pea pods. My friends and I love to come here after a late night working in our restaurant and fill the table with food and over eat, all for like $20 per person including a fat tip. I like it and will continue to come here for tasty food! Servers are pretty indifferent but we have had the same one a few times now and she has grown to like us which is fun.
(4)
Christine T.
Daughter enjoyed the Mini Juicy Pork Buns...visiting from LA and we ended up going here three times during our 8 day stay...will come back if we're ever in Boston...plus they're open late...the noodle soups are pretty decent too
(4)
Celin W.
3.5 stars. Tried two dishes here. The shanghai soup dumplings (xiao long bao) which was very good! Rich, juicy, the skin wasn't too thick, and very flavorful. Tasted very legtimate and I was impressed. A 4 star kind of soup dumpling. I think it's slightly (very marginally) better than dumpling house and Taiwan's cafe soup dumplings, BUT so slight that I'm good with eating at the other two places too. Also had the shui zu yu (hot sauce fish / szechuan fish). While it came in an impressive metal bowl with a small fire at the bottom, it really was not that tasty. Here I can firmly say that dumpling house (cambridge)'s fish is much better. Gourmet dumpling's fish is also better. The fish here wasn't bad by any means, decent, though overcooked (too soft), just lacking in the szechuan punch. Hence reducing the rating to 3.5 instead of 4. For those who know Han Dynasty, Han's fish is definitely way better. Again, Dumpling Cafe is very decent, service efficient , menu extensive, and looked very popular on Friday night. Not sure I would go back for anything else other than the xiao long bao.
(3)
Jake L.
4 stars for the soup dumplings alone (they'd surely be 5, but the rest of the experience just didn't quite deserve it)! Those were amazing, and we will definitely come back just for those. The rest of the food was average - I've had much better Chinese food (though I've had worse as well). I'd recommend coming for the dumplings though, I could definitely have made a meal out of them, and forgot about the Vegetable Lo Mein, Stir Fry Beef Noodles, Scallion Pancakes and Chicken Peking Style. None were bad by any means, but no stand-outs either. Also have to give props for taking my friend's severe peanut allergy into account. They were very accommodating.
(4)
Lester L.
The location is very convenient, but there are definitely reasons why this restaurant only had a handful of people during a weekday lunch hour: the food is mediocre, the ambience is questionable, and the service is horrible. The scallion pancakes had the texture of cardboard. The soup dumplings were below average, at best. The menu is uninspired and doesn't have anything interesting or new to offset the mediocre quality. The staff was, for some reason, compelled to blast teenie bopper hits at a volume a tad too loud to ignore. Finally, the waitstaff never returned after dropping off my food: the small cup of tea I was given went by too quickly, and I could have easily used 2-3 refills during the course of the meal. I will not return to this place and would not recommend it.
(1)
Lauren H.
(I think?) this is the only place in downtown Boston where you can get Xiao Long Bao. They're very tasty, most likely can rival New York's Chinatown dumplings. It's a small cramped space, but the table turnaround is quick so you're not waiting for long if it's crowded. In addition to having their Xiao Long Bao, I also had their Ox Tail soup which was great! Nice and collageny, just the way I like it. My S.O. at the time had their egg drop soup which he enjoyed, not much to note about anything else since we only came here for a quick snack. Well worth it though.
(5)
Emily A.
I'd been here once before when the line at GDH was too long. Got the soup dumplings and fried pork and leek dumplings and they were great-on par with anything else in Chinatown. And I was with my friends, having a great time, so in our good humor we kinda laughed off the bad service. Even when the waitress spilled water on me and my friends when refilling our glasses, and refused to speak to us or look us in the eye, we let it go. Didn't seem that bad. I couldn't really ignore the terrible service today. The food I had this time around was not good at all. Don't get the mango chicken. It's artificial tasting, too sweet, and doused with sauce. Also the bubble tea is icy. Obviously their specialty is the dumplings, so I don't hold it against them that my entree was subpar. Especially considering the size of their menu-it's hard to make 9 pages' worth of excellent, invariably delicious meals. Once again, the waitstaff was aloof, cold, and blatantly uninterested in common courtesy. I've never been the type to get mad at unfriendly waitresses. I don't expect them to crap rainbows or radiate warmth. But actual eye contact and verbal communication would be swell, so I know that they've heard me. TL;DR If you're gonna go, go in a good mood with a big group. And stick to the dishes they're famous for.
(2)
Sunny C.
Soup dumplings are okay, but really doughy. Something didn't quite taste fresh about them; it tasted a bit sour. Water spinach stir fry in sa cha sauce was really tasty. Service could be better in terms of friendliness. Servers and hostess gave off the impression it was such a chore to be there.
(2)
Christine J.
wow are they going downhill!!! im so sad to say the quality of food/service is no longer as good, WHY??? the XLB looked funny, something went wrong with the dough it looks like. and the spicy fish lunch plate was so damn salty, it tasted like preserved fish. :( and to make it worse, the server dumped all the leftover dishes (totally diff tastes- 3 cup chicken and spicy chilli fish) TOGETHER IN ONE BOX. that is it. they need a heads up on what they're doing before they lose all the customers they've accrued over the last few years.
(2)
Alexandra M.
This place is kind of insane. You better get everything you want to order in right away because they won't be back and they have a million other things to do before stopping for you. I got the scallion pancake which was quite dry, even when I smothered it in soy sauce. I also got Taiwan style eggplant which means garlic and basil (we had to look it up). The basil was left in and impossible to eat--so avoid it!
(3)
Katy M.
I heard rave reviews of this place, but I got takeout and must say I was disappointed. The food was good, but not great. I got the roast beef wrapped in scallion pancake and the mini juicy pork buns. While the roast beef was delicious, the scallion pancake wasn't very flavorful (it did make for a good sandwich though). The mini juicy buns, while savory, were a little too soggy at the bottom, making them difficult to eat without making a mess (I know there is a special way to eat them, but it didn't work for me here). Not bad, but there are better places in Chinatown.
(3)
Lee B.
We went here and asked about the ingredients of an item on the menu, to ensure that it was free of shellfish or prepared separately from shellfish, as my wife has a very severe allergy. The waitress assured us that there was no problem, and they could accommodate. We wound up in the emergency room that evening because our "vegetarian" dish had NOT been clear of shellfish. AVOID this place if you have an allergy.
(1)
Gigi L.
I've been to a few Xaio long bao places in Boston and this has to be one of the better restaurants serving this dish. The skin is still thicker than the proper version, but not too shabby since it holds the soup inside of them. Also tried the beef chow fun which was just average at best. I ordered what sounded amazing--the fried oyster pancake, but it was disgusting. DO NOT ORDER THAT! Trust me!! Prices are average, service is average.
(3)
Zachary D.
I'm addicted to their Shanghai noodles with chicken and mustard greens. They also have best soup dumplings I've ever had hands down! Can't beat the prices either. Don't bother going anywhere else in china town for dumplings or noodles!
(5)
King Y.
Sadly disappointed the last time we went. We were really looking forward to lunch here. There are a few problems First the xiao long bao was too salty. It doesn't really hit you at first, but after a few, it becomes clearer. I don't know if they changed their recipe, or maybe we just got a bad batch. Still a disappointment. Second the service is not appealing at all. They are happy to put you at tables with other guests. I understand I have a choice, and this is doable and understandable when it is crowded and there's a wait. However, they clearly set up their tables so that they can put multiple parties together. This tells me they care more about revenue than they care about customer satisfaction. I really don't want to hear my neighbors' conversations or have them hear mine. And all at the same time trying to pretend we can't hear each other Third and not last complaint is the wait staff are rude especially to non-mandarin speakers. Sad to see Food is 3.5 stars Service is 1 star.
(2)
Steve X.
THis place is your classic Chinatown service. Horrible service. Good thing is they open late so if you are in Boston, stop on in and get your fix of dank chinese food. But don't expect much. I didn't. Their dumplings are of such small portions, as are their other dishes. So if you are not sober, this is your place. If you are sober, try something else.
(2)
Dean B.
I'm sure it is a difficult thing to successfully run a high volume, late night Chinese restaurant in the middle of Chinatown. Well, this place has got that process down to an art. Their soup dumplings, of course, are to die for. The teriyaki duck tongues are a winner in my book. So is the combination pan fried noodles and scallion pancakes! Wash all that down with some Tsingtao beer or two, pay the very affordable bill, and you can tuck yourself in for a good night sleep!! If you're craving late night soup dumplings in Boston, this is the place to be!!
(5)
Young P.
Don't wait in line to go to Gourmet Dumpling House. Just come here. It's owned by the same guy and they make everything the same (well except for the spicy flounder soup which I will explain more in detail) Soup dumplings - Yes. They taste exactly the same. Why? Because it's made by the same people. Don't get me wrong. If you are visiting Boston, then dining at Gourmet Dumpling House is a must experience. However, if you live in Boston and you've been there many times, don't wait in line to eat there. It's a waste of time because down the block you can come here and eat the same food at the same price and the best part is there is no line because everybody is waiting to get into Dumping House!!!! More about the flounder soup... I will admit, dumpling house's fish soup is much thicker and delicious. Here, it's still pretty good but it doesn't have that deep, thick taste which is a bummer....so if you really like the soup, just go to dumpling house. But for everything else, just come here. I highly recommend pork belly Taiwanese style. this junk is delicious. its so fatty and juicy and comes with vegetable at the bottom and really well complements the fat. oh and the sauce that they use to cook the meat is out of this world.
(4)
Rufio R.
Great spot for authentic Chinese food. I ordered beef fried rice, soup dumplings, and scallion pancakes - everything was delicious! Based on eating soup dumplings at many other places, I can say that this place had one of my favorites because of texture, temperature, and taste. Highly recommended and great for groups!
(4)
Abhishek C.
Excellent mini pork buns. Very good and fresh rice cakes with pork. I particularly enjoyed the green tea bubble tea milkshake. The fried calamari were average. Price was very reasonable and ambience was above average. Will definitely visit again especially for the soupy, thin shelled mini pork buns....
(4)
Leo C.
Last time when I went there with my son, this place Suprised me. I can't believe how terrible the servers was. When we walk in they just ignore us and playing there phone till we ask them for a table.The food was pretty good and it's reasonable. But the way they served was disrespectful, instead of put the food they throw the food on the table. And after we asking for our bill, the server just stand there. I thought she was trying to have conversation with us, but she just stood there until we put on our money on the bill!!! WTF? This's the first time also the last we eat in here!!
(1)
Jorge C.
Terrible customer service. I stood around for 10 minutes before they even acknowledged me. Both the door person and the waitress were unfriendly. I've been there twice and have had the same experience both times.
(1)
Gabriella L.
Worst customer service ever! Came in here to order takeout. We were sitting down in one of the empty tables to look at the menu to see what to order and everyone was rude. They told us we cant sit down on an EMPTY table just for us to figure out what to order. We just left. Not worth the time or money.
Let's get the ambience and experience out of the way first... It's a small (maybe 40 seats), mostly run down place. It reminded me of the type of lunch joint that factory workers may have gone to 50 years ago. The wait staff hovers to get you to hurry up and order, and when finished eating, hovers to get you out. I suppose it's understandable... they want to turn tables, which are shared with strangers. Now the food... The dumplings were excellent a 10 for sure. Scallion pancakes about a 7. Crispy chicken at least an 8. I would hope to go back with a group of 4 or 6 so that we may experience many other choices from a menu that doesn't stop.
(4)
Amanda W.
Racist towards African American women and Italian men. The biggest issue, the bill included 18% gratuities for a dinner for 2. This wasn't an option, it was in the bill, but not for our white and and asian friends sitting at the next table!! When asked why? There was no explanation. Along with no attention and pieces of our meal missing . So we outsmarted them which wasn't hard! We asked for a separated check without the gratuities and that we would put it in. They got no tip! #racistsshouldgooutofbusiness
(1)
Paul T.
Authentic Taiwanese. The stinky tofu, potstickers and Taichung steamed meat ball made me shed a tear. Smell, texture, taste "to the land" or as if you were there as the Chinese idiom says. It even came with some sappy mandarin pop songs for accompaniment. Jin ho jia. Gai ho. If you don't know what that means, you must eat here and find out.
(4)
Heesun P.
I ate Kung Pao chicken. It was good. But there was kinda trouble when I paid! I should have to paid back my change but clerks didn't make right calculations even their attitude was so rude. That was a horrible service :(
(2)
Minju K.
Ironically the McDonald's across the street is closed and this place is open till 2am (Thank youuu) Their xiao long bao (soup dumpling was so good) also their sweet and sour soup was amazing I would totally come here again for late night food
(5)
Juan C.
Food wasn't that great. Wish they would speak English. Very hard time understanding.
(2)
Samantha A.
Awesome soup dumplings!!!!! Best I've had outside of NYC!! Although I do wish they were a bit cheaper or you got more than 6. Best bubble tea I've found so far, too!
(5)
Jennifer G.
Decided to try this place out since I was in the area. Looked like it was pretty busy, so couldn't imagine the food to be terrible. I probably wouldn't come here again. I ordered a wonton noodle soup and wasn't very impressed. It was pretty bland and left me feeling really indifferent. Service also wasn't great, servers can be rude.
(3)
Victoria S.
I went here for lunch with a few friends and was expecting a typical lunch that you would get in Chinatown, but that was not the case. We were seated at a table and the first thing I noticed was the dirty, stained plate right in front of me. I switched it with a plate from the next table over so that solved the problem. We ordered a salty fish and chicken fried rice, Taiwanese udon noodles, and steamed pork buns. Somehow, they managed to mess up our order and gave us regular dumplings, so we told them we didn't order that and they took it off our table without saying anything. Not even a sorry for messing up our order? The rice dish came out first and was decent, not great, but also not horrible. We then received the udon noodles, which had a horrible sauce that was too vinegary and salty. When we finally got the steamed pork buns and were halfway through out meal, the staff decides it would be a great time to light incense. I understand it's an important aspect of Chinese culture, but WHY DO IT RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO EAT LUNCH??? The smell of the incense ruined my appetite and made not only the food taste worse, but also leaves you smelling for the rest of the day. This place doesn't open until 11am, so why not do light it before people come into your restaurant? The service of the staff was inattentive as they were all just standing around the cashier chatting up a storm. We asked for more tea, but instead received a pot of hot water. They include 18% gratitude on the bill, which I did not think they deserved, so instead we tipped a tad bit less. I will not be returning here again. There are PLENTY of better places in the area to get better quality food and service.
(1)
Joanna Y.
If this were a review on their soup dumplings only, this place would receive 5 stars. I like that the consistency of the wrap is the perfect amount of thickness. The soup inside is flavorful. All 3 orders of our xlb came out in one piece, no leaking soup dumplings here. Whenever I go to gourmet dumpling, at least one xlb is popped. Although the soup dumplings are great, I need other dishes during my meal for the variety. We ordered the following dishes as well, but was not nearly as impressed. - schezuan flounder soup: At gourmet dumpling, I like ordering the schezuan fish soup. It complements the dumplings very well. Unfortunately, the schezuan flounder soup here is quite bland. Not spicy or rich enough for my taste. - pan fried noodles: crispy and tasty noodles. Not a bad choice. - taiwanese pork belly: juicy and good sauce. Very fatty if you like that stuff All in all, not a bad place!
(4)
Rachel K.
The dumplings are still fantastic, but service this past weekend was horrid. I had to ask for waters twice, and the check three times. Additionally, we ordered two sets of dumplings and they only came out with one. We were in a rush to be somewhere and didn't have time to order another by the time we could flag our waitress down. We left hungry and were disappointed.
(2)
Steffi L.
One of the most disappointing Chinese restaurants I have been to in Boston. As someone born to Shanghainese parents who made regular trips to Joe's Shanghai in NYC, these soup dumplings were barely passable as "restaurant quality." The only worse soup dumplings I have had were frozen ones. They were also far too expensive. The prices are also absurd for Chinese food - my boyfriend and I were charged almost $15 for a simple vegetable dish, which would normally go for $8 in NYC. Overall, I would not come back, as it does not provide great value for the price they charge.
(2)
Melissa O.
Food was good but don't order the fried rice, you will definitely be pissed when a plate of white rice comes out and you're charged $7 for something that comes free at most places.
(3)
Nandanie S.
Chinatown, you've struck again. My first visit at Dumpling Cafe was on a warm Sunday afternoon after a day of shopping and the movies. I was hungry and wanted a nibble. This nibble turned into an all out smörgåsbord of all things yummy, courtesy of the Dumpling Cafe. We ordered beef and scallions, scallion pancakes with roast beef, and then dumplings. Oh dumplings. I CANNOT believe that I've never had a Chinese dumpling before... I've had Thai dumplings and they're just not the same. I'm a clumsy eater...let's just say that I'm clumsy in general. I even told my husband this when we first met just to get that out of the way. Eating dumplings was a whole 'nother type of clumsy. To me, it was an art form. I watched Annie C, and followed suit. These dumplings were soupy, tasty, and just damn delicious. I was a little upset when they were gone... Not to downplay the other dishes... the beef and scallions dish was rustic, well prepared, and full of flavor. The scallion pancake with roast beef was crispy, tasty as well, and something I'd order time and time again (and we did...). The orders are huge and great to enjoy family style with friends for lunch/dinner. So the second visit was after a BollyX demo on the esplanade. I said... "What could I possibly want to eat after BollyX-ing it all day? Dumpling Cafe. And so we got the scallion pancake with roast beef again, chicken with eggplant (deeeelicious), and 2 orders of dumplings. One order had crabmeat and the other was the original recipe. Both were superb, but I prefer the original much more than the crabmeat ones. I think that after this visit, I was a pro at eating dumplings (at least I thought so haha). I loved the chicken with eggplant...the basil that topped it off made it so good. Service was quick and attentive. I got a laugh out of the girls when I said that I walked into the kitchen instead of the bathroom. The cook found it funny too. See?? I'm clumsy. Told ya...
(5)
Deb E.
Not amazing but not bad. Used to my shanghai style fix in nyc but this was ok for Boston. Kept it simple with two orders if xlb(crab & pork) and an order of pan fried noodles with beef thought about scallion pancakes but way over priced at $5.95. Xlb was hot - no lettuce on base of steamers so challenging to remove without ripping the soup dumplings. Broth was flavorful but not as unctuously porky as the ones at shanghai cafe in nyc. Pan fried noodles: skimpy on the noodles for the price - ok flavor - I'd call these average. Bonus points for hot tea, friendly service and no line on a Saturday at noon.
(3)
Daniel L.
I don't know why they only got 3 1/2 stars review. I stumbled on this place by accident. Their dishes are really good. I tried the xiao-long bao, duck bun and beef noodles. The price is reasonable too.
(5)
Ivy T.
Interesting when we had to share the table. The dumplings were slightly too big. We got the pork and crab along with pork and mushroom. Both pretty good, but hard to eat due to the size. Dipping sauce was really good and loved how they out in slivers in fresh ginger. We ordered winter melon stir fry which was light to eat and pretty good.
(4)
Ale P.
Small little joint in Chinatown where you can get some pretty good eats. Stopped here for lunch twice recently when I was visiting family in Boston and was quite impressed. I do recommend ordering the XLB, or xiao long bao, also known as soup dumplings! They were flavorful and tasty on both occasions. Though I think the wrapper could've been a little thinner. We also got the Taiwanese style spicy eggplant. First time: amazing! Second time: wayyyy too sweet. So they might have a little consistency issue there. Which is a shame since I would've given this place 5 stars... We also ordered some salt and pepper squid, which was really good. And the Taiwanese noodles stir fried with seafood was very tasty. I would definitely stop by whenever I visit Boston again!
(4)
Amy L.
I don't like to post negative reviews but the way this place handled my order made me. I was looking for some Asian dinner takeout when I walked around the area the other day. A first timer to the place, I read their menu and asked the guy at the counter about a couple of dishes and told him the names of a couple of dishes I was interested in. When I reached the end of the menu, I asked the guy how many dishes were already on his list and whether he could repeat the names of the dishes so that I could place my order. Instead of going over the list of the dishes, this guy printed out a credit card charge slip and said, "sign it and I will tell you what you have ordered." What?! I told him that I had not decided yet and need to know what is on his list. He insisted that I must sign the slip to pay him before telling me what is on my list. Then another woman said that all of the items had been sent to the kitchen as I spoke with the guy early on and nothing could be cancelled at that moment. She also said that if the take out order was placed over the phone, they will repeat the order to the customer but since I was at the store, they did not have to. I was tired and did not want to pick up an unnecessary argument. So I signed the slip, which was almost $50 for a single take-out dinner. Now coming to the food part: They are mediocre to the most if not totally disappointment. I can make better dishes or at least use the right ingredient to make the Fuqi Feipian. To sum up, the food would get a 3 star and the service and attitude get them a 2 star deduction. Conclusion: Try the Malaysian place next door, Penang. Much better food for the price and no coercive sale tactics.
(1)
Karan R M.
Oh, Dumpling cafe how I've missed you these past few months. This was my go to chinese place when I worked in Downtown Boston. I remember being here during graduate school but I was reintroduced to the place by a colleague. The best thing about this place is their ability to customize your food. I gave them specific instructions on how I want my food cooked and it was presented to me exactly the way I wanted. Also, their ability to multi-task even in a huge customer crowd is awesome. I'd recommend this place highly.
(4)
Elica I.
My husband & I love their soup dumplings & yeung chow fried rice! I do like some of their other dishes, too, but these two dishes are always good. Service is like any other Chinese restaurant. Definitely not a 5-star service. I only gave 4 stars as they changed their jelly-fish & garlic dish ... not sure what happened, but I was really sad when this particular dish was no longer palatable.
(4)
Lillian C.
Came here with a group of friends on a Thursday. It was pretty full, but we didn't have to wait too long for a seat. I like ordering family style and sharing so I can try different dishes and that's what we did. We ordered: XLB: very big, hot, and juicy. I liked the flavor, but thought the dough was a little too thick. Flounder hot pot: very flavorful. Not too spicy, went well with the rice Stir fried string beans: lacking flavor and was just OK Mushroom and bok choy: very fresh vegetables and I liked the gravy on the vegetables Spicy intestine and pig blood hot pot: A little disappointed in this dish... was lacking in flavor, items, and the sauce just way too thick A pork dish: This was a tangy pork chop dish... one of the best things I ate that night. Pork was very well cooked and the sauce was so tasty. For the price and quality and quantity you get for this place I'm definitely a fan! I'm already counting the days until I can go back...
(4)
Harsha G.
The service was horrible. The waitress even asked for a higher tip when we were leaving.
(1)
Gigi H.
Our usual favorite Gourmet Dumpling House had way too long of a wait tonight so we thought we would give DC a try, that wasn't a good idea. It's not that the food was gross or anything, just not as good as our favorite. We ordered the exact same food here as we do there just to compare. The two restaurants are supposed to be owned by the same people that own GDH but the chefs are definitely different. First we ordered Taiwanese Hot and Sour. The soup was a miss. It had too much cornstarch and resembled snot and had too much salt and not enough vinegar. I also like my hot and sour to have a bit of black pepper and/or white pepper but this soup was seriously lacking. I was able to have a couple of sips after adding half a cup of hot tea to it. The next dish was pork with bamboo tips; again, too much cornstarch. The meat wasn't finely shredded like I prefer. I make a much better version of this dish at home. Finally our order of pork and leek pan-fried dumpling came out. While I did enjoy seeing large pieces of leek on the inside, the dumpling itself was not crispy at all, only a small area of it was actually fried and the rest was soggy. The dipping sauce did not have shreds of ginger like GDH and could use more seasoning considering how bland the filling was. We also ordered some scallion pancakes. I like that they weren't as greasy as GDH BUT they were really lacking in flavor and the dipping sauce that accompanied them did nothing to make them taste better. In fact, it was the same dipping sauce as the dumpling sauce. They are supposed to be different. At GDH, the sauce that is served with the dumplings as lots of ginger in it but the sauce for the pancakes has lots of coriander, which gives a fresh flavor to the oily pancakes. We won't be eating here again.
(2)
Dandan L.
The service was bad as expected. The soup dumpling was decent, although the waitress forgot about our order and insisted that I never ordered after I checked with her 4 times. All the other dishes we ordered were def below average, especially the beef noodle soup. It was bland. All the noodles clumped together and some of them were half cooked. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed all the Taiwanese food restaurants have at least decent beef noodle soup. I'm still willing to give another try though. I didn't get to taste all their "Classic Taiwanese dishes". It could be I was just being unlucky and picked all their less popular dishes.
(2)
Iaroslav M.
just had lunch here. Food is good,but service is horrible. I work in the industry and i expect the service to be good no matter how cheap or expensive the food is.After the waitress took my order and brought my food -She didn't said a word bringing my soup (ok,ill take it),then bringing my main meal she just put the plate on the table and walked away. How rude!im your customer, not an animal. Even if your English is sucked just say basic"enjoy" or "here you are".I didn't expect her to check on my meal of course (not existing thing in 99% of Asian restaurants ).On the top of her performance she brings me my bill while im still in the middle of eating without saying anything. I don't know who would tip her on the service like that. Doesn't she realize that tips are her income?Ill stop by for take out only.Maybe.
(2)
Eric C.
I was eager to introduce the SO to something different within the Chinese restaurant world but didn't really know where to start within the Boston Chinatown. We found this place called the dumpling cafe so we figured we would try it out. For those of you who do speak Chinese and are looking for a place to go they speak Mandarin. As per my norm, I quite frankly ordered way to too much but I really just wanted him to try everything! We got the Xiao Long Baos that surprisingly still had the soup in them. They were piping hot but once sufficiently cooled were a burst of flavor in each mouth. Do you know how to eat these? you should first carefully pick them up with your chopsticks to prevent them from bursting. Bite off the top so they can cool and pour some of the vinegar and ginger sauce inside and eat it. You'll think you've died and gone to Shanghai. The next dish was the salt and pepper pork. Easily a favorite for anyone coming in. They have west lake beef soup as well but unfortunately the SO hates cilantro because of the weird genetic issue making it taste like soap. This was followed by a giant clay pot with mifun and lobster... more of a soup than what I was expecting but delicious nonetheless. This is a solid 4 stars. Not OMG I gotta have it but definitely a solid place to introduce a friend to real-er Chinese food. Parking across the street in the garage =)
(4)
Wen-fai F.
This is my go-to place for soup dumplings (xiao lung bao) in Boston. The skin is incredibly thin, soup incredibly flavorful, and the meat is well-seasoned. I take my Chinese friends and family who are out of town to Dumpling Cafe and it never disappoints. Their pan-fried dumplings are also terrific. I've tried many other dishes here, noodles, oyster pancakes, vegetables, tofu dishes. Everything is decent but nothing I've had is a real stand-out other than the dumplings. One thing I really liked was the oyster pancake with gravy. Prepare to share this though, as it is pretty oily! I like that Dumpling Cafe never has an absurdly long wait; the longest I've had to wait is 30 minutes, and that was with a party of 8 people on a Saturday night. As far as service, it is a little difficult to get the attention of the wait staff during peak hours. I've had to go up to the register to pay the bill before because it took so long for someone to come to our table. I really don't mind that though.
(4)
Jimmy B.
When I'm drunk, I think of this heavenly oasis in the middle of the night. Absolutely delicious when flat-out drunk, although to be fair, I've been here when I was "fairly" sober at the end of the night, and the food was STILL amazing. As all the other, numerous reviews have said, you MUST get their xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Any will do - go with crab, pork, hell, just go crazy and order two of each. For beginners not understanding the craze of soup buns - they are basically bigger dumplings with delicious broth inside. You bite off the top, drink the soup (careful, it's scorching hot!) and then add some black vinegar and ginger and munch away to your heart's delight. Absolutely amazing! As a side note, their flat noodles w/ beef is also very good! A nice complement to the soupy buns, so it's worth a try. And a side side note - don't expect great service. The service staff have limited english and care only about bringing you food, getting your money, and clearing your table all within 5 minutes if they could. Which, in most cases, isn't bad, but don't expect any memorable drunk conversations with the staff. At the very least, there's plenty of other drunk patrons that can fill up that void if need be (these conversations make great stories, trust me).
The dumplings are superlative. Service doesn't matter when the food is this good; heck, they could demand that I serve myself from the kitchen and they'd still earn five stars. (Though service is spotty and tea refills are hard to come by.) Between the dumplings and the roast duck buns, this place is on another level.
(5)
Bob S.
Been here a few times; haven't made it to the other dumpling place - the line there is always too long for us - so sorry, no comparisons. This place holds its own with the other good places to eat in Chinatown. The XLB (which they call mini juicy bun?) are quite good - we order them every time we go; both crab and pork. Broccoli with garlic, string beans with dried prawns and spinach with garlic are fine renditions. The Taiwanese eggplant is very good; a bit unusual, slightly sweet. Kung Pao and General Tso's chicken are good; the Szechuan Flounder is very good (although I wonder if it is really flounder). It's small and pretty crowded. Don't be surprised if your neighbor is really really close. Ask him what he's eating. Service it a bit harried; they really need an additional server.
(4)
Ariana Z.
Came here because the Gourmet Dumpling house was much more crowded than this place. The wait was only 15 minutes, which is good for these two places considering how popular they are. I had the Taiwan style wonton soup, which was very similar to Dumpling House's wonton soup. I really loved it, the soup was a good size, flavorful and light. I also ordered the scallion pancakes as a complimentary side dish and they are the best I have ever had. They are more crispy and not limpy like others I have had. Service was great, we ordered right away, and everything went smoothly. The cashier older woman, was very kind and kept coming out to reassure our group that she had our name down and our table status.
(5)
Alexander L.
A lot of the food was saltier than I am normally comfortable with. This included the xiao long bao and the taiwanese style pork. otherwise, the food was cooked well and nothing was dry.
(3)
Joanne G.
Fast service even when ordering streaming hot dumplings. Lots of seating and swimming fish to choose from. Everything we got was wonderful Ma Pa Tofu Spinach with garlic Taiwanese fried dumplings Pork and leek steamed dumplings Papaya Bubble drink
(4)
Anne W.
This place is definitely more spacious than the Gourmet Dumpling House. Somehow there is a trend that Bostonians enjoy eating dumplings.. both places are packed. I think the shao long bao are much better than Gourmet Dumpling House. They do not give you red vinegar but the black vinegar instead. I think it still could improve like Din Tai Fung but let's be honest.. it probably won't happen in Boston anytime soon. The other things were hit or miss... veggies were good but something that could be gotten at any Cantonese restaurant. The Taiwanese pork chop noodles were not that great either. I was hoping something pretty amazing since the waitress was like.. yes, those are good. The noodles are typical, fresh spinach, and some friend pieces of pork chop. It was okay.. tender but not really a must-have. I saw more people here getting lobster here than anything else. That's not very Northern Chinese or dumpling like.
(3)
Kelly C.
xiaolongbao - Thats what I came for and thats what I got. (To GO) I quite enjoyed them. They definitely would have been better had I eaten them there, but they held up surprisingly well on my 5 min walk back to the office. Full of soupy goodness, and the dipping sauce goes perfectly. I think I need to drag some coworkers for lunch there! Shouldn't be hard.
(4)
Paul H.
Ok...so I read the reviews I bought into the "forget GDH" remarks... but I gotta say I am just not buying it. Now I will concede that with our party of 6, we had a hell of an easier time ( and a bit more elbow room) here... but what we made up for in room and a lesser wait we paid for in taste. The xiao long bao were good...not great...the veggie dumplings were rather dry on this particular visit . My wife ordered the sesame chicken and we may have well been in the suburbs. I had some seafood lo mein and it was average... not your standard msg laden dark burb noodles mind you..but nothing to write home about either. Everything at the table besides the pork and crab buns seemed like pretty average chinese fare. I would be thrilled if we had a place like this on the Cape... but to make the trip up... well not so much.
(3)
Winnie M.
This place has only been open for 2 days only. I give it 2.5 stars only based on this initial experience. For a Tuesday night, it was quite busy, but I think it had more to do with it being a new place. The general layout of the place is overcrowded and not the greatest layout for a restaurant of this size. It might do them better to just lose a table or two for more comfort not just for the guests, but also for servers. The food: The scallion pancake was undercooked, not doughy, just undercooked...don't be fooled by the char marks on the outside. I ordered the Taiwan style Wonton Noodle Soup, which was mediocre. I'm not sure if its what the Taiwan-style is supposed to taste like, but the soup was very bland. Adding a bit of vinegar salvaged it a bit but not much. Not a fan of this dish, as the wontons were ok-sized, but it came with flat rice noodles, not the usual yellow egg noodles. That might just be the Taiwan-style, but I'm not a fan of flat rice noodles when it comes to Wonton Noodle soup. My boyfriend ordered the Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Shanghai noodles. It was a decent dish, but had too much beans and tofu for his taste (was not indicated on menu it would have such) and the pork seemed almost nonexistent in the dish. As for service, I can't say that it was a great experience, but it wasn't bad either. The food came rather quickly. There were no condiments of any sort at the tables, so you have to ask for them (like soy sauce, vinegar, etc). As I stated earlier that the layout was bad, we got seated at the table right next to the door. It did not help when there's a table next to us, then the 2-person table behind us. At one point, I got annoyed because during mid-bite of my food, I had to get up so that a waiter could get past me to the table next to us. I don't mind moving to make room, but at least wait until I don't have food in my mouth! Thankfully it was our waiter. The rest of the waitstaff as well as the hostess were extremely nice and seemed on their toes. Overall, it was a decent experience, but I'll give it a month or two before I attempt to try them again, maybe it will be a better experience.
(2)
Terry B.
B I just ordered the xiao long bao here. Just to try out some Boston xiao long bao. It didn't disappoint! Slightly on the greasy side but tasty soup and meat. The service was kinda slow although it was only like 11AM. No customer service .. I don't expect much from Chinese places but still ... no smiles or anything haha
(3)
Tempe T.
We just dined here last night and... yum. Just loved it. I was in the mood for some dim sum so we got the vegetable and the seafood dumplings. Vegetable dumplings were good, the seafood ones were better, and best of all were the spring rolls. What. They put cinnamon in there, folks. CINNAMON! Try them! They come with two different dipping sauces, one of which must've been the sweet and sour though it had a hint of apple taste to it. Fogettabouttit. As an entree we split the shrimp asparagus with the sa-cha sauce which, if I had to try to describe, I'd say it was a roasted garlic-butter sauce with something in it that looked like brown sugar but was milder than that. At any rate, I recommend the place highly. The ambiance is charming, the tea flows freely, the service was super-attentive, and the food was deLISH.
(5)
Joanie L.
My 2nd time here was a private party but even then, the food was excellent. Great leek dumplings and soup dumplings, veg fried rice was tasty, decent teriyaki stick and noodles, good scallion pancakes.
(4)
Carl T.
OMG OMG OMG OMG soup dumplings.. they bring a whole new level and meaning to the phrase "sex in your mouth" I swear its like an asian pillowy gusher. While I recommend you place the first round of dumplings on your soup spoon and pop the skin to ooze the soup out for it to cool, there really isn't anything funner or more daring than poppin those suckers in your mouth and go on the ride of tasty goodness! Lets be cereal for a minute and talk about everything else. While we tried other dishes that I cannot recollect due to the drunkenness, I remember those dishes being extremely well prepared and delicious. Those dam soup dumplings really just stole the show! The flavor of the meat in side the dumpling was perfect and seasoning of the broth was as perfect. The skin, to the filling to the soup all flavors really complimented each other. I do have one complaint and it is towards the old man bus boy who I hope doesn't get one cent of any tip given to any of the tables. What a huge douche! I don't care if youre old or hate your job or life for that matter. But cmon... first off when we paid the bill we gave a generous tip being that we had a very good experience the problem came when he came up to our table as we were about to leave and joyously asked if we liked the food, and of course how could we lie!! And this muther effer goes "then why you not give better tip, you like food you give better tip." And we all looked at each other and were like wtf... old man, you just single handedly ruined our house of dumplings experience to the max to the point where that old man bus boy alone is the cause of taking away 4 stars! As far as business, I don't care who you are, you never say that to a customer. doesn't matter if that is how Asians are when they're old or what not that's just not how you treat customers especially when we gave you a 30% tip. Sorry house of dumplings this review would have been 20 stars, your food is great and wait staff awesome but your bus boy really ruined the experience and our night.. quietest walk and drive home ever thanks to you, you old fart...!
(1)
Amir K.
Everything is flavorful and the portions are enough for two. Sesame chicken is 10x better than the average take out.
(4)
Oiyan P.
These soup dumplings are not the best I've ever had, but they are the best in Boston. For all you fans of Gourmet Dumpling House, you are all suckas! The dumpling skin here is fresh, smooth, and thin. The soup and dumpling size are ample! The other food is pretty decent too. The service is so so, but what do you expect? It's Chinatown! There's usually not much of a wait, unlike at GDH.
(4)
Emmi Z.
I've eaten here a few times and the food is a) timely and b) very, very yummy! Their Chilli Beef Stir Fry is the spiciest I've had in Boston and their noodles are very good. Ironically, they lose a star because I wasn't impressed with their dumplings - everything else I've tried on their menu is DELICIOUS though! (Greasy, but Delicious.)
(4)
Sandy H.
The xiao long baos here are so much better than the ones at the Gourmet Dumpling House. The dumpling skins are thinner so it makes for an all around tastier bao. The meat inside was really juicy, meaty, and flavored well. We also ordered the fried flat noodles with beef, but I would have to say that the other dumpling house made that dish better. I will definitely come back here for the xiao long baos.
(4)
Tim D.
This place is said to have the best XLB in town (see all the other reviews about this), but I am going to review the rest of the menu instead. Everything about this restaurant says "awesome"... except the food, which is usually in the "pretty decent" range or slightly below. I'll walk you through some menu items I've tried and the grade they've received once wiggling down my gizzard. (Note: earplugs can't hurt if you're going at off-peak hours: they often play deafening, frantic K-Pop to ensure quickened eating, indigestion and feelings of helplessness.) Overall Grade: B- (pretty decent or slightly below) Braised Yellow Fish with Brown Sauce Grade: D I see this scrawny creature in my dreams and wet the bed. Simmered Crab with Silk Noodles Hot Pot Grade: B+ One of their better efforts: crab parts lazing on some mild, brown-flavored silk noodles with minced garlic and veg. Roast Marinated Bean Curd Grade: C+ "Roast" in what sense? This is simply that tofurkey loaf from the fridge section at the C-Mart across the street, sliced and garnished with green onions. Grilled Shrimp Skewers Grade: B+ A pleasant impaled-prawn appetizer Sauteed Noodles with Seafood Grade: C Overcooked linguini with too much pepper. For shame! Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style Grade: B+ My favorite appetizer there; three slender grilled fish. Very nice! Seafood Noodles Soup Grade: B- A good amount of fresh seafood, but too much pepper in the broth! They've committed this same indecency twice on this dish, so I can no longer extend my mercy. Steamed Dumpling with Vegetables Grade: B Serviceable pouches of green stuff. Ma Po Tofu Grade: B+ Surprisingly good. No pork, just wiggly, slightly numbing tofu. Oyster Tofu Soup Grade: B Oysters, green onions and tofu cubes in an unsalted broth; long forgotten before I even finished it, but pleasant enough (lots of oysters, at least!). Hot and Sour Fish Soup Grade: C+ Not even remotely hot, or sour (save for the single tomato chunk bobbing awkwardly against some squid scraps). Maybe they just didn't think I could handle the "real" thing, whatever it is? Pah! My parents were calling me "Hot and Sour" before... wait, I lost my train of thought. Sauteed Squid with Pickled Mustard Greens Grade: B+ A respectable version of this pungent, bilious favorite. Flounder with Sweet and Sour Sauce Grade: D+ Breading with take-out-packet sauce. Szechuan Style Steamed Flounder Grade: A- The best thing I've had there, though it pales next to the same dish at the place up the street (hint: its blessed name rhymes with Caiwan Tafe).
(2)
Duke C.
Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) lived up to their name. Lots of soup in the dumpling although the rest of the filling was a bit mushy. The Taiwanese pork chop noodle soup was a bit disappointing. The pork chop was mostly fat and too salty.
(2)
Chris H.
Very good. Got dumplings and scallion pancakes. Didn't blow my mind though. Service was OK, but I felt rushed.
(4)
Tiff L.
The food offered here is pretty much the same as the Dumping House. I'm actually glad they opened another restaurant because it was always impossible to find a seat in the Dumpling House.
(3)
Cari L.
I continue to be confused, perplexed, and utterly appalled that Gourmet Dumpling House is more highly rated than my beloved Dumpling Cafe, the restaurant that clearly makes the best food in Chinatown. First off, when you walk in, you immediately smell how delicious everything is. You do not smell grease - you smell all the wonderful dishes crammed onto the other patrons' tables. Although the staff is not super-friendly, they are accommodating and will bring you the things you ask for relatively quickly. Second, food I know to be tasty (I will address the soup dumplings in their own section shortly): Scallion pancakes - crispety crunchety, reheat well for a midnight snack. Pork and leek dumpling - for when you want a more gyoza-type experience than soup dumplings. Sauteed flat noodles with beef (aka Chow Fun) - something about the way Chinatown restaurants make this will always be better than your open-till-2am local joint - better texture, better beef, better flavor, more consistently-cooked noodles. Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Udon Noodles - the noodles were also perfectly spongily cooked; the black bean sauce was tasty... my only complaint would be that the minced pork was REALLY minced - like miniscule. THE SOUP DUMPLINGS. Now, full disclosure, the best soup dumplings I've ever had in my life are at Shanghai Cafe on Mott St in New York. These are the dumplings against which I judge all other xiao long bao. Things I value in a soup dumpling: flavorful, non-fatty broth; flavorful, non-fatty ball of meat; thin but unbreakable skin; a top-knot that isn't too hard or unpleasant to bite off. Dumpling Cafe consistently hits all of these points on each visit. The weakest element of their dumplings is probably either that sometimes the top knot gets a little thick and dry, or that sometimes the pork just doesn't taste as good as the broth. Though not exquisite, they are great and the best I have found in Boston. --------- Finally, a rant against Gourmet Dumpling House, for comparative purposes: Gourmet Dumpling House's dumplings consistently fall apart in addition to relying more heavily on fat for flavor. Nothing worse than lifting up the dumplings only to have the bottom fall out of EACH AND EVERY ONE. That is the true travesty of GDH's xiao long bao, and it has happened to me every time a friend has dragged me there under duress. Don't sacrifice your time, money, or happiness at GDH - DUMPLING CAFE FOR LIFE!
(5)
Liz Z.
I've been eating here constantly during my trip to Boston. Scallion pancakes are my favorite ever. Delicious, with the perfect texture and amount of scallions. Doesn't get much better than this where I'm concerned. Pork & leek dumplings, beef & cabbage dumplings, fried wontons, sausage fried rice, spring rolls, wonton soup, miso soup- all super tasty. The dumplings are particularly great. I've always had friendly service, with dine-in or takeout. Everything has come out quickly, middle of the afternoon or during the dinner rush. My one negative about Dumpling Cafe is how you need to hit a $15 minimum to use a card- not a fan.
(4)
Jesse N.
I dropped by the other night for a bit after the Russell Peters show. This was my second time here...The first time around was okay. This time around was really awful. From the beginning... My girlfriend and I were seated at a 2-top table. After about 10 minutes of sipping tea and figuring out what we wanted to order, a waitress came over and told us we had to move because a table for 11 just came in and they all wanted to sit together. Way to give me the bait and switch! At least give me an appetizer or something for making me get up and move all my stuff to another table. Strike one. We ordered a few things: Scallion pancake, Kung Pao Shrimp, and Salt and Pepper Duck Tongue. The scallion pancake came out and it was okay, nothing special. The Kung Pao Shrimp was extremely disappointing - completely bland, and the celery was under-cooked. Also, I found a hair in my dish (strike 2). Luckily for them, that stuff doesn't bother me too much but I'm sure it does for other folks. The thing that got me the most was the duck tongue. At about $17 for the dish, I was expecting it to be phenomenal. It sucked! Something was off...I LOVE water fowl, but the tongue was so gamy, enough that I could only try one piece and had to stop. This is coming from someone who has once before eaten puffin, mink whale, and all kinds of funky "organs" without any hesitation. That's saying a lot! I told the waiter I wanted to return it and have it stricken from the bill. My family owns a restaurant and I know this is standard procedure if a customer is really disappointed with the dish and barely touches it. They said they could charge half-price. I admit, I was a bit taken aback, especially considering that this was the first time in my LIFE that I've ever returned a dish for being so offensive to my palette. Strike 3. I was still hungry so after they took away the duck tongue dish I ordered some udon noodles in black bean sauce. I also ordered a sprite because well, unless you're one of the lucky tables, you don't get a big pot of tea, and once your tapped out it's very unlikely that a waiter there will stop by to fill you up. Did I mention I bit into a chili pepper by accident? The waiter forgot my sprite, and I had to ask for it again, in addition to a tea refill. I mean, seriously, I've been around the block enough to know not to expect much in the way of customer service in Chinatown, but I got the sense the wait staff was annoyed with me because I turned away the duck. Ugh. I got the udon noodles finally, hoping that this would be one redeeming dish, but it was equally disappointing. The sauce tasted like sweet gravy and I could barely taste anything reminiscent of black bean sauce. If anything, it tasted like that "lobster sauce" crap that most Americans are familiar with. At this point, I just wanted to get my check, admit that the night was a failure, and get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Eventually I did, but the story doesn't end there. In spite of how crappy the udon noodles in black bean sauce were, I don't like wasting food so I packed them up and brought them in to work for "breakfast" the next day. As I was eating them, I noticed another hair on one of my noodles. Seriously? It's like this place wanted to give me one more F-U for turning away their duck tongue. I suppose this is my punishment for not braving the cold a bit longer to get to Peach Farm or Taiwan Cafe. Dumpling Cafe, never again.
(1)
Jonathan A.
If you're not Asian they hate you for going there, but you just can't beat the soup dumplings so you just have to suffer through asking for a glass of water and having someone literally sneer at you.
(4)
Stephanie Y.
Cute little bustling place. My friends and I came here after church on Sunday morning and waited for about 20 minutes for a table. When there's a window looking into the dining area, you get very hungry and you start salivating at everyone's food. I took this time to observe what others ordered and tried to find it on the menu. Of course we had to start with the xiao long bao!!! The dumplings were juicy and piping hot! Unfortunately for a few of the dumplings, since they used parchment paper instead of lettuce, it stuck and ripped the poor thing. Juice and everything came spilling out. It was quite a sad moment. We also ordered the pork and mustard green rice cake, which is a traditional Taiwanese dish. I also ordered a beef noodle soup to share with shanghai noodles. Gotta love asian food. It's cheap and very filling.
(4)
Thy L.
You need to know what to order here. Some stuff is really good and some stuff is not so good :( THE BAD: Xiao Long Bao - no no. The skin is too thick and rough. The soup is okay and the filling is okay. Not too spectacular. But maybe I'm snobby, I think there are no good places for Xiao Long Bao in Boston. I always have to go to Joe Shanghai in New York. Hot & Sour Soup - Four words: Stay away from it. Salt & Pepper Pork Chops - MEH. Just go to a Cantonese restaurant instead to get this THE GOOD: Fried Wontons - VERY GOOD. Get it. You'll understand. A bit oily, but delicious. Noodle dishes - excellent. The noodles are hand-made. You can tell by the inconsistency in sizes, which would not happen if a machine did it. The shanghai fried noodles and beef noodle soup were both good. Braised Tofu - not bad at all. Very appetizing gravy/sauce. I will definitely come back to try some of their more special dishes like the "hot pot" style stuff looks good.
(4)
David A.
Well, let's start with the obvious: it's much better than panda express. In fact, it is much better than most standard chinese-american restaurants (yes, I realize it's taiwanese). It is also of a slightly higher tier than many Boston C-town institutions, like China Pearl. I've only ordered take out here for lunch during the weekday. based on what I've seen from table-diners, it may be even better for those that stick around. The flavors of most of the entrees are best described as "fragrant". Portions are med-large and totally sufficient, even for a big oinker like myself (metaphorically speaking, i'm not that big...) Of course the xiaolongbao is a must. After that, there is a little noodle dish called Fuzhou tucked away on the menu that is exceptional and very much unlike a typical chinese noodle dish - a fact most likely chalked up to it's being specifically taiwanese. The dumplings are all quality. I have yet to explore the menu extensively, but am working on it. Somewhere in my Dumpling Cafe future is the sauteed pig's blood. The fact these guys put this on the menu, should tip you off to the restaurant's above average authenticity. Check it out!
(5)
Corona W.
Unlike other restaurants in Chinatown, the seafood dumplings here are actually just that - seafood dumplings. Many dimsum places/ restaurants in Boston use pork as an ingredient in almost every dish. While many of you may not mind, it's problematic when you are a pescatarian like me. Don't even bother asking the ladies who push around the carts because they'll tell you its seafood only when it's not. Anyways, the dumplings here are delicious and the skin tastes home made. My friends have also raved about the meat dumplings and xiao long baos. The basil eggplant dish at Dumpling Cafe is far inferior to the basil eggplant served at Taiwan Cafe. Other dishes here are likewise, just ok. Bottom line - go here for the dumplings and go somewhere else for food.
(3)
Renee R.
Soup dumplings are amazing- and the Taiwan hot and sour soup is one of the best I've had! Our service was great and our server even offered suggestions- just ask them what they recommend! Our bill was $30 for 2 - cant beat that! Will definitely be back
(4)
Misha T.
It's been a while since I had some bomb xlb and the ones are dumpling cafe are pretty solid. We also had the skewered and bbq'd duck tongues which is one of my favorite dishes in general. They make it pretty well but i think they over charge. Our scallion pancakes were w/e but that's one of those things that's so easy to make I rarely order it unless I've got a mad craving.
(4)
Twee V.
I have been searching for a dumpling place in Boston. So far, I haven't found any good dumpling place yet. This place is ok. Their dumplings are not bad compared to other places in Chinatown. The pork dumplings are a little bit salty.
(3)
Denise T.
A great source of late night eats in Boston. We arrived close to midnight and staying at a hotel near the Boston Common so we walked over, a short 10 minutes. Amazing soup dumpling!! (Pork filling and pork & crab filling were both yummy.) Thin skin, perfectly delicate filling, juicy soup!! Much better than those I've had in NYC. We also ordered seafood pan fried noodles with fresh shrimp, squid, snow peas, broccoli, mushroom and bamboo shoots over thin crispy noodles. Staff was efficient if not overly friendly and the place was clean! (No food on the wall!)
(4)
C C.
Terrible customer service. The two of us were in line when three more people walked in. They were the hostess's friends and were seated immediately when a table opened up. When questioned about why they got seated instead of us, the hostess got defensive and confrontational. Not only did she start arguing with us, she also wouldn't shut up after we turned around to ignore her. Standing behind the counter, she kept on making comments when we clearly can hear her. Do not go if you want to be treated with respect.
(1)
Allie H.
We came with one thing in mind: XLB. Xiaolongbao here is excellent. The soft, delicate dough parcels, nestled in a bamboo steamer, are precious little bites. Eating them takes practice and care. Delicately pluck them from the steamer with chopsticks, careful not to tear the skin and lose the flavorful broth inside. Balance on the shallow soup spoon and bring to your lips. You can already smell the beef inside, wafting up in little puffs of steam. Take a bite, simultaneously gripping the dumpling with your lips and slurping out the scalding, deeply-seasoned broth. This is exactly what you came for. Just order them directly, without browsing through the menu for their name (sometimes hidden as "juicy pork dumplings). Also worth trying are the scallion pancakes, where thick slivers of roast beef are wrapped inside the slightly crisp pancake and seasoned with warm sesame oil. An order of pork fried rice (my boyfriend has a weakness for rice that simply must be sated) was also good; notably, the pork is fresh and brown, not the typical pink cubes of cured meat you'll get at lesser places. We were seated by the window at lunchtime, watching the patrons come in waves. The Dumpling Cafe is buzzing, clearly with regulars and tourists alike. If you have to wait for a table, be sure you do. It's worth it.
(5)
Mike D.
I went here late night on a Sunday night. The food was great and very cheap! Everything tasted pretty fresh and savory. The service was a bit slow but it may have been the time of night so I wont take it away from them. I will be back to try more dishes!
(4)
Winnie L.
Get the soup dumpling!!
(5)
James C.
First time here and ordered the same few things we had at Gourmet Dumpling House a couple weeks ago. I would give Gourmet the slight edge on the dumplings. Scallion pancakes and Spicy Szechuan Fish were better at Gourmet as well. That being said Cafe is perfectly acceptable and has a nicer and larger dining room if that is something you are worried about. But I give Gourmet the slight edge for the food.
(3)
Marc W.
It was our last night in Boston so we chanced it and tried something without really researching it. The service was kind of awkward and uncoordinated. It was like 2 or 3 different servers were randomly trying to take care of us but not really knowing what was going on! Our table was positioned on a very lopsided floor which made for some uncomfortable dining. Anyway, let's talk about the food. It was less than aight. My wife had their version of Gyoza, she said it was o.k., but it looked undercooked. I tried a piece of it and wasn't too impressed. I had the twice cooked pork meal. The pork had a sort of rubber like consistency, almost like shark cartilage. Overall we weren't too impressed with our meals but maybe we just ordered the wrong sfuff. Perhaps some of their other dishes are much better?
(1)
Michelle w.
loved it!
(5)
Phoebe H.
The best Soup Dumplings in Boston! Customer service is what you would expect for an Asian restaurant in C-Town.....sucky. But hell the food is good and that's what you go for.
(4)
Jay M.
I came into this place mistakenly thinking that it was the Gourmet Dumpling House on the other side of the block. Oh well, I was pleasantly surprised because it turned out to be a good mistake. I haven't had food at GDH so this is not a comparison of the two. My partner and I came on a Saturday night after hours of walking the city. It was cold so I wasn't thinking when I walked into this place thinking that it was the GDH that we had walked by earlier during our lunch in Chinatown. Although the dining room was packed, we were promptly seated at a six-top with another couple that had already been seated and served. No biggie. We looked at the menu and decided on appetizers to share. Pork and leek dumplings, no brainer. Teriyaki chicken meatballs, awesome and a great value at less than $1 per stick. I always order something adventurous so that my partner can try new foods that he'd otherwise never order for himself so I added a plate of crispy fried pork intestines-- BEST that I've ever had in Chinatown! I mean, Penang makes a mean plate too, but these were fantastic! The dipping sauce, however, could have been less salty. Reminiscent of great peking duck if you're afraid to try these out, but enjoy duck. Seriously! Apps would have done the job, but he ordered pan fried udon with beef and I got Peking style pork chops for good measure. My chops were awesome! Crispy and crunchy without being over-sauced. The sauce wasn't one note like most sweet and sour dishes in such establishments. Well done! The udon was good, but I'm partial to mine so yeah...just good. The service was nice here. Tea and water glasses were full and the waitress was always readily at hand. She forgot my bowl of rice at first, but it took nothing other than a nod from across the room for her to remember and she quickly brought it over. I'd come here again, but not by accident. This place is worthy of it's own following much like that other dumpling place around the block.
(4)
Betsy A.
I seriously wish Yelp would allow zero stars, because this would be the place I would first apply it to... Let me start by saying this, no one is more sympathetic to the struggles servers go through every day to provide folks with good service; however nothing, and I mean nothing called for the awful service we received recently from this place. I understand the late night crowd can be annoying (heck! they were annoying me!), but my friend and I were nothing but polite to the servers only to be treated with disregard, and down right rudeness. I was left speechless and (as some of my yelp reviews should show you) that is very difficult to do... Is it worth it to list out everything they did to warrant the 1 star, and for you not to grace them with your business? Not sure I want to relive the experience, what I must say is, there are places in Chinatown with far better tasting food, to put yourself through the rudeness this people exhibit. You've been warned...
(1)
Patrick G.
Tried Dumpling Cafe the other day, so I could truly compare it to other places in Chinatown, and because many people rave about it. The XLB was pretty good, but I definitely think Gourmet's are better. There were a few missteps with service, and some uncooked beef dumplings, but, I think, even at their best, they play second fiddle to Gourmet Dumpling House right aroudn the corner.
(3)
Alicia J.
Three of us showed up to Dumpling Cafe, put down $60, and still had enough for breakfast the next day. Typical of Chinatown restaurants, you can get a lot for not _so_ much money. Dumpling cafe also shares the typical problem of Chinatown restaurants, that the menu is too big, and clearly some things are not going to be so good. Order carefully. We stuck to dishes that should either be good everywhere or were dumplings. The result was pretty good as the four stars indicate. We ordered the hot and sour soup, mapo tofu, a full braised fish, braised eggplants, wontons, juicy buns, and dumplings. This is a lot to review, but suffice to say that everything was pretty spectacular. For the price, it was 4.5 star food. The best was the fish. While I am a sucker for whole fish, it was well cooked and taken fresh out of the tank next to our table. The juicy buns were so great that I ended up squirting hot soup down my throat, but I didn't even complain. I also thought that the hot and sour soup was better than average, but I am hard pressed to explain why. The reason this establishment gets four stars is the relatively poor service. It was tough to get tea refills, and we never got water at all despite asking for it. Still, despite all that, I'd go back.
(4)
Allie C.
This is the first Chinese restaurant that I have tried in Boston. The soup dumplings were a lot better than the ones I have had in NYC. Lunch special dishes weren't bad either. Would go back if I were in Boston again.
(5)
Winnie C.
Quality: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Taste: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Portion: 4 out 5 (enough) Price: 5 out of 5 (very good) Service: 4 out of 5 (goof) This is the at least the fourth or fifth time I've eaten here, and I am definitely returning again and again. They have a lot of types of dumplings, all of which are delicious. The food comes out fairly quickly, the servers are average, but at least not rude like other Chinese restaurants around. I definitely will come back for their dumplings though!!! A lot of variety and are made so that the dumplings don't pop that easily....
(4)
Julia C.
The hostess and the proprietor were extremely friendly and sweet, but the waitstaff seemed very confused about what they were doing. Plenty of tea refills though, which was nice for a cold day. Watercress with garlic was bland and rather un-delicious, like Steve N. mentioned. It indeed needs some salt or soy sauce or something. Xiao long baos were tasty enough, and I did appreciate the thinner dumpling skin. But the dumpling skin was unpleasantly hard and dried out on the top, and I do agree with the reviewer who said that the insides were like meatballs. I like Dumpling Gourmet House's XLB better. Had a bite of my friend's stir-fried rice cakes. It was very tasty, but the menu read "Taiwan Style Rice Cake with Veggies," making no mention of meat. However, the dish came with a plentiful serving of shredded beef, and a few sad pieces of Chinese chives. It was fortunate that my friend just felt like getting her servings of veggies in and wasn't actually vegetarian. But those who are might want to double-check with their servers about the contents of their dish. I'd be willing to come back here and try out more dishes.
(3)
Allison B.
Get the xiao long bao. You will NOT regret it. They are phenomenal. If I could come here multiple times a week, I would, just to drink the delicious and savory (but also somehow sweet!) nectar that spills out of those soup dumplings. GO. NOW. And so cheap.
(5)
Michelle T.
The Chicken with preserved vegetable noodles I ordered tasted fresh, delicious, and definitely home made. Noodles from the north are meant to be a little bit chewy and these were good! The chicken broth was a little bit oily, but nonetheless, tasty and reasonable at $7. The Xiao long baos (little juicy buns filled with pork) had really thin skin, just like it's supposed to be and definitely on the juicy side. The fried noodle portion was smaller than most of the other entrees we ordered, but flavor-wise quite delicious. The cuisine here is a mish-mash of Taiwanese, Cantonese, Shanghainese, and random other Chinese dishes. Good menu variety! Taste: 3.5/5 Plating: 3/5 Originality: 3.5/5 Value: 3.5/5 (depends on what you order...I thought the dumplings were a little expensive for the number you get) Service: 3/5 (No complaints. Fast, efficient...all that) I would go back, but nothin' special here.
(3)
Aashish B.
Excellent...different and comparable to gourmet dumpling house. Their shechuan fish, grilled anchovies, and soup dumplings were awesome. And an excellent and artfully simple egg fried rice to go with it!!
(5)
Mabel N.
If you look at the lunch special price on the menu it saids $5.95 but they charge you 7.95 (another price) if you don't tell them you want the$ 5.95 version. FYI - You're getting the same amount of food for paying $7.95. Convo with the host - it was my responsibility to tell her I want a lunch special $5.95 verison. It's not even the lousy $2 dollars that I am concern with. She can't even look into my eyes when she told me she has to charge me $4 dollars extra for the 2 lunch special I order. It doesn't make any sense to me to have 2 different prices for lunch special. Slow service on the weekend - I called for the takeout orders and they said it will take 10 minutes. I ended up waiting for almost 30 minutes. While I was waiting next to one of the table the waitress (short hair lady) was cleaning...She was annoyed she YELL "EXCUSE ME" and stared at me because I was in her way!!! She was SO RUDE!!!!!!!!!! Food was ok. Not so friendly host and waitress. Taiwan Cafe and dumpling house doesn't pull crap like this. Wait staff are more friendly there.
(1)
Kit A.
Wow this place is delicious! The soup dumplings were perfect and the mini pancakes were so good. I didn't know what to expect when I came in, but I'm sure glad I tried it out!!! Unfortunately the service was not so good. They never ended up bringing water or more tea so I was extremely thirsty (especially after having salty food). I also had to ask a few times for our check. The sitting is a little cramped, but overally I'd definitely go again!
(3)
Sophie P.
Love the pancakes here! Food is more than decent every time I visit.
(4)
Chris W.
Dropped in on a Monday night for dinner, before heading over to see Blue Man Group. Had the soup dumplings and pork with leek (pan fried). My daughter also ordered Beef w/ Broccoli and Chicken Lo Mein. I'd say the dumplings were better and I probably wasn't eating the soup dumplings correctly but it's a place I'd go back. Service was 'OK', not warm and fuzzy but courteous. By the time we left (6:45) it was filling up w/ locals.
(4)
Naveed J.
Deceivingly cheap for the high quality of food..
(4)
Skennenrahawi-Phil C.
Dumpling Cafe - Chinatown Boston MA USA dumplingcafe.com The service was excellent, fast and efficient. Dumpling Cafe is on the edge of Chinatown across from Tufts and the Floating Hospital for Children at New England Medical Center. I tried Dumpling Cafe without any prior research or referral from a friend. The menu was quite extensive and there's a wide variety of flavors and food available. I ordered take out for myself and a friend who's Taiwanese. I ordered the Crab Rangoon, Taiwan style grilled sausages, Taiwan style pan fried dumplings, Pork Fried Rice, Beef with black pepper and the Sesame Chicken. My Asian friend requested "Beef Lomein" which wasn't actually on the menu. The hostess was happy to make a variation on the lomein dishes which were available. I was surprised at how fast the food preparation was- even with our dish substitution - I waited less than fifteen minutes - on a busy night. The food was excellent - perfectly prepared, no MSG and delivered with a smile. I would definitely recommend Dumpling Cafe and plan to go again the next time I'm in Boston's Chinatown.
(4)
Anna I.
Since 2010, Dumpling Cafe joined the Chinatown food scene (695 Washington Street, Boston). A faux terra cotta warrior at the entrance with a red scarf welcomes you. Everyone from the hostess to the waitstaff is very helpful and efficient. Perusing the whole dining room, a bamboo steamer is seen on every table. A must have dish is none other than the mini buns juicy with pork and crabmeat filling ($6.50 for 6) or xiaolong bao aka soup dumplings. To the novice, you must carefully lift the plump dumpling with your spoon without puncturing it. Then carefully nip the top before gingerly slurping the hot, rich, delicious and flavorful broth that doesn't need the accompanying dipping sauce. Finish by eating the lovely crab and pork contents left in the dumpling. By far, this is the best xiaolong bao around and the secret is out. Next comes the oyster pancake with gravy ($5.95), which is a delicious egg and starch pancake studded with a generous portion of oysters and slathered with a slightly sweet red sauce atop some greens. Another interesting Taiwanese street food for the adventurous eater is the grilled duck tongues Taiwanese Style ($5.95). Four skewers holding four marinated duck tongues each. Obviously there is not much to eat here, so it is more for bragging rights. But be careful of the small cartilage. It is fun to also try the Grilled Chicken Skin ($2.95), which is rarely seen in Boston. Finally the Taiwan style braised eggplant ($9.95) is a perfect blend of slightly spicy sweet sauce with pleasantly soft eggplant, a great combination with plain white rice. Dumpling Cafe is definitely worth a visit, eager to serve all customers and even late night snackers until 2am.
(3)
Mitchell L.
NEVER GO HERE! I ate here and the service was horrible. I got food poisioning, don't go here unless you want to get sick. I thought this place would be better but I think ill stick with the REAL dumpling house down the road.
(1)
LuluandDaquan B.
We love this place after dining here for the 3rd time last night!!! It was hard for us to like to this place since we felt a loyalty to Dumpling House, but this place has seriously won us over with the food. 1. Cafe is newer and so much nicer, House is just grimy and over-crowded. This really makes for a different experience. I think atmosphere is pretty important though so that depends on the person. 2. Food is as good if not better than Dumpling House. We are obsessed with Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and have eaten them numerous times but I think they taste a lot better at Cafe. The skin is thinner, the soup is tastier, and so was the meat filling. Other dishes were great at cafe too. 3. Slightly better service at Cafe. So yes, Cafe wins in our opinion, and we will be coming here for our dumpling cravings in the future!
(5)
Barbara L.
Tonight was my fifth visit I believe to the Dumpling Cafe and it's official I love it! The food is delicious. Some of my favorites include the scallion pancakes, the pan fried seafood noodles, the final and most important thing is the juicy mini buns, it is basically a dumpling with a really awesome soup inside. Hand downs the best thing on the menu. Last weekend I was in there with my friend and we ordered pork buns and our order got messed up and we got served these instead so amazingly good, that I had to come back for them a mere five days later. The only issue with this place is that the service is inconsistent. Sometimes we go and it is awesome service other times it takes forever for the tea or water to get top off, or like the other night when our order got royal screwed and I would have been highly annoyed had I not been stuffing my face with the mini juicy bums at the time. I think part of the issue is there is this one guy that works mostly alone at night and since it's open late there are quite a lot of customers and he mans the tables alone for whatever reason. While the service is sub par I will be coming back for more just because the food is so awesome.
(4)
Victoria C.
The food is great! The soupy dumplings are definitely delicious. BUT, their service deserves only one star. I have been there multiple times with okay service (always SLOW) but in my latest visit, the owner made me so angry I had to walk out. It was lunch time and the crowd started coming in. I agreed to sit at a table which the owner left her own lunch there. I was alone so didn't really mind. Then with the owner's lunch still on the table, they sat another woman down. We smiled at each other politely and understood the situation. But then, the owner wanted to sit two more guests down at this table. Both of us politely declined and felt it would be too awkward to have three parties at this tiny table. The owner then said, "the RULE is each seat can have one person!" (or something similar) I was hungry and not in the mood to argue so I stood up and walked out. I love good food and can put up with bad service for it. But, if they continue to treat customers rudely then they don't deserve any business.
(2)
Rebecca P.
My husband and I were visiting from Houston, TX and stumbled across this gem as a late night find. Being a couple who seek out new, GOOD food we were wary, but very pleasantly surprised! Based on the reviews here, I was not expecting much and was shocked to find that most were absolutely wrong! What we ate: Beef, Pork, Seafood, and Veggie dumplings (steamed) Pros: Very quickly seated (although it was about midnight). Open until 2am (most of Boston shuts down by 11/12 - which is terrible if you're looking for a night life!). The servers were VERY attentive. The BEEF and PORK dumplings were the best I have ever had. My husband (a "foody" would say they were easily some of the best he's had) Seasoned VERY well and the sesame soy sauce they pair them with is divine and really accents the dishes in an extraordinary way. Cons: It was difficult to find someone who spoke enough English to answer a few of our questions. We live in Houston and frequent the "China Town" here and are used to foreign languages/different ethnicity's, but it was difficult to order and ask about the menu. The only reason I did not give this restaurant a 5 star rating is because everyone has room for improvement, but I would mail order these dumplings if I could!!
(4)
Callan C.
I've been to dumpling cafe twice and have had generally the same experience both times. The menu is extensive. The friends I have been with are obsessed with the mini juicy buns with pork. They are little dough packets with a kind of pork broth inside. They are alright, but I haven't found myself craving them all the time. Worth a try, however, you may love them! Service isn't very good. The food comes out fast but once the food is out you have to fend for yourself. No refills of the tiny water glasses. It can get bad when you've finished your sodium-packed meal and are trying to siphon out the few drops of water you have left in your cup. Bring a water bottle! Also, be prepared if you are with a group - they only take two credit cards per bill! Prices are reasonable, environment and food are standard. Enjoy!
(3)
Jenny C.
What does it mean to be a wannabe? Oh yes, to be a less cool version of something that already exists. If one can't already see the resemblance between Dumpling Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House, then she'll see it on the menu, where both restaurants devote a small section for dumplings (despite being named for dumplings). So, let's start with the positives. The waitress wasn't too attentive, but she was really funny. We had to ask her several times for water, but hey, can't really expect much. It's Chinatown But the good things end there. No matter how excellent the service is, one goes to a restaurant for food, and the food was just not good. We got the Xiao Long Bao, and the filling was really mushy. The taste was off, and the dumplings were overcooked so the skins had holes =no soup inside =sadness. The frozen Prime Food ones are better. We also got the stinky tofu, and it was a very funny experience, but I can't really judge it because my gag reflex refused to let me try it. I wanted to, but I just couldn't..... Then came the $21 three entree special. We got the pork chops (overcooked and too salty) , a spicy fish dish (that was okay, but was loaded with MSG and too salty as well), and watercess with garlic (which was the best dish of all of them). Overall, Dumpling Cafe seems like the failed child of Gourmet Dumpling House and Cafe de Lulu, trying to copy the good aspects of both and achieving none.
(2)
Julie T.
I must say, I'm a little shocked I didn't feel the same way as everyone else. Like many others, I too compared my experience with Gourmet Dumpling House and personally? I actually still like the House better than the Cafe. The flavors are lacking here and although it's a lot more spacious and clean, I just feel like something's missing. Maybe it's because I go to the House so often that they know my name and I feel more comfortable because of it. Shrug. The menus look almost exactly the same, but the tastes are so different. Example: I like starches so I like the very doughy texture of the soup dumplings. The service was eh. We sat there for a while before anyone came to take our order. It wasn't super packed either. And it was a while before the food came out, but in any case, I've made up my mind. This is just not the place for me.
(1)
Ashley L.
I got there around nine with two of my friends and they seated us after saying they were closing in an hour and were very distant while we ate. Other the that the food was great and cheap. I would definitely go back when I have more time to eat.
(3)
Hubert H.
I actually like this place very much. We had the fish soup stew Sichuan style, very spicy, very flavorful, carries a 'punch' and the portions were decent. We also had a mustard green with dried tofu dish, which was interesting, because it also came with edamame, which I thought was a little disappointing, since I don't really like edamame. I will assume that the English translation was inadequate. There is a great debate as to whether whether this place holds up to the Gourmet Dumpling House. I think my taste buds tell me that this place is a little more heavy on msg than the GDH. I do think that you get a greater variety of stuff at GDH as compared to here. I look forward to following Josephine L's recs and trying their XLBs. The service isn't great - always need to keep on egging the waiters to pour tea and so forth. But you will come here for the food, not for the service.
(5)
Good M.
We had to tell them to turn down the top 40's crap they were blasting away throughout the dining room. Their despicable attitude and service aside, let's talk about the food; We ordered all their signature dumplings and they were inadequate at their best. If we wanted frozen dumplings we would buy them at the grocery store. They are supposedly known for their dumplings right? I think not! And their meat and seafood dishes tasted more Cantonese than Taiwanese. Luckily my work paid for dinner, otherwise they'd never catch me through the front door. Go to Taiwan Cafe instead for Taiwanese cuisine.
(1)
Raymond W.
Sorry sex shop shoppers, Dumpling Cafe is now in town. If you can't wait for soup dumplings at Gourmet Dumpling House, Dumpling Cafe is a good alternative. I came in for lunch after an early movie and got the lunch special and an order of soup dumplings with some friends and were seated immediately. The soup dumplings were hot, the skin wasn't too thick or thin and had the right chewiness. The fish and vegetable dish wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was a good value and slightly lighter fare was essential.
(4)
Heather G.
I think I was destined to dislike this place from the initial exchange. We came in, we were seated, and 2 minutes into studying the multi-page menu, a waitress came over, pointed to something on the menu, and said "Here. General Gao Chicken." Yikes. What was it about me that signaled to the waitress that I was looking for the General Gao Chicken on the menu? Who knows, but it immediately put me on the defensive. Did we come for General Gao? No, we came for dumplings. We ordered the spicy beef with bamboo because I just love the crunch of fresh bamboo after eating down the rectangular slices from a can for so long. The dish was definitely spicy, and delivered the assault to my taste buds I was looking for. My date ordered the beef fried rice as stomach-filler, and while I generally don't like fried rice, this was much cleaner-tasting than the greasy, salty, brown-colored Americanized Chinese version. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed the colors in this dish were white (rice) and green (veggies and herbs), and while this was not a mind-blowing plate of rice, a dish of Beef Fried Rice rarely is. I appreciated that this didn't sit in a congealed lump in my stomach all night. This was a great supplement to the meal and paired well eaten with the beef with bamboo dish. Because my date was a non-pork eater, we were limited in dumpling choices. I wanted to go for some soup dumplings, but had to settle for the cabbage fried dumplings instead. These were underwhelming, tasted fried, and had no real discernible flavor inside. I cannot fault the restaurant for this, however, because you really shouldn't come here for pan-fried cabbage dumplings - you should come here for soup dumplings! Lastly, we had an order of scallion pancakes with beef. Sadly, the sliced beef inside was only lukewarm, and instead of the hot, fried, crispy-outside-but-chewy-inside texture I normally get from this dish at other restaurants, the entire dish was room-temperature, which caused the fried dough to get, well, doughy, mushy, and gluey. A gentle squeeze to the exterior also caused the pancake to ooze with grease, and I will certainly stay away from this dish on my next visit. Though the restaurant was not busy when we arrived (nor became busy/slammed as we were there), the server rushed us to order, checking in every 35 seconds or so to ask if we're ready. The meal was tough to enjoy, as we had about 3-4 different servers checking in at 2-5 minute intervals throughout the meal (to hurry us along?), making conversation with my date a near impossibility. I understand that the restaurant culture is going to be different at a restaurant like this, but I don't get harassed nearly as frequently at Gourmet Dumpling House or Taiwan Cafe. Honestly, I doubt I'd choose to come back here over GDH or Taiwan Cafe ever again, but if friends were going here, I would be amenable to tagging along.
(2)
Alyssa K.
Food was super tasty. I wouldn't say its anything special. Except for the juicy dumplings. The juicy dumplings made it worthwhile. Very casual
(3)
Joey C.
Ahhhhh this is what it's suppose to taste like. Not like that other joint down the street, supposedly the "original" "DC" is bigger, cleaner and tastes WAAAAAAY better. What more is there to say? For Boston it's pretty good. Everyone is comparing to NY, but you can't! So for what it's worth, this is the joint for TW style grub.
Seriously the best xiao lum bao in Boston! The skin is thin and the soup has a great flavor. I enjoyed these tasty dumplings with a side of sauteed green beans with dried shrimp, also delicious. Less oily than the veggie dishes you get at most Chinese restaurants here, more similar to how they are traditionally prepared. Also, you get complimentary tea (as you should!). You don't get a pot at your table, but our cups were constantly refilled. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Dejan M.
My friends and I found the food here divine. For the first time ever, I'm actively craving an eggplant dish. We've covered a fair sample of the menu, ranging from soup dumplings to the spicy Szechuan seafood medley, and everything tasted delightful. My friend who frequently visits Shanghai was impressed by the food authenticity at Dumpling Cafe, though obviously the portions are bigger here. The place is not small, but it's cramped. Expect to sit quite close to others and touch neighboring tables as you ease into the wall seats. But it's worth it because of the amazing flavors you'll enjoy. The only nitpick is that some dishes are spiced up enough to overwhelm the actual food taste. They're not too spicy to eat, they just feel like they'd taste the same even if squid was replaced by beef.
(5)
Marlecka M.
Very busy place. Don't come here if you want & expect friendly warming service. These waiters/waitresses are serving so that you eat in peace with you family/friends. However, if you want to catch their attention, make sure you're loud and noticeable. I went with my boyfriend's family, and we agreed to "trying new things" So we ordered Fried Stinky Tofu..... WORST IDEA EVER! hahaha It was an experience though, it smelled HORRIBLE (a bit like feces.) I didn't dare try it, but the others did and they said the taste stuck in your mouth... ick. We had the Salt and Pepper Soft shell crab, which was VERY delicious. The Calamari was nice too. We also ordered Steamed Watercress, which was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly. And then there was soup... A hot pot of bubbling pig intestine and pork blood soup lol (told you we were adventurous.) It wasn't that great... usually when one cooks pork intestines you're supposed to boil it in Oolong tea to get rid of that intestine taste... But these guys didn't do that... We also ordered a big bowl of rice, but the waitress came only with 4 small bowls of rice, and we were thinking "ok, she's probably bringing out the other 4..." NOPE, we were left with 4 bowls of rice and had to share.... they do have a nice menu with a lot of variety
(2)
Amber S.
This place was a disaster
(1)
Jenny G.
Last week while eating at Pho Pasteur, I glanced through the window and found my self wondering if this place was new. My boyfriend told me it had just opened a few weeks ago. So when my college friend from Denver was in town for the weekend, it gave us a perfect reason to try Dumpling Cafe. We ordered the Pork and Leek dumplings (fried), the sesame chicken, sauteed flat noodles with beef, and the mango chicken. After what seemed like only five minutes, our food came right out! Delicious and Big portions. The sesame chicken was divine, not overly greasy just crispy. The mango chicken was packed with flavor and huge slices of real fresh mango. Everything we ordered was super yummy. Definitely will come again! Oh and ... They have the best crab rangoons ever! They're not folded into some weird shape. But who cares if they just look like triangles if it means there's more filling inside. When I got the rangoons to go the hostess even asked me to tell her if there was anything I don't like about them (for the future).
(4)
John X.
They have the best xiao long bao in Boston. If you want some of these cheap delicious delicacies, this is the place to go. Their other entrees are not bad either, but definitely get a few long bao before heading out.
(4)
Chris B.
Really liking this place -- only 3 weeks old, but definitely has their act together. Late brunch at 2pm on Sunday resulted in delicious dumplings, a pork appetizer, and a lunch special. Here are a few thoughts: 1) This place seems to prioritize "more healthy" food -- the sauces are going to be less starchy and lighter, and the fried foods are less fried. Tofu with scallions and veggies resulted in very nice, lightly fried soft-tofu in a thinner sauce. Dumplings seemed to have less gelatin. 2) Soup dumplings have a very nice, thin wrapper -- I love having less dough here. Combined with less gelatin, I'm very happy with these. The tradeoff is that the soup seemed a little more oily than I was expecting (probably from chili oil, though), and the filling was more like a meatball than not. 3) The owner mentioned she had formerly run a Chinese restaurant in New Hampshire (I think) -- so this is an experienced team behind the restaurant. No wonder, given they've only been open 3 weeks but had a happy, well-run & full house. 4) Interior is nice and happy -- fairly big space, more Californian aesthetic than Boston. 5) You can get the lunch special ($7.25?) on Sundays! I really like this place -- it's going to be my new go-to place in Chinatown, beating out Gourmet Dumpling House.
(5)
Alex S.
I love their noodle soup. It is cheap and fast. I have not tried any of their dumplings simply because their noodle soup is good. Recommendations: The taiwanese pork chop noodle is authentic and the pork cutlet on the side is very tasty
(4)
Elbert L.
I have been here once a week ever since they have opened a month ago, and each time they continue to impress me. Their Soup Dumplings are the closest thing to the ones I had in Taipei here in Boston, you cannot skip these if you come to this restaurant. I did not like the ones at TC or DH, their wrappings were too thick. I know people complained about service but hey, it is Chinatown after all, so it is expected, but I think they are more attentive than other places nearby. Their business is picking up briskly, each time I observed more and more people waiting for a table, so get here quickly before it becomes too popluar!
(5)
Sara S.
Lets be very clear, if you are going to eat at Dumpling Cafe, understand that you should only be going for the dumplings. I wish I had ordered take-out. HOLY TERRIBLE SERVICE. Once i was seated I was ignored for about 15 minutes, then 3 different waitresses tried to take my order? I tried to order a drink from two different waitresses, they both acknowledged me and my order...then never came back with my drink. The most disturbing part was that both the bowl of dumpling dipping sauce was slammed down (splattering on me and my belongings) along with my dumplings on the table on top of my papers that I was reading and began to move. The rating i give them is strictly for their soup dumplings which were absolutely delicious, they are different from Gourmet Dumpling, but to be honest they weren't outrageously better or different, i'd rather go to Gourmet Dumpling any day.
(2)
Loan V.
So my friend and I had wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House but there was such a long line we decided to go to the Dumpling Cafe. We were seated right away which was very niced. Today we ordered the scallion pancake, mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat, a large miso soup with tofu and veggies, and sauteed flat noodles with beef. Out of very thing we ordered my favorite was the sauteed flat noodles and the mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat. I didn't like the scallion pancake since it was chewy, I felt they needed to fry it some more giving it a crispy outside. The miso soup with tofu and veggies was kinda bland, it could have used a little more miso. Although I didn't like some of the dishes we ordered but the biggest problem I had with the place was one of the staff member. I'm not sure what the lady's name but this waitress kept walking pass our table and opening the steamer that the mini juicy buns were in. I understand she wanted to removed some of the dishes but I felt that that was rude.
(3)
Irene Y.
definitely a much more upscale tawianese restaurant than some of the others in the area, but if you know how to order you can avoid spending a pretty penny. :) instead of doing the traditional family style where you share all the entrees, you can order any of the individual noodle dishes and be full and satisfied for about $6. i tried the taiwanese pork chop noodle dish and was pleasantly surprised at how authentic and delicious it was. my fiance and i fought over the pork pieces, so perhaps learning how to use your chopsticks quickly will benefit you greatly! the noodles were soft and chewy and served with a helpful amount of spinach. the soup tasted like a very mild chicken broth, but definitely comforting. loved my experience there and would definitely come back again!
(4)
Stephanie S.
This place is SO much cleaner than most of the noodle places here in Chinatown. It also has a better atmosphere. The soups are delicious as is everything else. I like the pan-fried noodles. They are also quick to refill your hot tea. The place is usually more packed than Pho Pasteur across the street, and I think its due to the quality of food. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)
stephanie c.
Was super excited for this new dumpling restaurant. I love dumplings and noodles. Came here for dinner and must say, it beats Gourmet Dumpling House hands down!! So much cleaner than GDH. Spacious and less wait, always a plus. Service was actually pretty good, maybe cuz it was slow that night. Had the XLB. Yummy!! They provide the vinegar/ginger that is supposed to compliment XLB which GDH did not provide. The skin was just right, thin enough to hold the soup, and not too thick so you eat a ton of skin and less meat. Perfect. My friend and I devoured it all. The soup was sooo delicious. Had the beef noodle soup. Delicious and not as oily as GDH. The beef was super tender, melt in your mouth quality. Huge bowl for only 6 bucks!! Tried another chicken dish with 3 "special ingredients". Also yummy. All of this, we stuffed our faces, had leftovers-total was 22 dollars!! Great food. Cheap prices. Clean restaurant for chinatown. Def a fan and am so happy they opened. Will be back soon!!
(4)
Christine L.
This place was actually not bad when they first opened a year ago. But the food quality and service has really gone down ever since then. Maybe it really depends on what you order.. It does have a nicer atomosphere than Dumpling House, though. Cleaner and bigger. Not really sure why it's called Dumpling Cafe when their dumpling selection is limited and isn't even that good. If you've been spoiled with good dumplings, you wouldn't be impressed. The filling is overchopped. The skin is probably not made from scratch or the proportions were off. But that's not the point. Point is when your food is mediocre, the service should at least be half decent to make up for it. The waitress who served us the other day was really rude. First she made us move to a smaller table to accomodate a bigger group. Then when she delivered our scallion pancakes, I asked her if they could heat it up a little more because the dough was still a little raw inside, she bluntly told us that it's not raw and that's just how their scallion pancakes are. Ridic, isn't it? Didnt want to argue with her cuz we didn't want to waste any time. Later on she just dropped off the rest of our orders (dumpling and pan fried noodles) right next to us without saying anything. In general, I don't expect much from restruants in Boston's Chinatown.. but I do not tolerate rude service.
(1)
Sidi L.
since they support lunch specials，the line is long...but their food are good. recommendations：soup dumplings，tomato shrimp with egg，peppers with beef
(4)
Biyu Z.
Terrible service!!!! I brought my friends and mum to this restaurant , we ordered dumpling and they served us until we finished all the other dishes!! And finally, they automatically charged us 18% tips without asking us !!!! We asked for the explanation and they just ignored us without even saying sorry. This is the worst experience I've ever had in chinatown. I won't go there anymore and nor my other friends. There are a lot of other options than this one.
(1)
Ryan K.
Great dumplings. The Taiwan style are my favorite.
(5)
Tina L.
Love this restaurant. The food is excellent, very fresh, and very spicy, too. The menu looks great, and there are a lot of choices. Love the dumplings and tofu. I can't wait to go back again.
(4)
Shuang C.
Grilled chicken skin 3stars. Interesting to try, not much flavor, mostly you just taste the sauce. Beef stew noodle soup. 1 star. The beef sucked, soup sucked, noodles sucked. Don't bother. Taiwan style pork chop noodle soup 3 stars. Soup was bland, noodles sucked, but the fried pork chop was REALLY good. Pork and crabmeat juicy buns 3 stars. Too salty for my liking, although better than GDH.
(3)
Chris R.
We started with the scallion pancakes and taiwanese dumplings - both good choices. The shrimp and asparagus satay was the best; came out fresh and hot, with the asparagus nice and crispy. General Gao's chicken was excellent. Overall, a good place to fill up before hitting the theatre, and pretty inexpensive. On the negative side, the decor and soundtrack wasn't elegant or anything special, but that's not why you come here. The food is yummy.
(4)
David C.
Gourmet Dumpling House, I am so sorry for betraying you. I will never do it again, I swear! My friend and I were starving and didn't want to wait the 20-30 minute line. 2 blocks later... Dumpling Cafe. If you've ever met me, you know I'm a dumpling champ. Dumplings... you and I have a special bond (get in ma belly). Actually, I have no idea where this thought's going... on to the review. So my friend and I ended up here after we didn't want to wait for GDH. 10 minute wait for a table, not too bad. The hostess and her waitstaff had no idea what was going on nor inter-communication skills, almost giving our table away to people that just walked in from the street. So we ordered some dumplings, of course including an order of xiao long bao (soup dumplings). FORTY-FIVE minutes later! "Molly, when do you want to walk out?" "... 5 more minutes?" "k, sounds good" Aaaand of course, two mins later, they come out. Xiao long bao = overly salty and too much gelatin (sorry, secret to soup dumplings is out) Other dumplings = eh Service = I've never seen so many people turning left, right, raising their hands trying to flag down their waiter for water/tea/bil. Dumpling Cafe, you get the 1 star for having thin skins on your xaio long bao and the tea woman was very expedient.
(3)
Jen H.
As it has already been said, this is dumpling CAFE not dumpling house. They are two separate establishments I send all of my friends and family to Dumpling Cafe when looking for a place to eat in chinatown. Their pork and crab juicy buns are AMAZING. I have never had a better bun anywhere in Boston. These buns are incredibly juicy and flavorful while having a very thin membrane on the outside. I've had dumpling house's buns on several occasions and they just don't compare. I'm also a huge advocate for dumpling cafe's bamboo tips which are slightly spicy and perfectly crunchy. As for their service, it isn't good, but I find that to be a good thing. In my experience, the better the service in chinatown, the worse the food! At Dumpling Cafe, the food will come out whenever it is ready, regardless of the order you think it should come in, and sometimes parts of your order get overlooked. However, if you share your food family style, as I often do with friends and family when in chinatown, this is hardly a problem. I also recommend family style sharing because most of the dishes come in a portion with just one thing (such as when you order bamboo tips, all you get is a plate full of bamboo tips and nothing else). If you remind the waiter/waitress of a forgotten item, they are quick to bring out the plate and are very apologetic. Overall, not a huge deal. Seating there is in fact, one person per seat. It never has bothered me to sit next to strangers. It gives me an opportunity to see what they are eating and asked what they ordered so I can try it too! Besides, this type of seating is, in my experience, common in the smaller places in chinatown.
(5)
Sam W.
I would advise people not to go to this restaurant. The service is horrible and the staff is extremely rude. I was eating there this weekend. We were sitting at the table waiting to be served for about 15 min and no one attended to us. During which, there was a full table of waiters and waitresses just chatting to each other, glancing at us then looking away. Ordering, waiting for the food and the bill was torture and was very frustrating. We left a tip of $10 for 6 of us (which i think was generous considering the horrible service), and as we were walking out the waiter cursed at us and said "i hope they get hit by a bus".
(1)
Espresso T.
This place has the best xiao long bao in Boston, and I have had a lot of xiao long bao in Taipei, Hong Kong, mainland China and back here in Boston and NYC. And, the food here is actually quite cheap. Its xiao long bao is MUCH better than the Gourmet Dumpling House (also better than the Taiwanese cuisine restaurant in Chinatown). In fact, it is better than some of the famed xiao long bao places in NYC too. Not all of the dishes are worth 5 stars, so I am giving this place a 4 star. If you stick with the right dishes though, their food is very good and I highly recommend this place. Best dishes from here are: Xiao Long Bao: The wrapper is thin and the soup inside is plentiful and tasty, as this dish should be; the meat also tastes fresh (Gourmet Dumpling House's version has very thick wrapper, not so tasty soup and dull tasting meat) Braised beef soup noodles: Tasty broth and they give you a lot of tasty beef as well (large portion and under $6!) Lu rou fan (braised pork on rice): a typical dish you see on the street in Taiwan; they do quite a good job here Most of their other dishes are still fine, though they are just not 4 or 5 star dishes that I would rave about.
(4)
Eric S.
This place has delicious dumplings and smells like heaven when you walk in ..Damn i was skeptikal about ordering from here due to the looks from outside kinda weird looking..But inside its a whole different story..The place is small and reminds me of a small hut like type restaurant that you would find in china,Taiwan,Japan,cambodia..ETC ..You get the picture!!..i will be back to try other items which look very good but wonder if my westernized appetite can handle what they offer and the fish looks very fresh...
(5)
Ryan M.
I came across this location on a trip to the Wilbur Theater. It's right around the corner, and conveniently located right near a parking lot. I'm a huge fan of the scallion pancakes. They are delicious! I usually get the beef and broccoli, and the pork fried rice is delicious. I don't know if every place is like this in Chinatown, but it feels very authentic to me. The tea is strong, the soup is good and plentiful, you are served with chopsticks and only receive a fork if you ask for one. There are ACTUAL Asian people dining here, which is a very good sign. Sometimes I drive in to Boston just to have dinner here. Give it a try.
(4)
Alyssa R.
I went to dumpling cafe last weekend with some friends. We had a large table with a lazy susan, which is super convenient for sharing dishes. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. Service was attentive. I think this restaurant had a more diverse and creative menu than most other Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants in the area. Go there to try something new, or for an old favorite. Try the mini steamed pork buns (soup dumplings), or the fried shrimp! I'll be back next time I'm in Boston!!! :-)
(5)
Nini G.
WORST. SERVICE. EVER! I've been to Dumpling Cafe before, and while their food is pretty good and their service consistently mediocre, I didn't think it would ever be awful enough to open a Yelp account just to warn the world of their existence. If you go for lunch or dinner, you'll get service, though probably you'll wonder why the staff all wear a permanent grimace. Lower your standards, enjoy the food, and walk out satiated. If you go at 3AM...well, just don't go at 3AM. You'll get treated as if you somehow owe them your firstborn child because they're doing you such a favor by serving you food that late/early. So you better tip them well...even if they 1. Make you wait...bring you the wrong order...tell you they are out of what you ordered so you either take the alternative (even if you physically can't eat the alternative) or you're outta luck...tell you they don't have time for you when you ask them about your order, that it must've been your mistake and not theirs...make you wait some more... 2. When you ask for tea, tell you that the table behind got the last pot...then proceed to bring out 5 more pots of tea to other people 3. Roll their eyes at you when you ask for your water to be refilled because you've been waiting more than an hour and your water has never been refilled 4. Tell you to never come back because you refuse to pay the 18% auto-gratuity they gave themselves, even though they were only serving (or in this case, ignoring) 2 people. Don't worry Dumpling Cafe, I'm happy to oblige. I will NEVER come back. So, unless you just graduated from anger management and want to test your newly found skill of patience, I say go somewhere else in Chinatown. There are plenty of other restaurants with just as good, if not better, food, and definitely a better attitude. And if it's 3AM...go get some pizza instead.
(1)
Catherine Y.
I came back here for dinner tonight and I just had to write about it right away! This place was packed tonight. So service wasn't amazing, but I'll let it slide for tonight... This time I ordered the crab and pork soup dumplings and they were amazing. Yes I've had Joe's Shanghai soup dumplings growing up, and all I wanted was to have some, so I ordered it, hoping for the best and I have to say, Boston, you delivered! I also ordered the rice cake dish with pork, and this too was really yummy. I was also looking around to see what other people ordered and I feel like there are so many more authentic dishes I should try next time!
(4)
Carl W.
First of all, I am of Taiwanese descent and found this place by looking for Taiwanese cuisine that I just can't get in NE Ohio. I tried the spicey beef noodle soup with an appetizer of oyster pancake. The soup arrived first and it was pretty good: slivers of beef and hot green peppers in a delicious beef broth with nicely firm noodles. The oyster pancake was MIA so I had to ask the waitress about it--she thought I was asking for the check but then understood and went to check on the pancake. I almost wish it didn't come!!! NASTY. Egg topped over a layer of corn starch goop with about 6 small oysters somewhere in between. Some weird variant of oyster sauce on top. That is nothing like Taiwanese cuisine I have ever tasted!!! I was expecting flour encrusted, fried oyster with green onion that is typical in Taiwanese cooking. I should have played it safe and gotten something more typical like the steamed dumplings. "Never have seafood at a steakhouse" or similar words of wisdom comes to mind here.
(3)
Tamar A.
It's kind of a given that in any cuisine, in any dish, the dumplings are going to be the winners. I don't know what it is about stuffing filling into dough, but goddamn if it doesn't hit any spot it comes near. So why not capitalize on these delectable little savory squishes and make them the main attraction? I'm only peeved that I didn't think to do it. I mean, picture it: you're trudging through the slushy cold of Boston Winter in Chinatown, and you come upon this warm, red little beacon. You sit down in dark wood and order yourself some tummy-warmers. You spoon a soup-fulled dumpling to your lips, bite a tiny tear into the top and race the broth as it dribbles out in a pool of warm, oily bliss. Slurp. Chew. Repeat. Sigh.
(4)
Rachel T.
This place uses a LOT of MSG. I also had chicken gristle in my steamed chicken dumplings. Both experiences seem pretty sub par for what I would expect of a new Chinatown restaurant.
(1)
John C.
I would likely have given Dumpling Cafe three stars, had I not come in with high expectations. While DC may offer some of the best dumplings in Boston, that might say more about the uninspired Chinese options in Boston than it does about the dumplings at DC. I found them quite passable, but far from exceptional. What you will definitely get, though, is at least authentic Chinese. Just not necessarily transcendent Chinese.
(2)
Aboud D.
The should call it the Chinese Dump Cafe. Definitely not hygienic. Barely involved wait staff. Tables desperately need refinishing. The beef and cabbage dumplings were good enough with thin dough. The hot and sour soup too salty. At least the beer was cold. 3 stars for food, 1 star for ambiance and cleanliness.
(2)
Cindy K.
So glad that we have a new Taiwanese restaurant in C-town that is actually GOOD! The menu is very extensive and has all your typical Taiwanese dishes. We tried the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and they were average but probably one of the better ones I've had in Boston. The pork kidneys and sesame oil were soo good. This is a very typical taiwanese dish and even though its a very simple recipe, it takes skill to make this dish come out good. I was very impressed. I hear the noodle soups are really good but I didn't get a chance to try so will definitely have to try that on a cold day. Also, the lunch menu looks AWESOME! So many choices and not just your typical "Chicken w/ Broccoli" dishes.
(4)
Shannon P.
Lunch specials tasted great and were quickly delivered. This is important due to the numbers of customers that start funneling in! The place is small but grab a menu and start dumpling treat-or-treating. We only had dumplings and were not disappointed. It was part of a multi-spot plan for our picnic and it was great.
(4)
Markus B.
Great Xiaolongbao and good Stinky Tofu and Oyster Pancake. Food at least as good as Gourmet Dumpling House. Service just ok but not worse than other Chinatown restaurants.
(4)
Catherine S.
I've been to China, and the food (and environment) is as authentic as you can get. Make sure you know how to use chopsticks if you come here; they didn't bring us any silverware, which was fine for us (though we didn't ask, so perhaps you could request forks and knives). The soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) taste exactly like the ones I ate in Shanghai. We also got some noodles for a little more substance, and were surprised at how flavorful the dish was. If you want to experience Chinese cuisine without the 12-hour flight, this is your spot!
(4)
Becca H.
Another review singing the praises of the mini juicy buns, plus the roasted duck buns which were also fabulous. Service can be poky at times and they forgot our side order of rice but the food still made it all worth it. We were only visiting for 4 days but ended up going twice because the food was so wonderful. Definitely going back the next time we're in town.
(5)
Rina A.
Fast service, neat surroundings and great soup dumplings (xiao long bao). will be back :)
(4)
Andrew H.
This is my favorite resturant in Chinatown. I have been at least 5 times, and everyone i have brought has loved it. The juicy dumpings are a must have - the broth is delicious, the skin is thin and tasty, and the meat is well cooked. Always comes to the daily steaming hot. Other good appetizers include the scallion pancakes (pretty standard but crispy and tasty) and the mini duck dumpings - skin is a little thick and doughy but still really tasty. I've enjoyed all the dishes I've had and the portions are perfect for sharing. Favorites include: beef with mixed vegetables, the mustard greens with garlic, mango chicken (sauce is a little thick and sweet), and the lobster with garlic and scallions. Service can be hit or miss, but they are usually pretty attentive and helpful with ordering. I love this place!
(5)
Anna T.
Soup Dumplings! Finally a place in Boston that can make it the way I like it! Thin skin, soupy w/o the gelatin gooey-ness, and fresh filling. 4 stars are for just the dumplings. Porkchop w/ rice - 1 star tasteless & dry minced pork that goes w/ the rice, weird tasting preserved chopped veggie, oily cabbage...the only redeeming point is the fried porkchop which was marinated thoroughly but wasted cuz it was hard to eat w/ all the hard tendons and bones...the soy sauced egg was also okay (Blue Asia cafe still leads for me on this dish) Oyster Pancake - Never really liked oyster pancake this one was okay only cuz I tasted egg (hahaha I'm biased w/ anything associated w/ egg), also not as oily as TC, and the sauce was okay Service - I have to admit they really tried and I think they should continue...it's a rare sight in Chinatown lol. Our tea cups were refilled promptly, asked us before removing the finished plates, asked us if it was okay to give us the check, very courteous. Interior - definitely way more spacious than the other two taiwanese restaurants Price - All this for $19 shared between 2. Would go back to get the soup dumplings and try other dumplings & the stewed beef noodle.
(4)
Q S.
At first I was super duper excited at the sight of a brand new (and good looking) restaurant in Chinatown. Dumpling Cafe. Makes me crave dumplings. I always wondered why people name restaurants certain things but then don't really deliver on that front. A "dumpling cafe" should have more than just five varieties of dumplings. I was disappointed after I looked at my menu that it wasn't really a dumpling-exclusive restaurant like I had hoped. The menu here is almost identical to the one at Gourmet Dumpling House (also misleading and not made of dumplings!) and similar to Taiwan Cafe. Even though this place is new, you're not getting a lot of new variety in Chinatown. Here is my food review: 1. Scallion pancake: yes! a not-so-greasy version just done right. It doesn't have oily air bubbles like the ones from other restaurants and is pretty tasty 2. Hot & Sour fish soup: give it a try! The fish I had seemed a bit over cooked and wasn't soft and flaky like it should of been, but the soup itself was delicious 3. Veggie dumplings: these are better than the ones I've had at Gourmet Dumpling House, but you only get 6. A bit steep. 4. Pork & leak dumplings: didn't try these, but the bf said it was good 5. Seafood dumplings: It was ok. Could of been better without the imitation crab. They should make mini buns with the filing instead, it would taste better. The dough was a bit overcooked. Service: We came here around 6:00pm, so the restaurant was more than half empty. They had a lot of servers and they hovered around while you ate. The minute your plate was empty, someone swoops in and takes it to the kitchen. I'm assuming all the over-attention is because the place is new, but it's distracting when you're having a conversation and every two minutes a rotation of servers are asking if you have questions about something, need something, or want something to be taken away. But can't complain since other restaurants in Chinatown does just the reverse.
(3)
Nicholas A.
Amazing soup dumplings and General Gao's (Tso's) chicken. Ranked too low on Yelp.
(5)
Maria P.
My friends and I have been here a few times. The beef noodles were ok, they made it with flat noodles and a dark sauce. The beef wasn't high quality but it was an inexpensive meal so maybe my expectations were too high. My friend's vegetable soup was quite disappointing, it seemed like they had just thrown all the vegetables they had on hand into the stock pot and brought it out. They had a good fried pork with plain rice garnished with some fried bits on the rice. This was the best thing I've had here so I'll go back to try this. It was a good fry job, not too oily but crisp. Service was decent even though it was packed late at night and in the afternoon lunch hour. Our waiter was a little slow while it was empty though I guess they work faster when they are at capacity as opposed to when there's just a few people. It's a small space decorated sparsely. I'd recommend a few other places in Chinatown over this one but if this is your only option order the fried pork with rice.
(3)
J C.
Food was decent but the service was awful. Was totally rushed. Waitress trying to clear away dishes before we were even done with them. Never going back.
This place made me happy. We ordered xiaolongbao, san bei ji (three cup chicken), zha jiang mian (noodles with black bean sauce), and yuxiang qiezi (eggplant with garlic sauce). The zha jiang mian was probably a little better than average, the xiaolongbao were just right, and the san bei ji was a bit below average. After we got through a "ten minute" wait that was more like 25 minutes, the food was overall quite good. I believe that the restaurant is somehow tied to Taiwan Cafe - both serve Taiwanese food, although Dumpling Cafe has a bit broader of a menu and slightly different recipes. It has a decent interior and is a good place to take others.
(4)
J K.
i was in search of some soupy soup dumplings and i am sooooo glad that i dragged the bf here with me. there was another option but i read through some other reviews and it seemed like this one was the winner with less waiting time and better soup dumplings. (i judge the soup dumplings by the consistency of the shell, the amount of juice in them, and the overal flavor). dumpling cafe is a winner. the prices were fair (as most chinese restaurants prices are) and the service isn't much different than that of any other chinese establishment you'd frequent - order, eat, and go - and ask for things along the way when necessary. i'm going to miss the soup dumplings here because the broth just spilled all over my plate when i took a little bite into it. i had to ask for some bowls because they were THAT juicy. the skin wasn't too thick and held up really well when picking them up and all the dumplings were consistent with the amount of soup they each had in them. i'm jelly and now waiting for a joe's or dumpling cafe to pop up in san francisco. the closest i've been able to find is kingdom of dumpling and while they're delicious there, the soup in these STUMPS any that i've EVER HAD, EVEN FROM JOE'S in NYC. i mean they're called soup dumplings - get some soup in those suckers! ... sad face ... now to find some recipes and make these myself. 3 orders of soup dumplings (1 of which were a crab mix) scallion pancake was good but nothing really special $24 + $5 = $30 for 2 not bad and definitely worth it for the heartwarming soup filled dumplings.
(5)
Emily N.
The best dumplings I've had. The pork or the pork and brand soup dumplings were amazing. The General Gao chicken was damn good, too.
(5)
Bean C.
This was my first time at Dumpling Cafe, on Christmas Day, the busiest day for Chinese restaurants. I think they have been listening to the complaints about service, because I found the service to be pretty good. We were given a choice of seating as soon as we walked in the door. We opted to sit in the back, at a large round table with another party, a group of young ladies. It worked out totally fine. What I was hoping for happened. I was able to get some advice as to what to order. Don't leave without having the xlb, they're fantastic. We also loved the roasted duck buns. The ladies were all having large soup bowls of meat and noodles, as well as the xlb dumplings. Next time, I'll get one of those as well. The method seems to flag down the server when you want the bill, which came as soon as we got her attention, which was v. quick. I'm putting this place in the rotation, can't wait to return!
(4)
Kathryn A.
Dumplings are 5-star. Everything else is 3-4 star. Why the 2-star review? Because if you seat 2 of us, hand us our menus and - instead of taking our orders - ask us to move to a table of 8, already occupied by 6 - well, guess what? YOU DESERVE A 1-STAR REVIEW. But your dumplings are divine, my little dumpling, so I'm giving you a 2.
(2)
Hana N.
Once I cheated on Gourmet Dumpling House and went here. Never again. Though much more spacious, the service was terrible. My friend ordered noodles with pork and was served some awkward (looking and tasting) soup instead. We tried to clarify our order, but they got mad and made us pay for the soup that we didn't eat. They were NOT helpful. The only saving grace was the good dumplings. I'll never cheat on GDM again.
(1)
Kalun L.
Searching for the best xiao long bao is a side hobby of mine. I always order it whenever I see it on a menu. Sometimes, I am rewarded for taking the risk like yesterday. I stopped by Dumpling Cafe for lunch yesterday and I was pretty happy with their version of these soup dumplings. One order gets you six delicious dumplings, each a little larger than a golf ball. My four criteria for a good xiao long bao are: 1. Thinness of the wrapper. In this case, it was just thin enough to contain the soup without bursting. 2. Amount of scalding hot broth contained therein. Here, there was plenty of it. Yay! 3. Flavor of the broth and pork filling. Perfect. 4. Size of the dumpling. A point taken off because the entire dumpling spilled over the sides of the soup spoon (more on this below). Eating xiao long bao requires a little instruction, lest you burn your mouth and spill the precious broth everywhere. First, if you do not know how to use chopsticks, learn before you venture forth to eat xiao long bao. Now, understand that xiao long bao is necessarily made to order, so don't gripe if your appetizer of dumplings follows your entree. When dumplings arrive gingerly pick one up and place it in your soup spoon (this is a little harder if the dumpling spills over your spoon). Sprinkle a little of the accompanying ginger vinegar sauce over the dumpling (you can dip the dumpling in the sauce, but you risk tearing the skin of the dumpling and spilling the payload of broth). Now carefully bite a little hole on the top of the dumpling, then, because the broth is hot, gently slurp out the broth. This will tell you all is right with the world. Eat the rest of the dumpling and repeat. I also ordered the pork liver and kidney noodle soup. I love my offal and I was very happy to see it on the menu. The broth for the noodle soup was a pretty good chicken and ginger. The noodles unfortunately were just kind of meh. Service was brusque, but that's to be expected in a Chinese restaurant. The bill with tax and tip totaled $15.
(4)
Maryam D.
The soup dumplings here are delish and definitely one of the better ones I've had in Boston (I'd even say better than my favorite, Gourmet Dumpling House). Unfortunately, that's where the praising stops for me. While nothing is terrible, I can't help but compare to GDH. The bad: - The watercress w/ garlic was soggy and disappointing. - The pork and leek dumplings were awful. - The good: - soup dumplings!! Thin dough filled with yummy soup and pork. - a hot pot beef short rib dish (sadly don't remember the name, but it was soo good)! The beef just melted in your mouth and was very rich and savory. - I tried two noodle dishes as well, both ok. I go with my friend who always orders in chinese, so I don't know many of the names for the dishes I've tried. She tells me that this is more authentic and homestyle Chinese for her, and prefers to GBH.
(3)
Jessica W.
I've tried Dumpling Cafe, Taiwan Cafe, and Gourmet Dumpling House. I LOVED Dumpling Cafe. The soup dumplings were actually better than Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. The skin was much thinner!!!! However, I thought the actual meat and soup in the soup dumplings were a little salty.. but still the best I've had in Boston! We also got the beef wrapped in scallion pancakes which was even better than taiwan cafe. The scallion pancake is less oily, but still just as delicious. We also got the pork over rice dish which was really good as well. Will definitely be stopping by this when I'm craving my Taiwanese dishes next time :)
(5)
Jillian W.
I came here for lunch with my mother on a weekday around 1PM. I have to say that this is the worst restaurant in Chinatown. The restaurant wasn't that busy and yet the service was still unacceptable. Not only that, the food wasn't that good either. We ordered soup dumplings and it came out in literary a couple of minutes after ordering. Usually it takes around 15 to 20 minutes to make so you know that something was not right. Also, the waitress didn't give us any sauce for it and when we asked for it, she rolled her eyes and walked away and brought it to us. You know the dumplings comes with it so don't act like we're asking for something extra. 10 minutes into lunch the dumplings became cold and inedible. We also ordered a mustard green and pork soup dish with rice cake. They cooked it instead of putting it in soup. We tried to explain that we ordered the soup version but she again scoffed at it and said that we didn't order it that way. Seriously, what the f*** is her problem?? So we just finished our meal (not enjoyable at all) and paid the bill. Before leaving we put the tip on the table and immediately our waitress came over and grabbed it on the spot and left! No thank you, no smile, nothing! Can I say what a total b****? That was the only time she actually moved fast. Yeah...not coming back even if you offer to treat. To the "waitress", if you don't like your job, just quit, nobody is forcing you to stay there. You want the money, you have to EARN it. Would not waste time and money with this restaurant. If you want dumplings, I would just over another 5 minutes to either Gourmet Dumpling or Taiwan Cafe.
(1)
Madelyn Y.
The juicy pork buns are to DIE for! I was introduced to this place and he told me to dip the bun into the sauce and place it on your spoon. Bite the top off slightly so you can air out the bun and sip on the soup that is on the inside. DELICIOUS! Other than that, I don't quite remember anything else that's why I gave it a 3 stars. If I had to rate the bun alone it would have been 5 stars. :D
(3)
Graceypoo M.
one of my favorite places to get XLBs soup and filling are both flavorful. If you order to go, they make sure to enclose the ginger dipping sauce. the crab rangoon is freshly made and the filling has more complex flavor than just plain cream cheese with imitation crab. They add some seasonings that add an extra special-ness to the rangoon. the beef scallion pancake is not that great.... so I just stick to the XLBs. tip: minimum $20 for credit card use and no more than 2 credit cards when splitting the bill. there is an ATM across the street near tufts. It's always better to pay in cash!
(4)
Madeleine Q.
Great soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and other Taiwanese dishes! I recommend getting the pork and not pork + crab meat. They do not add any crabmeat inside the soup dumplings and you end up paying extra for a speckle of orange-ish crab meat on top. They also have great shrimp, egg and tomato dish, a great selection of Chinese vegetables, eggplant in black bean sauce, and fancy spicy fish stew. Even with a large group, we are seated within 15-20 minutes on a busy day. They are quick and efficient. This is far better than the dumpling house in Cambridge.
(4)
Will C.
I prefer this place if I am in the mood for mini-juicy dumplings in Chinatown. I don't like waiting in line for the other place so I come here instead. Mini juicy dumplings are great here, hint of ginger and juicy. As for some of the other dishes, I'd recommend to sticking with the basics like lo mein or fried rice. The other dishes are alright.
(4)
Elaina C.
great place! we stopped by on a thursday night around 9:30 PM and mostly all the other restaurants in Chinatown were closed but this one was bustling. It was packed and we even had to wait a few minutes. We got the chicken wonton soup which was great but the dumplings are AMAZING! we got the pork ones and the meat inside was so flavorful and tasty... I definitely recommend! reasonable prices as well
(4)
Tanya Y.
Fun fact. On a recent busy night we were seated at a larger round table with people we did not know. By the end of yet another amazing meal (btw. convinced that Dumpling Cafe has the best soupy dumplings in Chinatown!), the boyfriend and I became acquainted with a mirror image couple of us! We shared food, travel stories, and ended up talking with these strangers for an additional hour or so even after we were done with our meal. Cheers to good food and good company!
(4)
Yang L.
If there is a no star option, I will definitely choose that. The waitresses are very rude in this restaurant. And the food is just so so. I will never never go to this restaurant again....
(1)
Xiaowan W.
Food is just OK. I wanna talk about their service. Last time i signed the bill and paid about 14% tips, cause the service was pretty average or say " not good". The waitress who was about 40 years old, rushed to my dining table and forced me to resign the bill and said " the lowest should be 15% tips", then she still stood there supervised me pay her enough tips, collected my plates without asking my opinions. Wow, thats sooo low.
(1)
Andrew R.
Been here several times, and it's hit or miss. Sometimes the food is amazing, sometimes it's perfectly mediocre. I'd mention particular dishes, but I've felt this ambivalence about them too. It's good, and I haven't found better in Chinatown, but it's not amazing.
(3)
Judith M.
This place just continues to amaze with excellent food, fantastic staff and unbeatable prices. Every single thing we've ever ordered has come out fast, hot and DELICIOUS. I cannot get over how perfect their dumpling covers are, toothsome, tender, tantalizing. SO GOOD.
(5)
Jimmy H.
Bad service server was so rude never came back and checked our meal food was very good also asked for a coke then he came back and slamed the soda on the table i know some times others have a bad Day but never been treated so rudely..
(1)
M M.
My friend from Taiwan ordered for me, so I'm not sure exactly what the dishes were called, but I believe we had the pork soup dumpling. You nibble a hole in the dough and slurp out the incredibly rich broth...wow! Beef noodle soup had incredibly tender beef and rich, delicious broth. I stole a bite of a dish that looked like beef with chinese broccolli(?). Sorry to be scattered on the dishes, but I suspect that just about anything you get here is going to be great! The teacups are large and they left the teapot for us on the table. seating is elbow to elbow, but that's Chinatown - embrace it!
(4)
T D.
First time eating the pork soup dumplings (mini juicy pork buns/xiao long bao), and they were DELICIOUS. Somewhat of an art to eat and not burn your mouth or spill the delicious broth inside, but definitely worth it. My whole table just ordered the dumplings. 6 dumplings per order. One member of our party ordered 2 orders for himself, and he said he could have eaten more! Service was okay, and restaurant ambiance was typical Chinatown, but everything is quickly forgotten once the dumplings arrive.
(4)
Dan G.
Unfriendly staff, but what do you expect in Chinatown on a busy Friday night around 11? Anyways, the place is small, but we didn't have to wait for very long for a seat. You will most likely share a long table with others. Whatevs. We ordered the soup dumplings which were sooo delicious. I've never had them, but they are delicious little pouches filled with broth and spiced meat. LOVE it. We also ordered chicken terriyaki meatballs which we were surprised at how yummy they were and how much they give you, garnished with a green vegetable along the side. Yup, I will definitely go again when I am in the mood for dumplings but all the dim sum places are closed!
(4)
Wael B.
Food and dumpling were good. The bubble tea was okay. Only reason I gave it 3 stars the wait staff was rude and very slow and they messed up our orders twice. We had constantly flag them to order food and even ask for water that we didn't even get at the beginning when we sat in our table.
(3)
Shabby D.
This place is amazing. It makes up for ALL the terrible Chinese food places in this city. The soup dumplings are to die for and the eggplant with chicken is the most amazing dish I have ever eaten. The scalion pancakes, wontons and chicken low mein and also amazing!! I could eat here everyday. Aaaaammmaaazzzing food!!
(5)
Luigi S.
Basic. Ordinary hot and sour soup. blah dumplings. decent squid. busy weekend in town but felt like just going through the motions with the menu. good tea. friendly service
(2)
Francesco R.
Every time I come to Boston this is the place I wanna go first. I think today I have paid my 5 visita since Juky. Their food is scrumptious and compensate the rudeness of the service, the only reason why I didn't give them a 5 star rating. Who cares about the service when the food is great?!? Today we had chicken with eggplants, my favorite dish, different types of dumplings ( another must order dish) scallion pancakes, spring rolls and fried chicken all our orders were delicious
(4)
Andrew Q.
Good xiao long bao have become increasingly easy to find in America, but I love them all the same. Dumpling Cafe has shorter lines and still solid dumplings. Their other dishes are likewise solid. Prices are generous, though portions are surprisingly small for a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant has a crowded layout, and even saying that is being generous. I'm a skinny bastard, and I could barely squeeze past other tables to mine. Service is fine for me, but I speak Mandarin, so I might have in-roads. It's a bit difficult to get their attention though; I occasionally have to pull the potentially insulting hand wave. So it goes, I suppose. I like this place if only for the vastly shorter wait time. Solid food, but not necessarily my first choice in Boston's rather saturated Chinatown.
(4)
Wei S.
Went there yesterday afternoon around 4pm. It was not busy. Waiter was okay and the food is fine. Juicy buns tasted a little bit sour which are not suppose to be like that. But the hostess in pink was terrible! She sat by the dinning table for the entire time playing her phone. She saw us after we entered the restaurant, but she decided to stick her butt there and not to greet us. We thought she was a customer at the very beginning. The same thing happened to another couple too. No body in the restaurant helped so they got had to find the table by themselves. It's not a welcoming restaurant.
(2)
Sophie P.
Great dumplings!!! It's not much of an experience here, well what can you expect when it's in Chinatown? The servers are really quick in taking your order and bringing out the food. Things to get: Pork and leek soup dumplings Pork buns (not like modern pork buns between a fluffy bun but in a twisted top dumpling) Both for only $14! Hard to find deals like this in Boston.
(3)
Luci N.
Went here last night for food and boy was it delicious! Scallion pancake is not oily and the mayo shrimp was the best I've ever they put the right amount of mayo I love it and will come back for more food!
(5)
Jiyea C.
Yummy xiao long bao. DO NOT GET BOBA HERE. IT IS POWDERY AND GROSS. These are the only two things I tried here so I can't on much else. Service was kind of inattentive, but it wasn't bad.
(4)
Patrick C.
One of the better places in Chinatown for soup dumplings. The food here is very good, but god almighty is the service absolutely abysmal. With waitresses walking away as they take your order, taking the order incorrectly, never checking up/refilling drunks, and picking up plates as you're still eating, be ready for a pretty awful service experience. I've tried very hard to like this place, but the two times I've been here, the service has been consistently bad.
(3)
Kirsti G.
My husband & I decided to try Dumpling Cafe after we had heard from our friends over and over again about how good it was. We were searching for some NYC worthy soup dumplings & this is the spot! They were very good, much better than we had tried at other places in Chinatown. We also got the stir-fried beef & veg noodles, they were just as good or even better than the dumplings! Would definitely recommend anyone who is visiting to order the noodles. 4 stars because the service was poor.
(4)
Andrea B.
Don't come between me and my soup dumplings, unless you want to die. Is that an exaggeration? Not really. I may be a huge slob when I eat them, but regardless, I mean business! Day or night, there is no time that I will say no to a soup dumpling invite. I don't care if it is 80 degrees out and I just came from an intense workout, I will still want soup dumplings! And yes, I have done that, by the way. They are the most wondrous things that I went far too long without ever trying. And let me tell you, Dumpling Cafe is where you want to go to pop your soup dumpling cherry. It's seemingly always busy, and it is open until 2 A.M., in case you live nearby and get a craving. Thanks to some expert guidance from Annie C (thanks, girl!), I got a crash course in soup dumpling consumption. Place a dumpling on your spoon with the pair of tongs that are provided. Add soy sauce if desired (I personally feel like the dumplings are tasty enough that any additional sauces are rendered unnecessary). Then, take a tiny bite out of your dumpling so that you can slurp out the soup from inside! Be careful, it is HOT!! You will probably find that the soup is so delicious that you want to gobble the whole dumpling up in one bite, but I don't recommend it. Your poor burnt tongue and mouth will not thank you. Then, once the soup slurping is complete, you can proceed to eat the outside of the dumpling, as well as the meat. That's the part where I tend to get sloppy. But they're so good that I want to get them in my mouth (and belly) as fast as I possibly can, so manners tend to fly out the window. I've tried the pork soup dumplings and the ones with pork and crab meat, and found that I prefer the former. The crab meat didn't really do much to add to the flavor. All of the above may seem obvious to you, but as a total newbie, that lesson was much appreciated! I've tried a variety of other dishes here, none of which were all that memorable by comparison (except the scallion pancakes, which are excellent). Everything is reasonably priced, and more than reasonably delicious, so Dumpling Cafe has quickly become my favorite spot in Chinatown. Oh, and random tip for people who are like me and prefer to pay with plastic at restaurants - they accept credit cards, but if you're looking to split the bill, they won't divide it up between more than two cards. Plan accordingly. Bring cash if you're with a bigger party!
(5)
Ann K.
Mini juicy pork buns = mini juicy pork bombs! They are packed with so much flavor, and if you're not careful, they'll explode and gush everywhere. Get the buns. Delicious. The 'special mustard greens with edamame bean curd sheet' is also a nice salty treat. And bacon lovers, try the grilled pork teriyaki, which is essentially fat, juicy bacon on a stick!
(5)
Pat F.
I like to go there for the juicy steam dumpling, and pork chop noodle. Went there a few times with my friends. The atmosphere was fine, food was good, but the service was terrible. The wait staffs were so rude, and not very helpful.
(2)
Isabella G.
Don't get me wrong the food is good, and always fresh. But the customer service is seriously lacking. The waiters are unfriendly and I always seem rushed when I go, whether if it's with a group or alone. Whenever I go in they always seem to have a problem taking cards, and it gets really annoying. I would consider this place cash only. But back to the food- I always get the wonton soup. It's very good! The broth is very flavorful, but light, and amazingly clear for the flavor it has! It also has raw spinach that has become freshly wilted from the warm broth, so it's still a little crunchy. Yeah, I'm into it. Oh! And the wontons themselves, are really good! The dumpling skin never breaks, and the stuffing has a lot of flavor as well. I would consider the prices fair, and even a little on the high side. I'm used to large portions at Chinese restaurants and really getting a bang out of your buck. But the portions aren't that large, especially if you want to dine family style. They have a good lunch combo deal though!
(3)
Meghan S.
SERVICE IS HORRIBLE! I have never had such rude waitresses as I did here. Food was okay, but the experience makes me never want to come back.
(1)
Gyumin L.
Their food was okay, but okay does not mean it's great. It was average for a Chinese restaurant. One thing I want to mention here is their horrible service. My waitress was very unpleasant, seemed like she was very irritated at something which made my last couple hours in Boston very uncomfortable. She did not even smile once, and she kept talking to me in Chinese even though I told her that I do not understand her and constantly answered her back in English. It is usually understandable situation, especially at busy Chinese restaurant, but her impoliteness was just enough to make me feel horrible and go sign up for Yelp to write a review. Tea was never refilled, bill was given even before I finish the half of my dumplings, then forced me to move my stuff over; I know, I can definitely do that, not a big deal, but she could ask me first instead of just bringing people in without a word. I'm definitely not going to recommend this restaurant to anyone, and I believe no one deserves this kind of service.
(1)
Seth C.
Seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the service here. To borrow a phrase: Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown. I've eaten at a lot of the little spots in Chinatown, and the service is usually indifferent at best. Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't really know. Luckily there's an easy solution to this problem: Order the soup dumplings. You're at Dumpling Cafe, after all. ...although they're called something like "mini juicy buns" on the menu. While you are eating these ungodly delicious dumplings, you will cease to care about the level of service, or about anything else in the world. Except how badly you've just burnt your mouth maybe, so either be patient and careful, or suck it up and flag down that inattentive waitress for more water and beer. Fewer and shorter waits for a table than at Gourmet Dumpling House. Calibrate your expectations about service and atmosphere, and order correctly, and you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Idy T.
For a restaurant named Dumpling Cafe, it is surprising that dumpling selections only consisted a small part of the menu. Nevertheless, the dumpling is so good and juicy! I tried the xiao lung bao, pan seared dumpling, and taiwanese sausage. The xiao lung bao was so juicy! The skin for the dumpling with thin and perfect. I don't like it when the skin is too thick. The juice in the xiao lung bao was full of flavor. It was really delicious. The pan seared dumpling was also pretty good. But I wished that they seared the dumpling a little more. I like it when it is a little crispier. The taiwanese sausage is also really good. I like taiwanese sausage because it is a little on the sweeter side in comparison to chinese sausages. The service here is not that great but it is what one expects eating at a Chinese restaurant. I would come back again for their xiao lung bao. I highly recommend it. But be careful to not burn your tongue when you eat it because when it is fresh out of the steamer, it is super hot!
(4)
Michelle C.
Updated review: Another bad experience at Dumpling Cafe. The vegetable dumplings, stuffed only with a chopped green veg., were tasteless. But they did have an unexpected crunch--of sand or grit. Apparently the greens had not been washed. The waitress offered to exchange these dumplings for chicken dumplings, but the mgr. vetoed this gracious offer. Poor customer relations. BTW, the tea is just yellow water, and the soup had no taste except salty. I don't understand why this restaurant is so popular. First review: The roast beef pancake looked so good at the next table - golden brown, looked crispy. But the 'roast beef" was inedible. It was all gristle. I complained to the waitress, who referred me to the cashier. She apologized, said something like it was an unusual occurrence. No offer to waive the cost. Then she short-changed me a few cents. After I asked to see the bill, she gave me the rest of the change.
(1)
Donna S.
I love the mini juicy pork buns and will eat the entire order myself. Service is not the greatest but the prices and food make up for it. Other good options are the noodles with minced pork in black bean sauce
(4)
Collins F.
My Taiwanese friend swears by this place. The food is quick, good, hot, tastey and has a great price. I usually get the dumplings and some rice with a beer. I wish they had a full bar, but I'll take it. It's location is great because you can find some watering holes near by after for a night cap. I love that I never feel full after eating here - meaning more room for adult beverages.
(4)
Mary T.
I have been here a couple of times and ordered their xiao lung bao (soup dumplings), dumplings, and other items on their menu. I like all of the items that I have tried so far. The beef noodle soup is one of the best in Chinatown. The crab meat xiao long bao is very fresh and juicy. The service is not bad either. This is my go-to place for late night cravings of chinese food!
(4)
Francisca W.
heard mixed reviews about this place and, as someone who usually errs on the safe side, never was tempted to try -- especially when there are already TWO known places within a single foot hop distance that guarantee good quality of similar food. but since a friend who has been was recommending, the adventurous spirit in me agreed to give it a shot. sat down and instantly wanted to complain about a waitress (it so appears they work as a team without dedicated tables). the 3 of us were seated at a table of 4 but all the tables were flushed against each other to make a super long table. there was a group of 2 sitting next to us at another 4-seater. friend decided to ask if she could put her pocketbook on the empty chair next to this couple instead of putting it on our 4th empty seat. the couple agreed graciously, but I don't know what this waitress was staring at her for, even trying to glance into her bag...maybe see what valuables in there that made her need to keep it close? regardless, it's none of your biz, and that nasty expression on your face did not make a good first impression. don't you worry, when this couple leaves, I'll make sure I grab my friend's bag back to our side so you can seat other customers. (Turned out we left first so kinda a moot point - her expression, that is.) then the same waitress came to take our order. i was glad that pretty much was the last time i had to deal with her. the other waitresses that came to our table afterwards was more friendly...probably a reason why they still got the usual tip. we were not hungry (after 4-6 ice cream at scooper bowl, one tends not to), so we ordered 2 things of dumplings, a hot and spicy soup, and a braised beef soup noodle. none of that impressed me. dumplings was bordering on tasteless; braised beef was not tender and flavor was ok (who knows if they're using packaged soup base?). the hot and spicy soup was probably good in the winter time as it was soooo spicy it made us all sweat and killed all our tastebuds -- maybe that's how it's supposed to be so i'm not complaining. i just got a soda and soldiered on. place was starting to fill up even for a week night...i see why they had to do that long table setup (fit one more table at the end to generate more revenue;.flexible for bigger parties), but i don't really appreciate that. I know the other two dumpling places are cramped in their own ways, but at least I would suck it up and return for their food. this one...between the wait staff attitude and food quality, i'm not quite sure when, if ever.
(3)
Shin M.
My family comes here every time we visit my sister in Boston. We always order a lot of food because there's so many of us. I'm an ABT so I don't know the names of most things so I will just put what I can remember. Ching Tsai- it's good, but it needs more oyster sauce! Xiao long bao- This is pretty good, especially with the vinegar/soy sauce! There was some kind of fried lobster dish... the seasoning was really good Beef chow fun- not much taste to it but I still loved the texture of the flat noodles That's all I can really remember and name off the top of my head... Every time we come, we have reservations but it takes forever to get a table even with the reservation. They even sat us at a round table with 3 other people who were near finishing their meal... awkward.... they need to get this part straight. Also, my mom tipped a certain amount (don't remember how much, let's say $30) and the server went up to her and said "Hey, this is not X%, you need to tip 1 more dollar!".............................. REALLY???? You gotta chase after $1? And how rude of you to even ask??? I would've given this a 4 star for its food but it gets a 2 star because of the poor reservation process and that extremely rude server.
(2)
Stefan B.
Really good for being in Boston. Boston just seems super white and I was shocked they even had a place for xiao long bao here... Din Tai Fung is better. The broth tastes kinda... Less brothy and more soupy here than dtf. Like they added salt or powder or something to this one. Plus the skin is a little too thick. But it's still good. It will appease your cravings. Plus I think they put more soup here. The dtf ones are more delicate. Stingy with black vinegar and ginger... Service is meh but it's a popular Chinese place... Popular places are bad service and Asians always have bad service (as an Asian I can say this) Totally exceeded my expectations :+) I thought boston was just white people who like dunkin donuts and red Sox and patriots... I mean it still is but they have this! Pro Lots of soup Good xlb for being in bawston Con Not as good as dtf (soup inside taste less natural) Service meh (but popular + Asian is not a good combo so you should know this) Wait (only 5 mins when I was there but it can be bad)
(4)
Monique S.
I came here with a friend who ordered everything. We had rice noodles, with chicken, a variant of spinach, and soup dumplings. She made great choices and was able to communicate in the same language as the waiters with ease. The food came out quickly and was very filling. As I ate my lunch, I realized I was there before. This place stays open, and I ended up here after midnight one night. I was not happy with the sesame chicken I had that time, but this time made up for it all.
(4)
Raymond M.
The service blows, it's Chinatown. If you expect it you'll only be disappointed. So brush that aside as they brush you aside (see what I did there?) and you will be ok. Focus on the food! I always get the mini juicy pork buns. They're supposed to be a bun but most people see it as a dumpling. Sometimes I get two orders along with a few other things. I have the most experience with the Szechuan Style Founder and those juicy bun/dumplings. I like the fish, it goes well with a side of white rice. I've been to a few places that make this I don't have a preference but the sauce base is more liquidy than other places that make it thicker. I'm not into the soupy part of it as I only eat the fish and the peppers so it doesn't bother me. Careful with the juicy buns when hot. It's like molten lava if you attempt to eat it whole or even just suck up the juices. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before attempting to eat. Most important part!! Don't tear the skin! it'll all leak out and it won't be the same! Put it on the soup spoon they give you and you now have a choice to make. Either bite a small hole in the side of it and suck the juices out and then eat the dumpling or just put the whole thing in your mouth like a savage and munch away! It'll be like a big gusher and this is why it's important it's not scalding hot anymore because if it is, you're gonna have a bad time.
(4)
Alex A.
Last time I went out to this place with two friends, we consumed something like 12 orders of soup pork buns between the three of us. No shit. Seriously, this place is great. To this day, I don't understand why there isn't a crowd of people numbering in the hundreds gathered outside this place every day, cheering each time the doors open. It's seriously that good, and if you know anything about Chinese food in Boston, you owe it to yourself to go here and pig out like a disgusting piece of shit at least once. It's sort of a rite of passage.
(5)
Chris M.
I really wish metro Detroit was a dumpling town but while I wait for this to happen I have Dumpling Cafe in Boston. Steamed or Fried, simple or crazy they have them all. They have a very large menu with just about everything on it. Be prepared to wait and when you are seated be ready to make friends because they pack you into whatever seat is open. Only downside is that the place is a bit warm but its a small price to pay for a great soup dumpling.
(5)
Megan D.
The mini juicy buns with pork. That is all. Nothing else matters.
(5)
Erin T.
3.5 stars The food is ok. The only reason I come to this place is because their juicy dumplings. I can't say much for other dishes but the last time I had the "house special clams & pork w/chives" and "spicy calamari" they are a bit salty for my taste( so is the juicy dumplings) I would come back but not as much as I would like since I am not a big fan of "sharing table" with strangers.
(3)
Paul W.
The soup dumplings are to die for!
(5)
Jason B.
Dumpling Cafe: widely regarded as the best restaurant for soup dumplings in Boston. This would be reason enough to come here. But fortunately for us, there is a whole menu full of stuff here that constitutes "reasons to come to Dumpling Cafe"! They'll accommodate a whole group of folks for a birthday dinner, which is good, because Dumpling Cafe was where we went for my recent 3X'th birthday (which is what I'm calling it now.) The beef with longhorn peppers is a huge win, especially combined with scallion panckaes. The vegetables & garlic are fantastic, the oyster pancake...my god, I sound like Emily G. That's for good reason - we let her order for the table when we came here because she knows her Dumpling Cafe! Soup dumplings with black vinegar are the winningest of winnings. I don't know how to be more effusive with my praise of the lovely food here, so I'll compliment the servers - they're attentive and quick with refills of the lovely giant cans of Sapporo. Hooray for Chinatown!
(5)
Kimberly Y.
We have been here several times now. The food is pretty good. The service OK, which is pretty high for Chinatown standards. We mainly come here for the XLB which we like better than the other XLB place in Chinatown. They also have some good rice plate deals like the pork chop over rice and chicken drumstick and thigh over rice that is reminiscent of a whole in wall place I used to frequent in NYC's Chinatown that is no longer there. But this place is much cleaner! Good food and good prices. Can't beat that!
(3)
Kaelan C.
I ordered Fried Noodles and Beef, I received the order in 5 minutes (suspiciously fast) so hot that it needed to cool down for 10 minutes. My real complaint is the service. I was never once served after they delivered the order, and after waiting 15 minutes for water I gave up. They didn't even come back for the bill, I had to do that myself.
(1)
Marissa S.
Very good but the best part...they take reservations!! Service was speedy and all of the food was delicious. We had crab rangoon, pork fried rice, scallion pancakes, the leek and pork dumplings and spring rolls. There was a group of 8 of us and everything was fabulous.
(4)
Joyce D.
If I could give this place no stars, I would! This has got to be the worst restaurant I have ever been to! The food was not great and it was very oily. The service was horrible and the waitresses were very rude. No one wanted to give recommendations as to what to eat. You're probably wondering...so why did you stay? Well, it was late and we were tired from walking all day and this was one of the closest places open near out hotel. Anyway, we ordered the rice with egg, noodles with chicken and various dumplings. The waitress took her time taking our order and then it took longer for the food to come out. The food when it arrived did not look that appealing. The noodles were oily and the rice was still a bit hard. The dumplings were okay, but the waitress did not tell us which was which and she gave us our dumpling sauce late. The place is somewhat clean. It looks very run down and could use an upgrade. The customer service is beyond horrible! The waitresses are not helpful and they even tip themselves! I bet they do that because of how horrible their service is! You know what, I should have crossed it out and put a big fat zero and gave them a real tip... "treat your customers well for money tips!".
(1)
Todd K.
there are so many amazing restaurants in Chinatown. This is not one of them. I must have picked a bad day on Tuesday. The ma po tofu was almost inedible. Not sure what the vintage was of the gelatinous, too salty, very nasty sauce, but it took a day to get the taste from my tongue. This was not some local specialty, as I've had ma po tofu in many different restaurants many times before and didn't think that it was something that could be mangled, but they did. I wouldn't describe it as spicy, it was simply gross. The dumplings were mediocre - not thoroughly steamed and as a result, crunchy at some of the seams, and nothing special. Service was disengaged - they never came by to ask how it was.
(1)
Emily G.
The soup dumplings are still the best, but I'd be remiss if I didn't update my review to talk about all the other things Dumpling Cafe does well. That's right, this place ain't no one trick pony, almost everything on the menu is a winner. If you found yourself dining with weirdos who didn't want XLB, order some twice cooked pork, beef with longhorn peppers, flounder in chili sauce, mixed vegetables with garlic, pork and leek dumplings, the Taiwan style rice cake, the oyster pancake with gravy (plus a steamer of soup dumplings for yourself), and some tallboys of Sapporo so everyone will leave happy and full. Then you can go find new friends - friends who don't say ridiculous things like "no soup dumplings."
(5)
Zhongbing Q.
Just let you know, this restaurant charged 18%Tips by theirselves without a warning. The service is absolutely no good, never ask what else do you need and even not full fill your water. The last thing, be careful with the back of your credit card, one waiter there like turn your card over even he is not the guy charge for money. The restaurant has the in front desk person do the payment, I was ask him what is so interesting and why you need look the back of my card? (If it is the signature, I think it is the business for the in front desk person)
(1)
Nat G.
Our first visit yielded very positive results: 3 delicious bun dishes---beef with cabbage, mini-pork buns, and "special" duck buns that were juicy, soupy, flavorful. We had no complaints and favorably compared Dumpling Cafe to Gourmet Dumpling House a block away. Ambience-wise, there's nothing to admire; in fact the chill from the front door puts some folks in a race against excessive cool-down of dishes that arrive together. Sit accordingly.
(4)
Cameron S.
Food is ok- service is surprisingly confrontational and rude. I'd avoid it next time.
(1)
Karen P.
Not too long ago I came here with a friend because we were craving dumplings. It took forever for a waitress to take our order. We ordered 3 different kinds, I forgot what flavors, all pan fried. The dumplings took an unusually long time to come out. It wasn't like the place was packed either. Even tables that arrived after us had their food first. The worst thing I would say about this place is the service. The waitress was very attentive to other guests and frequently forgot our table. Some people even had second helpings before we received our first. Took us awhile to flag her down for the check too. Needless to say, we didn't tip her well. The dumplings were mediocre at best. I don't see myself coming back here anytime soon.
(2)
Kelsey M.
Went here for a quick bite with a friend. Had an appetizer and tried each other's entrees. The dumplings were crazy-hot and very watery - bordering disgusting with the textures. They provide complimentary tea. The staff aren't personable or friendly and we both felt rushed. Food was just okay.
(3)
Julia A.
I was excited to try this place after reading the reviews but it was a huge disappointment. I would give it zero stars if that were possible. I would never recommend this place nor would I ever eat here again. The waitresses were rude and quite literally threw my food on my table. When they brought me my meal, which was not what I had ordered, I was going to ask about it but no one ever came back to check on me. Such terrible service. I didn't see a single person come by until I asked for the bill after deciding it would be better to eat at McDonald's across the street than this place. It was a truly awful experience and restaurant - do not eat here ever. In a city full of good restaurants, this place is the worst.
(1)
Kandi A.
I came strictly for the dumplings at this place. The veggie were to die for and then my life was forever changed when I tried my first soup dumpling. I will never be the same. Also ordered satay chicken and veggies. It was pretty good but over salted. That's the only downfall of this place.
(4)
R W.
The secret to good food at Dumpling House is not to have any of the dumplings. We made that rookie mistake and had the different dumplings and the shanghai dumplings. All were poorly made, freezer burned, and lacked the right al dente flour consistency one would expect of a dumpling house. Seafood dumplings were processed scrap meat and lots of flour The traditional fried dumplings were limp, almost microavaed XLB's lacked flavor, too much MSG, and the skin was wrong. That being said, the other dishes were decent. They really should change their name. Way too much MSG R
(1)
Albert W.
Our hero would argue against this being labeled as a Taiwanese restaurant on Yelp. For such a "Taiwanese" restaurant to butcher its niu rou mien (beef noodle soup) so much is an atrocity. There was next to no real meat in the noodles as it was all rough and inedible tendons and the broth was way too salty and heavy. Their xiao long bao had a thick skin that still fell apart easily. Our hero isn't quite sure what over Yelpers are fussing over their XLB's for when they tasted so plain. No condiments were available on table to make your mix your own sauce with. Their noodles in general suck. Aside from the NRM being so salty that it's nearly inedible, the seafood noodles were undercooked and too fishy with cheap ingredients, and the "hearty noodles" looked like a mess. The best dish our hero tried was the pot stickers, and that's not a good thing. Sure, your name is "Dumpling Cafe", but seriously, learn how to make a half decent beef noodle soup, you hacks. PROS: - Decent selection of food and there's a wide variety of different types of Chinese cuisines mixed together. CONS: - The XLBs are overrated. - Their noodles are deplorable. - Not very reflective of real Taiwanese food. - Service is on the slow side, and not very friendly either.
(1)
Jeremy W.
Not too bad, not as good as Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. Taiwan Cafe is #1 in my book because the owner is the same as Gourmet Dumpling House and there's LESS OF A WAIT. I personally think Taiwan Cafe taste better as well Many of the dishes here were good. I had soup dumplings, spicy fried pork chops, and the mint eggplant. All was solid. If the other two places are too busy, then I would definitely come here
(3)
April K.
Although not the best xiao long bao's I've ever had, they are definitely the best you can probably find in Boston. They come steaming hot and filled with soup. It is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the city. The other foods are also incredible such as the fried rice cakes, and the scallion pancakes. My parents are from Shanghai so I somewhat have an impression of what these plates should taste like and I think they taste pretty authentic. The prices are also so cheap (I shouldn't be saying that in case they raise them), but when the bill came, my friend dropped her jaw because we ordered so much food and it came out to like $15 a person.
(4)
Lily Z.
The service is the only thing I complain about. The waiters could be a little more friendly, and less rushed. The food here is so good and comforting. I traveled tip Hangzhou a couple years back and ate xiao long bao. Dumpling Cafe is the closest thing to Hangzhou ive eaten since that trip. They're so good and I recommend the pork with crab xlb because the crab adds extra flavor. Just be careful because the soup is so hot. Also, order them first because they take longer to cook. The pan fried noodles with beef are also delicious. The crispy noodles with the sauce are so so good, and the texture is great too. I haven't tried the other meats because I love the sauce on the beef. (Not sure if its the same for chicken and seafood.) Their chicken with asparagus in satay sauce is the only other thing I tried here and it's delicious as well. The asparagus is the huge stalk kind, but its not too bad. The sauce and chicken is what is the yummy part. The chicken is moist and not rubbery at all. Give this place a chance!! Just make sure to get ginger in the shoyu sauce for the dumplings. Only lost a star because of service
(4)
Vicky H.
I've tried this place many times. The food isn't always consistent so sometimes it's great while other times it's just bleh. I like coming here because their prices are more reasonable then others, plus they take credit card, which also helps. I've had many of their dishes: xiao long boa (reg and crab based) -- prefer the crab based. pork and leek dumplings - tastes better pan fried. veggie dumplings spicy beef noodle soup Taiwan Style Hot And Sour Soup -- this was good, the perfect amount of hotness. pork and green mustard with nin go - this is one of my fave dishes. strips of pork with mustard green stir fried with nin go. salt fish and diced chicken fried rice yang chow fried rice Sauteed Julienned Dried Bean Curd with chinese celery & peppers - there wasn't much bean curd in it which was somewhat of a disappointment. There was more sauce then veggies. (spicy) -- it said it was but i didn't feel much difference. Ma Po Tofu- vegetarian - this was a really nice dish. I liked it more than the Julienned bean curd. (spicy) -- where was the spice? next time i will know to ask them to add more spice to it. Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant - we ordered this but i don't think people liked it as much as they thought. There were still several pieces left. Perhaps they were too full to finish it. I didn't try it since I am not a huge fan of eggplants. One of my fav's is the xiao long boa because it's steaming hot and the juice inside tastes so good. You'd just have to be extra careful because it literally squirts out and can hit another person. PLUS, often it's super hot so you don't want to burn your tongue and not be able to eat anything else. The only thing i do not really care for, is the service. Much like many places in Chinatown, if you're a "westerner" you will feel that service is somewhat lousy and subpar. But, if you're used to this because you're an "easterner" then it's easier to accept that this is just how it is and that isn't going to change. This is no P.F. Chang's, that's for sure. If service was a bit better, I can definitely see a 4 Star. I will still continue to come here though - because it's one of a few places that opens late and the food isn't crazy greasy.
(3)
Kevin C.
I have been to almost every restaurant in Chinatown, and this one is the best by far! It is very cheap, the service is lightning fast, and all the dishes are impressively authentic and delicious. Perfect for late night, stays open way into the early hours beb. The mini juicy dumplings with pork and the duck buns are insane, I think I had them four times one week.
(5)
Less H.
The dumplings were really soup filled and tasty. The other food we had was great as well. It was pretty cheap. Service was not great but wasn't horrifying either. Seating is a little odd and in some spots you'll share part of a long table with people you don't know. The smell coming out of the kitchen was strongly meat odored... Overall it was pretty clean. I'll be back.
(4)
Saumil P.
This place suck!!! People are so rude here, I will never ever go again or recommend this place to anyone, and side note they charge you 18% service fee automatically even if you are alone. So they give you shitty service no matter and charge you 18% service fee( which is illegal in MA). Definitely writting a letter to Division of health inspections
(1)
A. G.
Yummy soup dumplings.
(4)
Di L.
Soup dumplings...*gurgle drool gurgle*... If Dumpling Cafe, no, if CHINATOWN served nothing but these babies, I would be wholly satisfied with my Chinese food experience in Boston. Ever since I sank my wee baby teeth into my first paper-thin xiao long bao wrapper and sucked out the rich, meaty dumpling soup, I've been in love. And when I moved to Boston, one of my top priorities was to find excellent soup dumplings to satisfy my intense and frequent cravings for them. For years, I scoured the city, frequenting restaurant after restaurant to no avail! Finally, I settled for the frozen packages at C-mart, which are actually quite good, and I thought I was satisfied. Then Dumpling Cafe opened. For me, they get five stars for their soup dumplings alone, but there is quite a bit more that this place has to offer. Dumpling Cafe offers a broad array of authentic Chinese dishes containing assorted meats and exotic vegetables showcased on a pristine menu unbesmirched by spell-check. I'm actually not a fan of their main dishes, but if you must get one, I recommend the ones with the strangest ingredients and/or the worst translation. I think their forte is definitely the appetizers and dumplings. The selection may be small, but each item is very well executed. Additionally, the restaurant itself is spacious and clean. The wait staff is quick and efficient, albeit not especially friendly (but this is Chinatown, folks. Come on.). They take reservations and cards, and serve alcohol into the late night hours. I also really like their complimentary tea. They serve you a large pot of this nutty, black tea that is different from the other restaurants, and is never over-steeped. I have to admit, I was initially skeptically, but now this restaurant is my go-to establishment for late-night Chinatown runs, which means that if it's 11pm and any of my friends mentions a) dumplings or b) Chinese food, we invariably end up here. It's definitely a great place to go to try something new, or to return to an old, comfortable favorite that tastes just like home.
(5)
Congyi F.
Worst Chinese food in the US I have ever had. Comparing to the food here, Panda Express is way to decent. And we found hair in the dishes. No words to describe how bad this is.
(1)
Steve L.
Unexpected GDH alternative! Discovering after a night of sport drinking that GDH was closed, followed some tourists into the Dumpling Cafe (DC?) for some fat and salt. Not sure if it was my state of mind, but the juicy pork dumplings were actually juicier than those at GDH, and certainly hit the spot. Only downside is that the ginger soy dipping sauce wasn't as pungent as that at its more renowned competitor, so overall quality felt similar. Service was fine - I went out of my way to be preemptively pushy about getting and paying for my food.
(4)
Paul B.
Great xio long bao!
(4)
Rachel L.
Came here after work, chose this place since the lady at Dumpling House shooed me away, again. Knew exactly, and had my heart set on the shredded beef with long horn pepper noodle soup. Entered, and there was a man, I assume worked there, sitting with his feet on a chair and with no shoes on. Lovely. Got seated. Placed our order, the noodle soup, mini pork dumpling, and shredded potato with pork. The soup was nice, had a good spicy kick to it and was flavorful. My date didn't really like the shredded potato with pork. Mini dumplings were okay. In the midst of eating, two other customers came in and was seated right next to us. Now let me say, the restaurant had soooooo many other seats opened. But no, the waitress had to put them right next to us. Made me really uncomfortable and it was pretty early on our meal. Quickly finished eating, paid and left. Somewhat to very hesitant to go back.
(2)
Nick C.
I'd review this place as good overall--perhaps not the best Chinese place in Boston, but a good one. We were a little disappointed with the dumpling portions and our inability to flag down the wait staff for more than 2 seconds at a time, but the MaPo tofu that I ordered was cooked perfectly and the spice was awesome! Pros: Super tasty food, reasonable pricing, extensive menu with veg. options Cons: Dismissive service, ungenerous portions, crowded dining seating
(4)
Angie S.
While visiting Boston, I wanted to eat in Chinatown, and Dumpling Cafe was just a short walk from my hotel. I shared the mini juicy buns with pork and was very pleased. They were slightly juicy and had a great ginger flavor. For my entree, I stuck with the old standard, sesame chicken and rice, and gobbled it up! Portions are huge, service is fast, the free tea is great and the food prices are reasonable. I would definitely return!
(4)
Sharon Z.
The place is pretty popular even on a Thursday night. I tried Xiao Long Bao (Mini-bun) with crabmeat for the first time here yesterday, a soupy pouch of deliciousness. Also got pan-fried dumplings again, thin layer of dumpling skin, soft and seared to golden, generous amount of meat and chives to heighten the herbal flavor. The shanghai noodle and jelly fish appetizer is a little bit on the salty side, less impressive.
(4)
Moses P.
I'm gonna share with you a secret. Gourmet Dumpling House = Taiwan Cafe = Dumpling Cafe. I know this because I asked the very nice lady at the cash register if the owner was making bank since the restaurant was packed and she replied, "Yes, he owns Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe so he makes lots of money!" I was surprised and so I asked, "Same menu?" She nodded her head. In conclusion- I know Gourmet Dumpling has Kate Hudson's face on the wall and a ton of hype because of the lines but if you want amazing soup dumplings, spicy flounder stew, beef with julienne peppers, and crappy service WITHOUT waiting in line, go to Dumpling Cafe!
(4)
Nicole V.
Damn you Dumpling Cafe. Listen, I just wanted to come here and order mini juicy buns. I was perfectly happy with this standby. I was doing great with this song and dance. But then something happened. I gave up meat for Lent. This meant no soup dumplings despite the fact that I had out of town coworkers in who wanted XLB. So we ordered up a storm. Peapods in garlic and the ginger with garlic lobster were winners that night. I have no idea how much it cost (thanks, job) but there was so much food that we couldn't even finish it. Eating lobster with chopsticks wasn't easy for me, so I just went in with my hands. It was delicious and super messy. Pro tip: not only do they take credit cards, but they take Amex! Score! The other night we rolled in around 11:55pm on a Saturday. It was still Lent but damn those soup dumplings. At 12:02am I ate one. It was the first time I had broken it on a Sunday (which you are technically allowed to do) and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. Other than that we had more vegetables with garlic and some spicy fish dish. Apparently it isn't the same spicy fish dish Sarah had the first time, but it was delicious. I guess I'll just have to go back and try that one too. Damn bird. Damn Dumpling Cafe. Damn delicious.
(5)
Teresa Z.
Will never go there anymore. Ordered lobster, paid for $50 for a small "incomplete" one. When they gave us the receipt, we were surprised to see that they already wrote the tip on it! 20% of tips for lunch for almost no service.
(2)
Amanda Z.
Definitely my favorite dumpling place in Boston's Chinatown! Always head here when I'm in the area for both the soup dumplings and steamed dumplings. Soup dumplings are very hot - so definitely wait awhile after you've nibbled a bit of the skin to let the soup cool down a bit. Haven't ordered any side dishes with rice, but they look promising. Seating isn't too bad - definitely more space to walk around than many restaurants in Chinatown. During the dinner rush, you might have to split a table with some other customers. Overall, though, pretty good experience and I'll definitely continue going back.
(4)
Daniel S.
I really enjoyed this place. Food was definitely a cut above the usual Chinese fare. We were served quickly, despite it being very crowded on a Saturday night.
(4)
Jennifer T.
The food was flavorful, slightly on the salty side, but the portions were decent - we had enough for leftovers the next day. The xiao long bao (mini juice buns) had a lot of extra soupy juice in them, be careful to eat them with a spoon and not puncture them! My other fave dish of the night was the Taiwanese style chao nian gao (rice cake), if you like the flavor of stir fry dishes, I would recommend this dish. Another lighter (by comparison) dish was the Fu Zhuo style mei fen (rice noodle), which is a nice supplement to pair with other dishes, than a stand alone dish. We also got the black pepper beef, which was good, but definitely would have been better if you ordered a side of white rice to go with it. Unfortunately, one of my standby Taiwanese dishes, the beef noodle soup, was a bit lackluster for me. The dishes came out lightning fast, though the server seemed even more brusque than usual for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)
Scott H.
Soup inside the dumplings?? Yes, Please! This place is amazing. I's never had Taiwanese food before but my sister is a big fan of this place so she took me here on a recent trip home. Great call! We ordered far more food than 3 people should eat, And all were delicious, but the dumplings were indeed the star of the show. Heres what we ordered: Dumplings: There is a special way to eat these. Use the tongs to grab the dumpling from the top and place it on your soup spoon. poke a hole in the bottom of the dumpling to let the broth seep out into your spoon. Surp the broth all up and then devour the dumpling. Every stage of this will bring a smile to your face and happiness to your heart. Noodles with minced pork and black bean sauce: mmmmmm, so simple, yet so delicious. Beef with string beans: Huge beans and nicely cooked beef in a soy/garlic sauce. mmmm Scallion pancakes: These were incredible! Again, so simple yet so delectable. I see many reviews grumble about the service. It is what it is. Normal for most Asian restaurants. They make there money on high turnovers. They deal with rushes and yes, they are curt, but I wouldn't call them rude. The food is wonderful, the service quick and the cost is pretty cheap. I shall return.
(4)
Nick N.
Food is cold and salty. Servers on cell phone speaking Chinese loudly and stare at you. Very unpleasant experience.
(2)
Amelia C.
Delicious, and everything you want in a Chinatown eatery - efficient service, fresh and tasty dishes, and a wide-ranging, yet still true-to-the-cuisine selection. The soup dumplings were perfect - filled with soup and wrapped in a shell that doesn't break easily but also isn't chewy/thick. I would highly recommend the Szechuan flounder - the fish is lightly fried in batter, and served in a spicy broth over flames. The broth is not so spicy that it is inedible - and delicious if you pour a little bit of it over the rice. At $12.95 this dish is a real bargain. The stir-fried baby pea sprouts (dou-miao) were tender and sweet, as expected.
(5)
Skye G.
The dumplings were outstanding. The greens were crisp and cooked to perfection. The hot and sour was a med spice...not crying hot but not mild either. The mini black bean clams were sweet and def on the list to reorder the next time.
(4)
Thomas S.
This review is for soup dumplings only. We order both the pork and pork/crab versions for lunch. Both were really tasty, love the broth. We though that the soup dumplings were as good Joe's Shanghai in NYC if not better. My wife is thinking about getting some more for dinner.
(4)
Kim Y.
The soup dumplings here are amazing! If you can only try one thing here then it has to be the juicy pork buns! Can be long waits though, but I take that as a good sign since they're always so busy. I recommend this place!
(4)
Peter V.
Super tasty, nice service and eclectic menu! Traditional Chinese food in the heart of china town!
(5)
Amy C.
It was my turn to choose a place to eat today, and I thought of Dumpling Cafe because it just opened up not too long ago. It was a MISTAKE! Pro: One star for seating us promptly and giving us tea and menus. Conssssssss: -The tables and chairs were inches apart from each other. I was pushed and shoved at least 50 times from waiters walking back and forth serving food,placing orders and other patrons trying to leave or enter their seats. -Ordered 4 dishes, taiwan style pan fried dumplings, mini steamed buns with pork, shredded beef with long horn peppers noodles soup, and taiwan style wonton noodles soup-the beef noodles soup came in about 5 minutes, (in my head, i was thinking, YES! im starving, my food will arrive any second now, i was WRONG)....i sat there watching the boyfriend take mini bites of his noodles while we wait for the other food...5 mins past, 10 mins past, 15 mins past, others that came after us got their food- we finally got attention from a waiter and asked where our rest of the food was, and he was like 1 dish? we were like NO, THREE dishes. he was like, okay, and walked away. another 5 mins past, the owner comes by and asked if everything was okay. We just glared at him with our hungry eyes and said, where's our food?!! he apologized and said he would check on it, but he end up going back to the cashier station and stood there. THANKS for checking up on our food boss! After a few mins, the rest of food decided to come, and my wonton soup was wicked bland...there was absolutely no taste to it. Also,I did not get to enjoy the dripping soup from the dumplings because they were all popped some how! how do you enjoy soup dumplings when there's no soup?!?! ARGS! So, if you want to be crammed up in a fire hazardous place and wait forever for mediocre food, this is the place to go.
(1)
eric u.
best chinese food in the city. i've tried the best dumpling place in san francisco, this place is better. beef with longhorn peppers is great as well as just about everything else i've tried on the menu. sure the service leaves a bit to be desired. i don't care.
(5)
Mark M.
I used to go to Gourmet Dumpling House because their food was passable and they had a mediocre Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) that somewhat reminded me of Taiwan. Then I tried the Dumpling Cafe which blows GDH out of the water. This is easily the best Xiao Long Bao in Boston, and it rivals some places in Flushing, NY. The rest of their food is also excellent. This is easily the best Chinese food in Boston and one of the best kept secrets in Chinatown, as the lines of people pile up to get into Gourmet Dumpling House - suckers!
(5)
Graham K.
Ate here for the first time after reading the reviews on yelp. I'd say the reviews are about right. 3.5. I would have given it a 3.5 but we can't on yelp. Great dumplings as expected and pork noodle dish was good. I would go back, but I won't be in a big hurry. It is slightly above average. It is clean and the wait staff are polite.
(4)
Alan Y.
This is a pretty decent place to get reasonably priced and tasty "taiwanese" food. I would give the food here four stars, but the service drags the overall rating by one star. The waitress practically yelled at my to move my cup, despite having moved it sufficiently for our incoming dish. That left a really sour impression, despite the food. The xiao long bao's are really great; the skin is thin and there is ample soup inside of them. The rest of the food here is also decent. The long horn pepper soup with julienned beef is an absolute bargain for 5.95 (I often get it for take-out). The broth is tasty, the peppers are fresh, and they it with ample meet. The Mango chicken here is pretty good, as is the long-horn peppers with julienned beef. I didn't really like the twice-cooked pork, as it was extremely oily and the pork contained a lot of fat. It seems like most of the dishes here are really oily, even when compared to other chinese restaurants.
(3)
Michelle L.
Love the Dumpling Cafe and would take it over Gourmet Dumpling House any day. Skip the lines, and come here for xiao long bao, noodles, and my favorite- oyster pancakes. There are only 2 things I fault this restaurant on, which may or may not bother people. In complete Chinese fashion, the service is quick and prompt, but you will not get that smiley friendly service. The second thing is, it's hard to figure out what you're ordering from the menu. Sometimes the names of things are helpful to decipher what you're ordering and other times things like "FuZhou noodles" don't help at all and you're at a gamble for ordering. The prices are decent and the food is quite yummy. Definitely one of my go to places for a warm meal.
(4)
Sara H.
This is the first place in Boston where I've actually had the Shanghai Dumplings the way they're supposed to taste. So good! And the Taiwan noodle soup with pork and vegetable is delicious as well. I highly recommend this place.
(4)
Kristina C.
I live at Archstone (the high rise in Chinatown) and have sampled many of the local restaurants. I am completely hooked on their mini steamed buns with pork and crabmeat (soup dumplings) and I have started referring to them as crack dumplings. Their scallion pancakes are amazing-- thin, not overly fried, and full of flavor. Dumpling Cafe blows Gourmet Dumpling House out of the water. Obvi this is not an expensive restaurant and you wouldn't go here for ambiance on a hot date but if you want to eat some delicious dumplings then this is about as good as it gets in Boston's Chinatown. If dumplings aren't your thing, every time I have been here the wait staff has been helpful in pointing out popular items to others eating with me. But, I usually get take out and enjoy the deliciousness in my own home.
(5)
Sarwar R.
Stumbled upon the place after deciding we didn't want to brave the long line to get into Penang. Overall, a very good experience. - Not a tiny space, but the tables are crowded together. We were seated almost immediately (despite it being new year's eve), but had maybe six inches between us and the next table. Clean, well lit and well staffed - Huge menu - not generally a good sign, but in this case, actually worked out for us quite well - We didn't do the dumpling or the soup. Should have looked at the Yelp reviews to see what everyone was raving about. However, was not disappointed with what we got - Ordered the shrimp skewers and shrimp pancake w/gravy as starters. Both were EXCELLENT. The grilled shrimp were large, sweet and crunchy. The shrimp pancake was a near perfect substitute for the roti pratha I would have gotten at Penang. - Wife and I shared the Kung Pao Shrimp (how pedestrian, I hear some of you say) and the crunchy noodles w/seafood. She asked for no squid in hers. The noodles were perfect, and the seafood 'broth' and jumbo shrimp on the plate did not disappoint. The Kung Pao Shrimp was about as close to authentic, based on experiences in China, as I have seen stateside - Would have been a great place to go with a larger group so we could have sampled more dishes - Amazing quality for the price. Sub $30 meal for the two of us
(3)
Gabe C.
These are the best xiaolongbao in Boston. ("Mini Steamed buns with pork" or C11 as they're known at Dumpling Cafe) As the name suggests, this is a place to go for dumplings. We came in with very high expectations for the xiaolongbao, having heard great things. We were not disappointed. Both C11 and C12 (xiaolongbao and the variety with crab meat) were excellent with C11 slightly better than C12. The fried pork and leek dumplings hit for par and the dry fried beef chow fun we had was slightly below average. Since the name of the restaurant implies that the focus should be just on the dumplings, I give 4 stars for a great dumpling experience. When you're craving xiaolongbao, skip the other chinatown choices and head straight for Dumpling Cafe.
(4)
Ben A.
The food was quite tasty, came with a large party and they sat us quickly. Quite cheap for the amount of food you get. I went with a group of 8, we ordered the dumplings, C5-C12, some other entrees and ended up costing us around 10 bucks a person plus tip. Strongly suggest getting all the dumplings just go in and ask for them, they are absolutely delicious.
(5)
Mara M.
Came with a friend claiming that Dumpling Cafe has the best soup dumplings in Boston. Bold claim given that I'm a die hard Gourmet Dumpling House fan. We had the soup dumplings, duck dumplings, a beef soup, and a scallion pancake. Upshot? The soup dumplings may nudge out GDH's by a hair - the skin is not as thick and the soup is somewhat more tasty. They are also less crowded, which does become a problem at GDH. However, all in all, I'm sticking with GDH unless the lines get way too long.
(4)
Norina N.
I've never impressed with Taiwanese food, but would give this place a try to see what the raves all about. here are what we had: Pork & crabmeat soup dumpling: tasty & flavorful, but the broth was salty. Pork chop with rice: crispy & lighty sweet. One thing I've noticed the difference between the chinese and taiwanese when they cooked the pork chop was: Chinese people made it salty & spicy, which I like, while Taiwanese made it sweet. Herbal ox tail soup: very small portion to go with the cost, oh yes, I was surpirsed when they brought it out, obviously just enough to feed one person. But the soup was good. Mince pork meat w/ shanghai noodle: honesty, when looking at the picture up here, I thought It would be very good and couldnt wait to try it. Turned out it's so disappointed, the noodle itself was alright, but the meat sauce they put on top smelled awfully strong, very weird smell that my bf and I couldnt stand it. We both tried 2 spoons and gave up. Service was efficient. I must say this place is no extraordinary compare to other Taiwanese restaurants.
(3)
Alex S.
I don't come to Chinatown often. But when I do, I prefer Dumpling Cafe. You can't come to Dumpling Cafe an not order soup dumplings. Very flavorful and just the right amount of soup. For the main course, we decided to try two new dishes that sounded appealing. The first one was pork with shredded potato. We weren't sure how this would look/taste but we were very glad we ordered it. Even though the dish was pretty simple, it packed a lot of flavor. The green chili's were spicy but not too hot and added a unique element to the dish. I would definitely order this again. Next was the beef with cabbage. The beef tasted like pot-roast which is not what I was expecting but the flavors were all there. Overall, it was a pretty tasty meal and we were satisfied with our choices. This place is usually packed but if you go during the week you won't have to wait for a table. The service is what you would expect from any asian restaurant. Quick and straight to the point. For my complete review, check out my blog! thesuchef.org/2014/02/23…
(4)
Katy K.
well 1 star is the lowest I can rate. The service is by far the worst ever. Never going back here. If you want to experience some rude service and be belittled this is the perfect place for it. The food isn't worth making up for their absolute shitty service.
(1)
Mad I.
Let down by Bean Towns C town.... my second attempt brought me here, highly reviewed on yelp.. Had the shrimp scallion noodles, that was okay...for a noodle... Shrimp rolls, meh.... shumai, errrr.....icky Fried pork buns, stick to your gums and kinda good actually. So nowhere in this town are there hand drawn noodles?? Soo weird to me...
(3)
Wei W.
Pros: - Closest to authentic xiao long bao in Boston's Chinatown. - Decent prices. - They take reservations (rare for these smaller restaurants to do so). - They dimmed the lights and played "Happy birthday" (Chinese-style) as the finale for our friend's birthday. - 10% off coupon on their website. Cons: - Crowded serving space (even the servers were having a hard time moving from table to table). - Confusion by the servers on which dishes belonged to whom. - Delays on water and tea refills. - Not the best food in the city (exception is their xiao long bao). - Long wait if you don't have a reservation. I might come back here for a pick-me-up after 5 hours at a nightclub, but other than that, you'll find me elsewhere for Taiwanese food.
(2)
Coast To Coas T.
Great dumplings. Quite juicy so careful not to burn yourself. If you like xiao long bao this place will not disappoint. Maybe 2nd to Ding Tai Feng that I've tried. Really not a bad place considering it's in Boston where Asian food overall sucks compared to California. Don't be a noob like the 4 Spanish tourists who came in and all ordered orange chicken... It's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason. Order their dumplings.
(4)
Adrienne R.
My favorite XLB in Boston! They have a thick skin (my fave) and are packed with flavor (and not too much ginger). The veggie noodle soup is excellent (noodles were al dente and the broth was tasty). I've had a better scallion pancake at Taiwan Cafe but the pickled cucumbers are tasty (not too much tang). Come here if you don't want the long waits of TC or GDH! Better atmosphere, too.
(5)
jane x.
The place is always crowded which usually is a sign for tasty food with reasonable price. I've been there a few times, and the dishes have been consistently good-authentic! The food came out fast!! I have never seen the restaurant empty and it usually have people waiting at the door. The wait staff are usually under pressure thus the services isn't great but they did get the orders correctly and brought hot food promptly and it took no time to get the food wrapped and get the check. I would definitely go back.
(4)
James R.
I usually give customer service people the benefit of the doubt, but this was the worst I have ever experienced. We were a party of 5 and they automatically charged 18% tip, and when I put 0.00 on top of the 18%, they complained. Also when they returned the slip, my card wasn't on the little tray. When I went up to the counter to ask for my card back, all 4 of the women fumbled around looking for it like I had never given them a card. They eventually found it wedged between the menu pile. THAT IS SKETCHY - It definitely felt like they were trying to rip me off. The food was good, but I would not want to deal with the service again.
(1)
Mengjia L.
Worst chinese restaurant ever. The service is very very rude, and the food tastes awful. Everything tastes like eating refrigerator. When i ate the noodle, i found some hair in the noodle, which is the worst part. And the server even said it was my hair. They didnt even make our order free. The BaoZi contains some really bad quality meat. After eating here, i just wanna to throw up, no exaggeration.
(1)
Wanlu Q.
Hair found in the fish hot pot; The service was badï¼›
(1)
Connie C.
I absolutely LOVED this place! It was packed when we got there but we were seated within 5 minutes of waiting. I had xiao long bao for the first time here and it was amazing. My boyfriend regrettably ordered the spring rolls and they weren't anything special. They also have a $20 minimum for credit card purchases which we were never told and they didn't even have any signs for it. There aren't any ATMs around either, so you're out of luck. We spent around $10 but they ended up running the card anyway because we had no other form of payment.
(4)
Diane H.
I've passed by this place a couple of times, and i've heard it was good from a couple of people...and decided today that we would come here to try, since my friend has been here twice and really liked the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). As a xiao long bao fanatic, i was up for trying so we went during dinner time, maybe 7pm? on a Saturday. It was packed! We waited about 5 mins for seats, for the four of us. We ordered two xiao long baos and each comes with 6. It was about 5.95$ per a order. The xiao long baos were pretty good for boston. I think it may be one of the best i've had in boston, as the skin was not too thick and it didn't rip like crazy when i went to eat it. They give you a, um, i think you can call this a clamp thing, so you can pick the dumpling up and put it on your spoon. Also, we got the taiwan style sauteed rice cake with veggies. i absolutely loveee ricecakes, so i had to try it here. It was very delicious! It's different than other rice cakes i've tried, mostly the flavour. But it's unique and I think that's good, since who wants to go to a place where it all tastes the same! It was $6.25. The next thing we got was the sauteed julienned beef with asparagus in sa-cha sauce $10.95. This dish was very good, maybe because i loveeee asparagus, there was a generous portion of asparagus and the beef was very flavourful and tasty/juicy and there was lots of sauce. We got two more dishes, but i can't remember what they're called. Both were spicy, one was chicken with eggplant, so maybe it was the braised chicken with eggplant? Im not a big fan of egg plant, so ehh, but the chicken was okay, a bit spicy. The other was pork and something with lots of those little circle peppers. The pork was good, and kinda spicy. Also we ordered a bowl of rice each. Overall, the experience was alright, i guess we shouldn't have ordered so much food, even with 3 guys, we had lots of leftovers. After tipping it was about 16$ or so each per a person. I think next time i come i'll js stick to the xiao long baos and some apps. But this place is great for family style as they have many different items on the menu. I think i like it more than the gourmet dumpling house.
(4)
Kimmy U.
-There's usually a long line that I don't think is worth it =\ -I would probably only come back here for the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) Don't get me wrong, it's a decent Chinese restaurant, but I think I'd rather try other places, especially if I didn
(2)
David L.
It was good but I think if I had gone with a Taiwanese person I know I would have gotten more out of the menu. I know there were hidden gems in the menu but as a non-Asian, I felt like I was whistling in the dark. I had the the Sauteed Shanghai Noodles (D15), picked at random. It was a delish thick Udon noodle with brown gravy with pork, I believe, and mushrooms. Chopsticks only. No ice water. They automatically bring you hot tea. Very traditional Asian style restaurant. I would have given them 4 stars but the refills of my hot tea were slow in coming. I had to wave them down for that refill. I have an idea! How about my own pot of tea at my table?
(3)
Hana K.
Best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) in all Boston! Though their dumpling menu is not extensive, the soup dumplings are so good you won't need to order anything else! They come in a set of 6 and very affordable! Better to come for lunch than dinner.
(5)
Ambrose C.
One of the newest Chinese restaurants in Boston's Chinatown, I decided to come here for dinner with my brother after hearing a lot of rumors about this restaurant being better than Gourmet Dumpling House. It's been a while since I had Xiao Long Bao (little basket bun in Mandarin Chinese), since I had it in Shanghai and Hong Kong about a month ago. I ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is the Mini Steamed buns with pork. The dish has six pieces. The Xiao Long Bao were decently good, not as good as the versions I had in Shanghai or Hong Kong, but were still tasty. The pork inside was fairly meaty, nice and juicy. The sauce was also decently good, brought back some really quick flashbacks of Shanghai but it could not replace the tastiness of the Xiao Long Bao I had in Shanghai or in Hong Kong. I also decided to get the Tai Shi Kong Rou, which is the Taiwanese style Pork Belly, another non-Cantonese dish that I really liked eating when I was in Shanghai and one of the closest things I can find to Dongpo Pork when I was in Hangzhou. I really liked eating this dish, the pork was really tasty and flavorful despite the somewhat rich sauciness. The vegetables were freshly cooked. Combining the pork with the vegetables and rice, made it a really hearty and tasty dinner. Service was fairly effective. The Tai Shi Kong Rou came in less than 15 minutes. The Xiao Long Bao came a little bit later. Since this restaurant is new, the bathrooms are pretty clean for a Chinese restaurant. This is probably the second Chinese restaurant in Boston's Chinatown I found a bathroom that clean. Another great advantage is that this place is open until 2 AM, so it's a pretty good choice after a night out in the city and if you are craving for some non-Cantonese Chinese food. Overall, if I want to bring back a little bit of the good food memories of eating in Eastern China while in Boston, this is a pretty good choice. Is it better than Gourmet Dumpling House? Maybe, in terms of their pork quality. But will their dishes ever been on par with Shanghai's or even Hong Kong's dishes? Probably not.
(4)
Susan L.
Service is horrible. They are clearly confused and don't know how to run a restaurant. Thought it would be a good place since there were other Asians there. Food was just ok. Have no desire to return there a plenty of Asian restaurants in the area. NEXT!!!!
(2)
Joseph Y.
Don't know what the hype is all about. Numerous people have told me that when we are in boston to visit this place. Now, being from LA i did lower expectation of chinese food; even then. food was blah... Interesting they call themselves, dumpling cafe when their dumplings are actually awful. we got the seafood dumplings (some seafood mush with too much corn starch); the xiao long bao (while there was soup, meat was not flavorful, skin was not delicate); the fried dumplings - filling was the same as the xiao long bao - it appeared as if frozen and then defrosted to be fried .. not freshly made. their stir-fry dishes were ok. stir fried filet flounder with chili sauce not bad; stir fried veggies were not bad; clams w/ basil were good. got some small side dishes - chili w/ beef tendon but not flavorful. Certainly not taiwanese food .. maybe tastes are different here .. but this is far from authentic taiwanese food ; it appears it has been "Cantonized" to fit the local taste. that being said, for cantonese fare this place was subaverage. service .. awful .. you basically got one chance to order; one chance to get dishes and then afterwards you were on your own. would not come back ...
(2)
Laura J.
This place would have gotten a higher rating if they weren't so blatantly racist. An African American man came in around 2am and wanted to buy a soda. They told him, "no we are closed." He pleaded all he wanted was a soda and they would NOT sell it to him. A lighter skinned woman came in and they said they were closed and she asked to buy a water and they said, "yep, one dollar"...... Food was good, service sucked. Do not recommend to anyone with dignity...
(1)
Michelle R.
Best xiao long bao that I've had in Boston. Definitely better than the ones from Dumpling House -- these are juicier and the skin is thinner. Both the crab and pork ones are SUPER good. The other dishes are pretty good, though nothing special. Here are a few comments: - Bamboo with pork. Super goood. - Spicy fish (shui zhu yu). This isn't too authentic and the one at Dumpling House is better, but still pretty good! They add a lot of cabbage which is super flavorful. Overall, I would pick this place over Dumpling House for 4 reasons: 1) Better xiao long bao (most important) 2) No line/much shorter line 3) Nicer/more spacious interior 4) Other dishes are of similar quality This is my new go-to restaurant in Chinatown. Just get the xiao long bao and a few simple dishes (like beef stir fried with peppers), and you won't go wrong! Burn my tongue every time but it's worth it...
(5)
Richard C.
This restaurant was forgettable when it first opened. Then a good foodie friend recommended it to me. So I returned to try it again. I found the food to be quite good, different from my first experience and so I returned back a few more times since. However, there is one item on the menu that I must recommend everyone to stay away from ordering because they do it worse than anyone else I've ever tried, and that's not easy! That item is their scallion pancakes. When I complained to the owner tonight, he even laughed and that "it is because of that stupid chef of mine, what an a××"! He laughed and told me that indeed they don't make even a decent scallion pancake and that they have tried for over ayear now and still it is terrible. It is partly because the chef apparently does not put in enough time in rolling the dough for it. I added that it may help to have more than one small piece of scallion per pancake and using a bit more oil to cook it longer and crisper as it tastes tasteless and it's not crispy but doughy. So I recommend that you save your money and order something else instead. Like other rowers have said, their X LB is quite good, though certainly not the best in town. My recommendations are to go to Gourmet Dumplings in Chinatown or Green Tea in Newton for the best scallion pancake in town.
(3)
Claudia R.
This place was great! Me and my friend ordered miso soup, scallion pancakes, and steamed pork dumplings. It was open until late night and the service was crazy fast!
(5)
Brittany R.
The Dumpling Cafe was a great find! We ordered the the Juicy Buns to start...don't be deterred by the name. These dumplings filled with soup are delicious! Be careful when you bite into it because the soup can spill out everywhere!! I ordered the special which allows you to select one entree that comes with soup and your choice of white or fried rice. I had the beef with broccoli and my husband had the sesame chicken. The beef and broccoli was good but the sesame chicken was great! The food was very solid for a reasonable price. The restaurant is located in China Town on Washington near Beach which is a very busy area on a weekday around lunch. I'd suggest walking but there is a parking lot nearby on Washington if you are willing to pay $18 for about an hour stay.
(4)
Joseph H.
On August 5th, I brought 3 relatives to this restaurant for lunch and this restaurant absolutely has the worst service I have experienced in my 30 years in USA. The waitresses had no smile or any sign of courtesy at all. We were not welcomed when we stepped in and when they served, they literally threw the plates to us, reminding me of restaurants in Hong Kong 25 years ago. To us, the food was also very sub-standard. To top it off, the restaurant has the gall to add 18% tip to our bill! When I protested, they insisted that the computer automatically added the tip amount and they were unwilling to take it off, or reduce the tip amount. I did not want to make a scene and unwillingly paid the total on the bill. I would never ever go back to this restaurant again. I find them most disrespectful and rude to customers.
(1)
Kim P.
Pork dumplings of all kinds. Just ask the servers what to order. I did and they delivered up some amazing dumplings. Since my first trip, I've been thinking about the myriad ways I can get myself back there to enjoy more. My fave dumpling spot in Chinatown.
(5)
Jonathan N.
Great foods! The dumpling are so fresh and good. They have about 20 difference kinds to choose from the menu. I also like the stinking Tofu( which are not stink at all) taste so good.
(4)
Harvard P.
One of my favorite places to go to in Chinatown. The best soup dumplings that I can find in Boston. They're not the small ones that I love from Din Tai Fung, but they are quite juicy and delicious nonetheless.
(4)
Michael L.
I had the Sui Long Bao & pork chop noodle for lunch and loved them both. The dumplings were delicious, an absolute delight. They were juicy & well seasoned. I tasted better dumplings at Din Tai Fung. If you folks are ever in Taiwan or much closer, Southern California, head over to Arcadia & I will guarantee that you'll love their Sui Long Bao.
(5)
Alyssa M.
Oh boy, it was hard to stop eating even though I was full. What I ordered and loved: the pork buns, Stir Fried with beef & vegetable in satay sauce, and Flounder with ginger and scallions pan fried or steamed. BEWARE- the waitstaff doesn't give a shit about you. But it's amazing food for cheap, so who cares?
(4)
Ash F.
Came here late night because it was basically the only one open. The soup dumplings were disgusting. Extremely greasy soup stuffed with what seemed to be the fatty runoff of dumplings that were made earlier that day. The scallion pancakes had no ingredients other than the dough! Just a couple of tiny stray pieces of scallion. Overall extremely disappointing. They obviously change the quality of the food based on what time of day it is.
(2)
Cassy H.
My usual go-to places Taiwan Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House in Boston's Chinatown were closed and too busy, respectively. I was craving some good Taiwanese eats, so I had to find a place.. I remember a friend recommended this place a while back, so I decided why not? Let's give Dumpling Cafe a shot. I got their xiao long bao, which was juicy and tender on the inside. So bite with caution, don't burn yourself. I also had their porkchop with rice dish, which is one of my ultimate go-to comfort foods. I absolutely enjoyed the dish with pork chops fried to perfection.. and just the right amount of veggie and minced meat on top of my rice. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this place.. it's definitely just as good as Taiwan Cafe or Gourmet Dumpling House.. if not, better and less wait time.
(4)
Han L.
Easily the worst dumpling/Chinese restaurant ever. Didn't expect any quality service, so their impolite manner did not bother much. Food, however, was exceptionally terrible. clam-stinky; scallion pancakes-dull, no taste; soup dumpling-meh Try at your own risk.
(1)
Michael L.
I had the Sui Long Bao & pork chop noodle for lunch and loved them both. The dumplings were delicious, an absolute delight. They were juicy & well seasoned. I tasted better dumplings at Din Tai Fung. If you folks are ever in Taiwan or much closer, Southern California, head over to Arcadia & I will guarantee that you'll love their Sui Long Bao.
(5)
Ambrose C.
One of the newest Chinese restaurants in Boston's Chinatown, I decided to come here for dinner with my brother after hearing a lot of rumors about this restaurant being better than Gourmet Dumpling House. It's been a while since I had Xiao Long Bao (little basket bun in Mandarin Chinese), since I had it in Shanghai and Hong Kong about a month ago. I ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is the Mini Steamed buns with pork. The dish has six pieces. The Xiao Long Bao were decently good, not as good as the versions I had in Shanghai or Hong Kong, but were still tasty. The pork inside was fairly meaty, nice and juicy. The sauce was also decently good, brought back some really quick flashbacks of Shanghai but it could not replace the tastiness of the Xiao Long Bao I had in Shanghai or in Hong Kong. I also decided to get the Tai Shi Kong Rou, which is the Taiwanese style Pork Belly, another non-Cantonese dish that I really liked eating when I was in Shanghai and one of the closest things I can find to Dongpo Pork when I was in Hangzhou. I really liked eating this dish, the pork was really tasty and flavorful despite the somewhat rich sauciness. The vegetables were freshly cooked. Combining the pork with the vegetables and rice, made it a really hearty and tasty dinner. Service was fairly effective. The Tai Shi Kong Rou came in less than 15 minutes. The Xiao Long Bao came a little bit later. Since this restaurant is new, the bathrooms are pretty clean for a Chinese restaurant. This is probably the second Chinese restaurant in Boston's Chinatown I found a bathroom that clean. Another great advantage is that this place is open until 2 AM, so it's a pretty good choice after a night out in the city and if you are craving for some non-Cantonese Chinese food. Overall, if I want to bring back a little bit of the good food memories of eating in Eastern China while in Boston, this is a pretty good choice. Is it better than Gourmet Dumpling House? Maybe, in terms of their pork quality. But will their dishes ever been on par with Shanghai's or even Hong Kong's dishes? Probably not.
(4)
Susan L.
Service is horrible. They are clearly confused and don't know how to run a restaurant. Thought it would be a good place since there were other Asians there. Food was just ok. Have no desire to return there a plenty of Asian restaurants in the area. NEXT!!!!
(2)
Joseph Y.
Don't know what the hype is all about. Numerous people have told me that when we are in boston to visit this place. Now, being from LA i did lower expectation of chinese food; even then. food was blah... Interesting they call themselves, dumpling cafe when their dumplings are actually awful. we got the seafood dumplings (some seafood mush with too much corn starch); the xiao long bao (while there was soup, meat was not flavorful, skin was not delicate); the fried dumplings - filling was the same as the xiao long bao - it appeared as if frozen and then defrosted to be fried .. not freshly made. their stir-fry dishes were ok. stir fried filet flounder with chili sauce not bad; stir fried veggies were not bad; clams w/ basil were good. got some small side dishes - chili w/ beef tendon but not flavorful. Certainly not taiwanese food .. maybe tastes are different here .. but this is far from authentic taiwanese food ; it appears it has been "Cantonized" to fit the local taste. that being said, for cantonese fare this place was subaverage. service .. awful .. you basically got one chance to order; one chance to get dishes and then afterwards you were on your own. would not come back ...
(2)
Michelle R.
Best xiao long bao that I've had in Boston. Definitely better than the ones from Dumpling House -- these are juicier and the skin is thinner. Both the crab and pork ones are SUPER good. The other dishes are pretty good, though nothing special. Here are a few comments: - Bamboo with pork. Super goood. - Spicy fish (shui zhu yu). This isn't too authentic and the one at Dumpling House is better, but still pretty good! They add a lot of cabbage which is super flavorful. Overall, I would pick this place over Dumpling House for 4 reasons: 1) Better xiao long bao (most important) 2) No line/much shorter line 3) Nicer/more spacious interior 4) Other dishes are of similar quality This is my new go-to restaurant in Chinatown. Just get the xiao long bao and a few simple dishes (like beef stir fried with peppers), and you won't go wrong! Burn my tongue every time but it's worth it...
(5)
Kaelan C.
I ordered Fried Noodles and Beef, I received the order in 5 minutes (suspiciously fast) so hot that it needed to cool down for 10 minutes. My real complaint is the service. I was never once served after they delivered the order, and after waiting 15 minutes for water I gave up. They didn't even come back for the bill, I had to do that myself.
(1)
Marissa S.
Very good but the best part...they take reservations!! Service was speedy and all of the food was delicious. We had crab rangoon, pork fried rice, scallion pancakes, the leek and pork dumplings and spring rolls. There was a group of 8 of us and everything was fabulous.
(4)
Nat G.
Our first visit yielded very positive results: 3 delicious bun dishes---beef with cabbage, mini-pork buns, and "special" duck buns that were juicy, soupy, flavorful. We had no complaints and favorably compared Dumpling Cafe to Gourmet Dumpling House a block away. Ambience-wise, there's nothing to admire; in fact the chill from the front door puts some folks in a race against excessive cool-down of dishes that arrive together. Sit accordingly.
(4)
Cameron S.
Food is ok- service is surprisingly confrontational and rude. I'd avoid it next time.
(1)
Karen P.
Not too long ago I came here with a friend because we were craving dumplings. It took forever for a waitress to take our order. We ordered 3 different kinds, I forgot what flavors, all pan fried. The dumplings took an unusually long time to come out. It wasn't like the place was packed either. Even tables that arrived after us had their food first. The worst thing I would say about this place is the service. The waitress was very attentive to other guests and frequently forgot our table. Some people even had second helpings before we received our first. Took us awhile to flag her down for the check too. Needless to say, we didn't tip her well. The dumplings were mediocre at best. I don't see myself coming back here anytime soon.
(2)
Kelsey M.
Went here for a quick bite with a friend. Had an appetizer and tried each other's entrees. The dumplings were crazy-hot and very watery - bordering disgusting with the textures. They provide complimentary tea. The staff aren't personable or friendly and we both felt rushed. Food was just okay.
(3)
Julia A.
I was excited to try this place after reading the reviews but it was a huge disappointment. I would give it zero stars if that were possible. I would never recommend this place nor would I ever eat here again. The waitresses were rude and quite literally threw my food on my table. When they brought me my meal, which was not what I had ordered, I was going to ask about it but no one ever came back to check on me. Such terrible service. I didn't see a single person come by until I asked for the bill after deciding it would be better to eat at McDonald's across the street than this place. It was a truly awful experience and restaurant - do not eat here ever. In a city full of good restaurants, this place is the worst.
(1)
Albert W.
Our hero would argue against this being labeled as a Taiwanese restaurant on Yelp. For such a "Taiwanese" restaurant to butcher its niu rou mien (beef noodle soup) so much is an atrocity. There was next to no real meat in the noodles as it was all rough and inedible tendons and the broth was way too salty and heavy. Their xiao long bao had a thick skin that still fell apart easily. Our hero isn't quite sure what over Yelpers are fussing over their XLB's for when they tasted so plain. No condiments were available on table to make your mix your own sauce with. Their noodles in general suck. Aside from the NRM being so salty that it's nearly inedible, the seafood noodles were undercooked and too fishy with cheap ingredients, and the "hearty noodles" looked like a mess. The best dish our hero tried was the pot stickers, and that's not a good thing. Sure, your name is "Dumpling Cafe", but seriously, learn how to make a half decent beef noodle soup, you hacks. PROS: - Decent selection of food and there's a wide variety of different types of Chinese cuisines mixed together. CONS: - The XLBs are overrated. - Their noodles are deplorable. - Not very reflective of real Taiwanese food. - Service is on the slow side, and not very friendly either.
(1)
Jeremy W.
Not too bad, not as good as Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. Taiwan Cafe is #1 in my book because the owner is the same as Gourmet Dumpling House and there's LESS OF A WAIT. I personally think Taiwan Cafe taste better as well Many of the dishes here were good. I had soup dumplings, spicy fried pork chops, and the mint eggplant. All was solid. If the other two places are too busy, then I would definitely come here
(3)
April K.
Although not the best xiao long bao's I've ever had, they are definitely the best you can probably find in Boston. They come steaming hot and filled with soup. It is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the city. The other foods are also incredible such as the fried rice cakes, and the scallion pancakes. My parents are from Shanghai so I somewhat have an impression of what these plates should taste like and I think they taste pretty authentic. The prices are also so cheap (I shouldn't be saying that in case they raise them), but when the bill came, my friend dropped her jaw because we ordered so much food and it came out to like $15 a person.
(4)
Jonathan N.
Great foods! The dumpling are so fresh and good. They have about 20 difference kinds to choose from the menu. I also like the stinking Tofu( which are not stink at all) taste so good.
(4)
Alyssa M.
Oh boy, it was hard to stop eating even though I was full. What I ordered and loved: the pork buns, Stir Fried with beef & vegetable in satay sauce, and Flounder with ginger and scallions pan fried or steamed. BEWARE- the waitstaff doesn't give a shit about you. But it's amazing food for cheap, so who cares?
(4)
Ash F.
Came here late night because it was basically the only one open. The soup dumplings were disgusting. Extremely greasy soup stuffed with what seemed to be the fatty runoff of dumplings that were made earlier that day. The scallion pancakes had no ingredients other than the dough! Just a couple of tiny stray pieces of scallion. Overall extremely disappointing. They obviously change the quality of the food based on what time of day it is.
(2)
Cassy H.
My usual go-to places Taiwan Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House in Boston's Chinatown were closed and too busy, respectively. I was craving some good Taiwanese eats, so I had to find a place.. I remember a friend recommended this place a while back, so I decided why not? Let's give Dumpling Cafe a shot. I got their xiao long bao, which was juicy and tender on the inside. So bite with caution, don't burn yourself. I also had their porkchop with rice dish, which is one of my ultimate go-to comfort foods. I absolutely enjoyed the dish with pork chops fried to perfection.. and just the right amount of veggie and minced meat on top of my rice. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this place.. it's definitely just as good as Taiwan Cafe or Gourmet Dumpling House.. if not, better and less wait time.
(4)
Han L.
Easily the worst dumpling/Chinese restaurant ever. Didn't expect any quality service, so their impolite manner did not bother much. Food, however, was exceptionally terrible. clam-stinky; scallion pancakes-dull, no taste; soup dumpling-meh Try at your own risk.
(1)
Katherine D.
This is your typical Chinatown restaurant in that the service is essentially horrible. You'll be asked what you want, maybe you'll get water, maybe you'll get courses one by one, or all together, maybe you'll get the check while you're eating, and maybe you won't get it until 15 minutes after you've been done with your food. That being said this place is worth a trip. The food far outweighs the minor annoyance of inconsistent service. The mini juicy pork buns are outstanding. The noodle soups are so outrageously priced it is ridiculous. For $5-$7 you can get an enormous amount of food. The lunch rush is busy, but you'll be in and out quickly enough. I also appreciate that the tea is served in a nice big mug instead of the common tiny little thimbles you get other places.
(4)
Brian D.
I was introduced to this place by a coworker a few months ago and I have NEVER looked back... I've been the Xian, China where the dumpling was INVENTED and the soup dumplings here are legitimately on that same caliber. Most everything here on the menu is quite good, and respectable as a Taiwanese restaurant. Lots of hot and spicy items to also get your hands on as well, including the beef and long horn pepper, another great staple. I'm looking forward to the next time I pop in this place and/or convince my buds to head down to chinatown for some grub. Dumplings here, although not as in variety, are much better in my opinion than Gourmet Dumpling House over on Beach St.
(5)
Yuan W.
From the outside, Dumpling Cafe isn't much to look at, but it's one of those hole-in-the-wall places that I'd consider a gem in the Boston Taiwanese/Chinese food scene. In the context of Chinese food in Boston, which is pretty mediocre, I'd give this place 5 stars. Here's why: -Soup dumplings are authentic and delicious. The dumpling skin is delicate and thin, the meat is seasoned nicely and the soup is plentiful and flavorful. They offer pork and pork + crab meat. I prefer the pork on its own. -Pork intestine hot pot. If you're an adventurous diner, try this item from their specials menu. It's chewy and flavorful, and also quite authentic. Don't be intimidated by the main ingredient, it's a tasty dish! -Steamed flounder. I love Chinese steamed fish. You don't get steamed fish often (or at all) in Western restaurants. It's lighter and can be less greasy, yet has bolder flavors. -Taiwanese lu rou fan (minced pork rice) is pretty authentic, although I'd say it's better at JoJo Taipei. -Great service. The waiters came by frequently to refill our teacups and make sure we didn't need anything. That's rare in Chinese places! I like this place better than JoJo Taipei. It has a similar selection of dishes but is MUCH less greasy and has better service. Don't be intimidated if you see a line, the wait is actually pretty short. Go there!
(5)
Tara Z.
Soooo I have spent many an evening at Gourmet Dumpling House, and I certainly don't regret it.....but I think that Dumpling Cafe takes the cake for me as far as Chinatown restaurants go. It is nicer inside than GDH, you can make a reservation which is a nice luxury, they serve food until 1am, and the staff doesn't rush you out (Taiwan cafe anyone??) As everyone else has stated, I will agree that their soup dumplings are the best by far. The pan-fried pork and leek are amazing as well. Definitely don't skip the Szechwan flounder. Beef with longhorn peppers are a staple with my order. And the fresh oranges at the end are just a bonus! I am reluctant to share this secret, considering I have never had to wait for a table - unlike at GDH with a line out the door - but I think Dumpling Cafe is a total upgrade!
(5)
Mk E.
I'm a huge Dumpling Cafe fan. We always seem to arrive just before a big rush, so we've never had to wait for a table (knock wood). Service is curt but very prompt, and the food is incredibly delicious, comes out quickly, and won't break the bank. Perfect pre-movie dinner spot. We recommend the roasted duck buns and the stir fried pork with mustard greens noodle dish. Spring rolls come out hotter than hades. In general, we recommend fried over steamed if you have the choice on dumplings; the steamed ones are a little limp. Oh, and use your spoon to eat the mini juicy pork dumplings--don't waste that delicious broth!
(4)
Rod H.
I love, love the various dumplings in all their iterations! The won ton soup is solid, but a bit bland. The bottomless cups of tea are a hit in my tummy. Stay away from the chilled pig's ear. It is not a tasty dish. Pigs ear is great when it is hot and fried, but is nearly indigestible when it is chilled. I would give this place 5 stars if the servers were a bit more friendly. It is quite hit or miss service wise. On some days they are great, attentive, and prompt. Other days they leave you by yourself forever requiring you to stand up and wave like you are flagging down a bus to get attention.
(4)
YNOT S.
Went there for lunch today and it was horrible, both the food and the service - I ordered the Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style as appetizer and the Taiwan Style Rice Cake w. Veggies & Pork. Well, the fish took forever to arrive after the rice cake arrived first. And one bite, it's so salty as if the chef knocked over the salt jar into the dish - I told the waitress but she kept explaining that it's the dish's style, supposed to be salty! Yeah right! What am I gonna do when I was in a hurry? So I thought maybe I should just ask for a bowl of rice and use that rice cake as a side dish? Then the fish came in, and only two, it's not BBQed, nor baked - prob deep fried - but that's fine, right? Then I opened the fish, wow, the fish's internal stuff all there! Never cleaned? luckily I can cut the meat part off the fish. Hardly any flavor - but I am ready to leave, so I asked the check. Oh, they even charge me for the bowl of hard chew rice I asked - when I told the lady about the salty dish and why I asked the rice, she started to blame on the waitress saying that "she can't just give you a bowl of rice, if the dish is salty, you should say so and get it re-cooked!" Actually I thought about that but I was afraid to ask to be "recooked". How? Running under the faucet to remove the salt? Or mix some dirt since I am asking for less salty? Did I say I was in a hurry? I feel bad for the waitress because it sounds like she might be in trouble later as well. So I guess I will let it go and leave $0 for tip - and now you know... and it comes up to $18. I am sure my dinner ill be much better. Of course, never this place ever again.
(1)
Erin C.
Not everything here is a good but this is our go to place in Chinatown because Gourmet Dumpling House is usually absurdly crowded and the soup dumplings here are just as good. We usually order: - Hot and Sour soup (the best, most-well-balanced in Chinatown) - Soup dumplings - Stir-fried peapod stems - Three cup chicken (classic dish! chicken with bones and skin-on stir fried with tons of leeks, covered in a delicious sauce of oil, soy sauce, and chinese cooking wine. it's super simple but they do a good job here) - Sometimes we get the pot stickers or eggplant in garlic sauce I can't vouch for dishes not on this list so if you decide to strike out and order something different, don't blame me if it's a one star dish! Warning: the food here is actually very greasy but the bountiful amount of peanut oil also makes it tasty!
(4)
Adam E.
When I found myself in need of an appetizer-sized meal in the Theater District, I hoofed it over to Dumpling Cafe for a good, cheap snack. Knowing that when you go to a place named after a certain dish you have to eat that dish, I somehow managed to pass on my desire to order one of the other apps. This was tough, since I was hankering equally for some Chilled Jellyfish with Garlic, Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines and Fried Stinky Tofu (with pickle). So I got the Taiwan-style dumplings, which were just what I hoped they'd be. Pan fried pork dumplings that were juicy, with a perfect wrapper to meat ratio. The dipping sauce didn't blow my mind, but the dumplings were fantastic even without the sauce. I didn't stay to dine in, I just ate these dumplings while I walked, like an animal. So I can't comment on the service or ambiance, but I can certainly tell you that I'd eat these dumplings every day if I could. Like an animal.
(4)
Sarah D.
I like this place so much that it has made me pretty lazy. If I'm anywhere in the area without solid dinner plans, I get all "Yup. Dumpling Cafe. Let's do this." True to their name, they sling some excellent dumplings. Pork juicy buns or whatever they want to call them. I mean I can never say "no" to juicy buns, so there's no reason to start now. That shoot is delicious. I've tried so many things at this point and have tried them when I was so many drunk that I have a hard time remembering specifics, but I do know for sure that the Szechuan White Fish or whatever it's called on the menu is just the right kind of spicy and is super delicious. The frog with chives is full of bones but is also really chivey and awesome. The General Gau's Tofu is, like, shockingly good (don't be hatin'; I didn't order it. But I did like it.) While we're sharing, I will admit that I wasn't too keen on the duck tongues, but I think that's mostly because duck tongues were not expressly created to be eaten by me. Lesson learned. I think this Yelp listing might still say they don't serve beer, but that is false. I have definitely ordered and received beer in this establishment. I may also have harassed some Northeastern students in the waiting area about "nose replacement surgery" a few months ago with the help* of my younger brother. Sorry, guys. Anyway. Eat here. Really. *not very helpful, it turns out
(5)
constantconsumer c.
We got here on a Wednesday morning at 11:30 for lunch and surprise surprise, it had plenty of tables. The next rime, we got here at 12:45 on a Tuesday afternoon and also plenty of tables. I noticed that they try to pack the tables in as close as possible and since the last time I was here, I noticed that 4 tables are now pushed together so that you are dining with another group right next to you. The sauteed watercress was delicious, the yeung chow fried rice was good with the exception of the very very very chewy squid which tjey should have just omitted. The crab and pork xiao long baos were very thin skinned, on a scale of 1-5, i would give it a 4.5 it was thinner than the first time i was here. The taste was great too, i give it a 4 (Joe Shanghai happens to top my list). The soupiness (amount of liquid inside the dumpling) is a 5. It was perfect! The texture of the meat (tender vs chewy or had) is a 4.5. The only thing i didn't like was the dipping sauce which is more bitter than most.
(4)
Eric F.
Looks like I have a new Xiao Long Bao source in Boston. The meat's very juicy and tender with a thin yet surprisingly durable skin. It has some added texture to it too that I haven't seen in other XLBs that's more than welcome. I'd also recommend the Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines - very light despite the frying and a great balance of crispiness and chewiness. As for the staple Pork & Leek Dumplings, they were nicely done with thin skins and fresh, tender meat. A big step up from the junk at GDH that tastes exactly like it from the frozen section at C-mart. Service? It's a Chinese restaurant...speaks for itself XD Don't expect much and you'll be okay. Quality XLB + dumplings + spacious, clean interior = Win.
(4)
Tammy K.
This place gets four stars for: 1. Being open late and conveniently located near the T 2. Not kicking out my rowdy group of friends 3. Having delicious soup dumplings 4. Never having a wait (unlike a similarly named dumpling place in C-Town). 4.5. Having super fast take-out (food is out within 5-10 minutes of ordering)
(4)
Mary S.
The juicy buns with pork and the roasted duck buns are the greatest! But I gave them 5 stars to counteract the reviewers who complained about the service. Those people obviously went to the Dumpling Cafe in an alternate universe- not the one i've been to at least 50 times!!! I live hours away, but come to Boston often on business, and ALWAYS go there for either lunch or dinner. After I'd been going there for a while, several of the servers began to recognize me, remembered I'm vegetarian; and if I missed a week would say "Hey...where you been?" A number of times, they've sent special instructions to the kitchen for me. Even the servers whose english isn't great are happy to try to explain unusual ingredients to me. I don't speak Chinese, and I'm not a huge tipper....these folks are just NICE! Don't pay attention to the cranky reviews. Go. Eat juicy buns. Smile. You'll love it!
(5)
David C.
I don't usually give five star reviews, but thinking about lunch here today, I can't realistically think of a way it could have been better. Two families of three, came more or less on a whim, the place was basically packed but we were seated right away at a round table. We ordered the mini juicy dumplings, pork and leek dumplings, vegetable dumplings, Gen Tso's tofu, scallion pancakes, I think that's it. Oh, and people had egg drop and hot-and-sour soups. Service was friendly and fast. Everything was tasty and fresh; the tofu in particular was the perfect degree of silky softness inside with a nice crunchy skin. All the various kinds of dumplings were good, and our vegetarian was happy with the veggie things. The bill was very reasonable, and the server had no trouble splitting it across two credit cards. Five stars, hope to eat at again soon. :)
(5)
Samuel F.
Heck yeah dumplings! Juicy buns (soup-filled dumplings), scallion pancake, bitter mellon with garlic, huge bowls of spicy noodle soup! Bubble tea, too! Nothing that fancy, but it's just good stuff. I love the food at this place enough that I'd probably give it five stars regardless of spotty service. But the service, in my experience, has been fine. Great place to go after a movie at the Boston Common AMC.
(5)
King A.
Our go-to place for soup dumplings ... we've ordered a few other dishes, but mostly we just order their soup dumplings. Lots and lots of soup dumplings. The other stuff we can get elsewhere, but we drive here specifically to get soup dumplings, and they are good. Right up there with Joes' Shanghai in NY (prefer the one in Flushing but the one in Chinatown NYC is good too).
(5)
Chris C.
Thick and tough soup dumplings (called "small juicy dumplings" here) and ok food otherwise. Nothing special though our server was sweet and efficient, we were really annoyed to have been asked to give up our table only moments after paying because other customers were waiting..
(2)
Sherry T.
the dumpling is greatï¼but the service is "ok" not warm at all,feel want to finish the food quickly.
(4)
R M.
The dumplings were good, the rest of the food was fine, but service was TERRIBLE!
(2)
Vivian C.
I was eager to try Dumpling Cafe's version of the iconic Chinese dumpling - mini steamed buns with pork ($5.95 for 6), also known as XLB or xiao long bao or soup dumplings. Fortunately my lunch buddy was up for it. I've ordered this before at Taiwan Cafe and at Gourmet Dumpling House (and outside of Chinatown, Jo Jo TaiPei), but had read on Yelp that Dumpling Cafe's was thinner skinned and so much better... and it was indeed! Thinner dumpling skin (although a little pudgy where the skin was gathered on top) with tender juicy meat inside... it was very good! Taiwan Style Sauteed Rice Cake w/Veggies $6.25 had rice cakes with a nice chew and a tasty sauce. The mentioned veggies were sort of disappointing however, consisting solely of bean sprouts and green onions. On a previous visit, I had tried their Roast Beef Scallion Pancake $6.95 (tough to make a BAD version of this; theirs was tasty, but not as good as Jo Jo's), Beef Stew Noodle Soup with Spinach $5.95 (okay), and Sautee Scallop with Mango $15.95 (spicy, even though it wasn't marked spicy), and wasn't impressed. This second visit was much better. Can be slippery in the single person bathrooms off to the side from the kitchen, so be careful. (The gratis peanuts disappeared after my first visit.) *** 2/2012 visit *** It was quite busy here for lunch on a Friday, so of course I was willing to sit at the long table down the middle of the room with a bunch of other parties. Everything my friend selected for us was quite tasty and made for a satisfying meal for 2: . Mini Juicy Buns with Pork (6) $6.25 (take out menu lists $5.95) . Taiwan Style Grilled Chicken Leg $5.95 . Pan Fried Noodles with Mixed Vegetables $6.95 (take out menu lists $6.50) *** 12/2012 visit *** The rice cake dish was a bit too salty this time around, and the soup dumplings were still yummy, but I really liked the salt & pepper fried chicken (was that the Crispy Chicken Strips Taiwan Style $5.95 from the Appetizer section?... yes, someone else ordered for the table...) with its fried julienned chicken bits with the fried basil leaves. *** 7/2013 visit *** On this visit, I favored the Sa Cha Beef Vegetable Noodle $7.25. *** 5/2014 visit *** Tried the stewed pork over rice $3.95 which came with a soy egg - good filler to go with the appetizers we ordered. We didn't want too thick a noodle, so we opted for the Taiwanese noodles in the Braised Beef Brisket Noodles Soup with Spinach $6.95 which one DC claims is the best noodle option for the noodle soup. *** 10/2014 visit *** We vegged out on a set of Combination of Three special combinations for $21.95 (normally $7.75 each) which came with rice and soup - #48 Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable, #53 Chinese Zucchini with Garlic, and #57 Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant. Each was great. And #53 was my formal introduction to the vegetable Luffa which I had curiously read on menus in the past but had never recognized it as Chinese Zucchini, or as a vegetable that my mom's prepared before. It was crisp, yet silky, and the simple garlic sauce was more than the sum of its parts. Then arrived our meaty appetizers - the Mini Juicy Buns with Pork $6.95 and the Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake $7.25. Yup, an enjoyable meal. Only thing was their refusal to honor the 10% off coupon I had snipped out of my Boston Metro because we had ordered off the special combination menu which had scored us a $1.30 discount. No where on the coupon did it state any restrictions outside of a minimum $25 purchase. But I did not put up a fuss - it was Chinatown after all, and a local, non-chain business. *** 11/2014 visit *** An order of their soup dumplings $6.95 (sadly just wet rather than soupy on this visit) and the Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable $7.75 from the Special Combination menu (so it came with rice and soup) was plenty for our two appetites at lunch.
(3)
Victor W.
We're placed at a set of tables right beside a few strangers. They could have separated our table by a crack to give us a bit of space, but oh well, no real complaints so far. Waitress comes over. "What do you want?" "Do you have any suggestions or specialties?" "You just pick from the menu." I don't expect much service from anything in Chinatown so not a huge deal at this point. They still have the potential for 4 stars. -1 star Our newly laid out chopsticks had some sticky residue on them so I asked for a replacement. No apology, not a word, the waitress just took them. Fine. But then she comes back with a couple of disposable chopsticks. We weren't here for take out. -1 star My tea cup was empty for the entire last 2/3 of our meal, at least half an hour with nobody coming around to refill. -1 star Got the bill. Counted out some cash, half of it in change (hey I have a lot of coins to use up anyway -- let's see what happens). As we stack up the coins in nice piles, the waitress comes by and swaps out bill out with a new one that includes an 18% mandatory gratuity. Hmm, kind of sketchy, but sure, I was going to leave a tip anyway, despite the terrible service, because we had a lot of change that probably would have taken the waitress about 60 seconds to count. Then she says she will not accept the change. I reply that it's legal tender, but I don't think she understands what that means. She leaves and comes back after probably talking with the manager, who I'm guessing ordered the mandatory tip. She says she wants us to count the change in front of her eyes before we leave. Not a very customer-friendly request since cash is cash but I oblige, takes less than a minute anyway. By that point there were 3 waitresses + the manager standing around our table. We left a 15% tip anyway, but there goes.... -2 stars The food was just dandy though. So they get +1, for a total of 1.
(1)
J R.
Food is great and delicious but taiwnese waitresses are the meanest in all of chinatown!!!!! I am not sure if it is because I brought my black friends the resturant. Never gave me a menu. They poured drinks all over the table. They threw the napkins on dishes. And gave the fakest smile when we thanked them. Give taiwainese people such a bad name!!
(1)
Y M.
They made way better dumpling and buns than gourmet dumpling house with thinner dough and very fresh stuffing. I also tried Clams with basil and stir fried pea pod stem with garlic and I found that Clams were fresher here, but the pea pod dish were on the same level as Gourmet which was excellent. I meant to give them 4.5 stars just because their spicy sliced fish Szechuan Style was not as good as Gourmet dumpling house. They offer better value because it has no line, less expensive, a little bit cleaner and not too crowded.
(5)
Eric S.
This place does well since they pretty much ripped off the other place's name in Chinese. I generally come here since the other place is always cramped and crowded. The food here is a mix of different areas of Chinese cuisine, so don't come here looking for anything authentic. Don't get me wrong, the food is decent, but if you're looking for Chinese food from a specific area, go elsewhere.
(3)
Jason A.
I understand that when you set foot inside of a restaurant like this, that service is secondary to the product. In other words, I know that the service is going to sh***y and I am okay with that. Even with these low standards, I was impressed by how low they could go at Dumpling Cafe. Boston, be warned, you may actually pop that blood vessel in your head as a result of your dinner here. I think the experience begins and ends with the waiter who, after noticing I left the "Gratuity" portion of my credit card slip blank, looked at me and asked me if I was planning on completing it for him. I'm not sure whether this made me feel more violated than that time that I was bending over on a crowded T and... well that's a story for another day. I let him know that I would be paying the tip with cash. As I left the restaurant with my party, he came running up to the table to count the cash that was left for tip. Couldn't even wait until we were out of sight. He must be saving up for those etiquette classes he enrolled in. Oh, and the food? After reading all of these positive reviews, I figured they would be amazing. I was let down. There are better dumping houses within walking distance, which are much much cheaper.
(1)
Pete J.
I'm going to let you into a Yelp secret. When deciding on any Asian restaurant, every good Yelper is going to read the reviews, that's a given. I want you to go one step further and look for the reviews written by Ambrose C. yelp.com/user_details?us… I have had the good fortune to meet Ambrose a few times at Yelp events, and boy does he know his stuff. Case in point - Dumpling Cafe. I too ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is what everyone here raves about, the soup dumplings. They were excellent. Read the reviews here on how to eat them, that will save you a scalding mouth. Six dumplings served steaming hot! I also ordered Tai Shi Kong Rou, the Taiwanese pork belly, and that had so much flavour. I can't wait to go back for the three entree deal!
(4)
VuAnh N.
They have really good xiao long bao (mini soup dumplings); they're super juicy and the flavor is just right. Oftentimes I've had them at other places in Chinatown, only to be disappointed by the lack of soup or saltiness, but not here! Service isn't that great, but you don't expect much when you come to these kinds of restaurants.
(3)
Theodore Y.
Soup Dumplings = delicious. The skin was a bit thin so they popped even with delicate care. But who cares, i slurped that juice uppp. Taiwan style eggplant = delciousness. Get it. Taiwanese style tofu was ok. Not it's usual bomb-diggitiness. Beef with long-horn pepper. = yummy in the tummy. Sitting next to strangers cuz the restaurant is packed = Elbow wars (i won).
(4)
Jeff H.
This restaurant has excellent, fresh lunch specials 7 days a week. Over 50 items available with rice and soup, and they are really fresh and delicious. These are not just the American Chinese warhorses, but rather a nice selection of authentic Taiwanese dishes. Excellent fresh flavors!
(5)
Kimmy T.
Went here a few times already, kept on forgetting to leave a review. Mini Juicy Buns : Delish, juicy, bursting of flavor (literally)! be very careful when you get these! The broth inside is extremely hot so do not dive in or else you'll burn your tongue! I like to drown my spoon with the vinegar soy sauce with a little bit of ginger first and plop those bad ass dumplings on top of it. I'd nibble the tip of the dumpling first ( looking like a rabbit of course ^_^ ) , then i'll blow in the tiny hole to cool it down ( get your mind out of the gutter you peerrrvs LOL !) . Cripsy Chicken : crunchy , thin strips of chicken and basil chips? The first thing i went for was the Thai basil, which was deep fried into a chip!!! I like the concept of it! The chicken was pretty good, though i'd prefer it a little be more chunky. It's missing something.. It's a bit too dry all my tongue can taste is the batter.. but not the meat. At one point i was eating a chunk of deep fried yummios batter straight up , like a Bosssss! Which was not cool. Wonton Noodle Soup: Hot water , bland, Uncooked noodles and wontons. Sorry but this was the worst thing i ate today, no flavor what so ever. It taste like something mama dukes would do when she's lazy to cook. Throw in some water let it boil and toss everything in it and SERVE! Yup that's how it tasted like. At least use chicken broth for the soup or something?! Thank you, but i'd go back for the mini juicy buns.
(3)
Myrna C.
After trying out nearby Gourmet Dumpling House, I realized how much more amazing Dumpling Cafe is. Still hands down the best Xiao Long Bao ever (a little on the pricier side but so worth it). We also got the wonton again and the twin lobsters. $19.99 for very fresh lobster cooked with ginger and scallion. Yum yum yum. The shrimp with tofu was also quite delicious. The table next to us ordered this fish dish that looked amazing. We were going to go back the next day to try that but then decided to go somewhere else. Sigh, next time. The service was quite good and my dad also said that they had one of the cleanest bathrooms he had ever seen at a Chinese restaurant (though maybe he was slightly biased having just come back from China). Either way, I highly recommend this place! :)
(5)
Matthew A.
We wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House, but it was hot, and the long was LONG. We took a walk and found Dumpling Cafe. It was cleaner and nicer inside than GDH, but.......... Started with pork and leek dumplings (steamed) so good and fresh. Tea and water was brought out. Never refilled. We got a spicy chicken dish, and a noodle dish, both were good and solid. But the service was borderline rude. The woman that brought the food did not even look at me or responded to me. No eye contact, no come back to say how are things, and no WATER. Sorry but no excuse. There are so many other 3 star or worse restaurants in China Town that have better service that this. Food 4 stars. Atmasphere: 3 Service: 1
(3)
Richard C.
This restaurant was forgettable when it first opened. Then a good foodie friend recommended it to me. So I returned to try it again. I found the food to be quite good, different from my first experience and so I returned back a few more times since. However, there is one item on the menu that I must recommend everyone to stay away from ordering because they do it worse than anyone else I've ever tried, and that's not easy! That item is their scallion pancakes. When I complained to the owner tonight, he even laughed and that "it is because of that stupid chef of mine, what an a××"! He laughed and told me that indeed they don't make even a decent scallion pancake and that they have tried for over ayear now and still it is terrible. It is partly because the chef apparently does not put in enough time in rolling the dough for it. I added that it may help to have more than one small piece of scallion per pancake and using a bit more oil to cook it longer and crisper as it tastes tasteless and it's not crispy but doughy. So I recommend that you save your money and order something else instead. Like other rowers have said, their X LB is quite good, though certainly not the best in town. My recommendations are to go to Gourmet Dumplings in Chinatown or Green Tea in Newton for the best scallion pancake in town.
(3)
Claudia R.
This place was great! Me and my friend ordered miso soup, scallion pancakes, and steamed pork dumplings. It was open until late night and the service was crazy fast!
(5)
Brittany R.
The Dumpling Cafe was a great find! We ordered the the Juicy Buns to start...don't be deterred by the name. These dumplings filled with soup are delicious! Be careful when you bite into it because the soup can spill out everywhere!! I ordered the special which allows you to select one entree that comes with soup and your choice of white or fried rice. I had the beef with broccoli and my husband had the sesame chicken. The beef and broccoli was good but the sesame chicken was great! The food was very solid for a reasonable price. The restaurant is located in China Town on Washington near Beach which is a very busy area on a weekday around lunch. I'd suggest walking but there is a parking lot nearby on Washington if you are willing to pay $18 for about an hour stay.
(4)
Joseph H.
On August 5th, I brought 3 relatives to this restaurant for lunch and this restaurant absolutely has the worst service I have experienced in my 30 years in USA. The waitresses had no smile or any sign of courtesy at all. We were not welcomed when we stepped in and when they served, they literally threw the plates to us, reminding me of restaurants in Hong Kong 25 years ago. To us, the food was also very sub-standard. To top it off, the restaurant has the gall to add 18% tip to our bill! When I protested, they insisted that the computer automatically added the tip amount and they were unwilling to take it off, or reduce the tip amount. I did not want to make a scene and unwillingly paid the total on the bill. I would never ever go back to this restaurant again. I find them most disrespectful and rude to customers.
(1)
Kim P.
Pork dumplings of all kinds. Just ask the servers what to order. I did and they delivered up some amazing dumplings. Since my first trip, I've been thinking about the myriad ways I can get myself back there to enjoy more. My fave dumpling spot in Chinatown.
(5)
Shang S.
This is not so much a review but more a bookmark - I go here often when Gourmet Dumpling House's line gets too crazy. Soup dumplings here are excellent
(4)
X. K.
My favourite was the braided fish, which arrived after our watercress with satay sauce, mapo tofu, tofu with shrimp, long beans and edamame+ beancurd strips (we love our tofu). We only paid $11/person for a party of 4. Amazing. They gave us green tea and a choice of fried/white rice, and we got an extra bowl of white rice for, I think, no extra charge. Great location too.
(5)
Paulina B.
I've been here a few times with my boyfriend and we absolutely love the soup dumplings! Little pillows of warm goodness. They come in a little bamboo steamer and taste delicious. We order them every single time. This time, we also ordered the mango chicken which was sweet, spicy and flavorful. The mango was ripe and the sauce was well seasoned. All the food they seem to bring out of the kitchen looks good so I'm excited to try new things every time we go. As for the restaurant, I've been here when it is extremely busy and felt really rushed. We got approached by four different waitresses asking if we were ready to order before we even really got settled. The second time we came here, it was much quieter and slow and we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves. The food is tasty and cheap, and who can complain about that?! Looking forward to going back!
(5)
Mason M.
The staff is rude. The dumplings were tasty but with the service being bad I would go elsewhere. They have a minimum charge to put on credit cards which is not clearly displayed anywhere.
(2)
R. M.
The xaio long bao are good... not significantly better or worse than any other restaurant in Chinatown. The service here is terrible: rude and unfriendly. I will not return. Anyone looking for good Taiwanese food should just go to Taiwan Cafe.
(2)
K C.
Average Chinese food. Indifferent wait staff that seems more bothered you are asking about the food than happy they have patronage. Excellent juicy pork dumplings! Everything else was bland. The beef itch hot sauce was watery and the General Gau chicken had a thick, pasty sauce on it. The shanghai noodles were pretty good. With so many options of delicious restaurants in this city, I wouldn't waste my time with this average food.
(3)
Cobra K.
What do you do your first night in Boston? Eat Taiwanese Dumplings! Rolled off the Orange Line and jumped into Chinatown...Dumpling Cafe was the first place we hit up. We compared menus between here and next door Penang and decided to come here instead. Two orders of soup dumplings, Yang Chow Fried Rice and Chicken Chow Fun later, we were satisfied...all for about 25 bucks too.
(4)
Roni E.
Hands down the closest I have come to Xiao Long Bao like they make back at home. Home meaning the place I go to in Flushing, NY (They have THE BEST XLB where they have the ladies behind the glass making them fresh by hand, mixing up the dough for the skin, packing the dumplings up with the meat, and steaming them right before your very eyes! And I won't tell you where that is since the line is already long enough!) However, I digress. I'd say Dumpling Cafe has gotten this down to about 97% match to what I grew up eating every weekend and what I crave whenever I go home. The dough consistency and flavor are right on par. My only 3% complaint is that the size can be increased a smidge to allow a bit more soupy goodness on the inside. While the XLB were fantastic, the service is definitely sub par. Somehow my table became the dumping ground for their tea pots whenever they walked by. And I literally sat at my table for a good 20 min. before someone acknowledged me despite them dumping teapots every 2 sec. on my table but not looking at me or seeing that I'm trying to get their attention. The best part was that since I knew I was going to be having XLB, I had ordered it as soon as they acknowledged me 'cause who knew when the next time I would get any attention, as I waited for my friend to arrive. Much to say the least, another 15 min. went by after my friend arrived, did they take our order. After about another 30 min, we ended up receiving all the other food ordered but still no sign of XLB, mind you it was the first thing ordered and it was the last thing on the table, over an hour after it was ordered. Guess the good thing is that, least I know it's freshly made! So basically what this boils down to is that if you want great service, go elsewhere, but if you want the best XLB around these parts, come here and expect to wait awhile. You better order something else while you wait if you're hungry!
(4)
Helen L.
If I knew their soup dumplings were great, I would've came here instead of the other place down the block! The soup dumplings were moist and filled with soup. The skin was thin but held the soup very well. They even provided a top for the bamboo container to keep your dumplings warm. Very important! There's nothing worse than a cold soup dumplings.
(4)
Alisha T.
I was here a few time because of a recommendation from a friend. Anyways, I loved trying the dumpling. The soup dumpling is the best here , and when you eat it, there's actual soup, it's warm and the wrap isn't too thick or thin so they inside didn't fall out. Also, there's a lunch special which gives you like 3 combination for around 20 bucks and its a great deal and the food is tasty. Next, the service is pretty good. The fact that the place is crowded often, the servers still pay attention to you and come out with your request and order pretty quickly. So I recommend you to try this place. It's a tasty and affordable place.
(5)
Kelsey C.
The word "restaurant" usually indicates a place where food served to customers. Dumpling Cafe is the first restaurant where we sat down at a table, ordered food, sat for ONE HOUR and got only one of the three dishes we ordered. 2 orders of dumplings and one scallion pancake. I can make these things. They don't take that long. To be fair, the table next to us fared much better than we did. They received their food within minutes even though they sat down and ordered 10 minutes after us. It's just a pity they didn't get silverware until their food had gotten cold 15 minutes later. After I became too frustrated to be polite, I was so generously offered the option of cancelling our other orders while still having to pay for the one dish we received. And it wasn't even good. Nothing could make me come here again. I will wait any amount of time in any weather for Gourmet Dumpling House. At least I know I'll get food there.
(1)
Jennifer W.
So...I guess there ARE pretty authentic xiao long baos in Boston. I always thought dumpling cafe and gourmet dumpling house were owned by the same people and had the same food, but oh was I wrong! The baos at Dumpling Care were SO much better, and is pretty similar to the real deal. The only downside was the crab ones really didn't have much crab meat in it, but for 50 cents more than the pork ones I guess you can't really expect much. We also got the spicy fish and that was really good too, a good amount of fish filet and spicy enough. You can't ever expect service in Chinatown to be friendly, but our food came out quick, they were decently friendly for Chinatown standards. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Michael D.
SO this wasn't my first choice to go to yesterday night, but at 1:55am after a night of drunken shenanigans, i didn't want to walk far and this place had a flashing open sign. I was sold. Here's what we got: $5.95 xiao long bao (dumplings with soup inside of em- yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) SO i can't be a solid judge of these just yet cause I haven't had too many of em in my life. BUT, I personally thought these were pretty good. The dumplings were steamed to the point they seemed to the point of almost being wontons, but the filling and the soup inside were tastyyy. I'm a fan. Now I just need to go over to Gourmet Dumps to compare... $6.95 Seafood Fried Rice ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) which surprisingly wasn't covered in soy sauce. It was light and seasoned with salt. OH and it was the first fried rice I've ever had that had calamari in em.. interesting. $6.95 Beef Roll aka Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) This wasn't anything special. I've had much better versions of it at other places. Roast beef was bland, and the scallion pancakes were standard. Not bad, but not good either. OVERALL, I'd come here if you're wasted, got the munchies, and are RIGHT next to it, but other than that, I probably wouldn't make the trek over here. There are so many better options in chinatown!
(3)
Bruce L.
One of the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston! Have quite a bit of varieties and at affordable price! I cannot imagine anywhere else in Boston you can get better service and food than this!
(5)
Danny F.
Dumpling Cafe is my default go-to in Chinatown. Period. The juicy dumplings here are indeed very fine, although not the best in town - that honor goes to Shanghai Gate in Allston. Regardless, they are the best in Chinatown, and everything else that comes out of the kitchen reminds me of home, i.e. Taiwan. In addition to the dumplings, I almost always end up ordering the pork chop over rice (amazeballs) and a green veggie. There's another restaurant in Chinatown that pretends to be Taiwanese, but Dumpling Cafe is the real deal.
(4)
Jerry K.
great food I always get the Taiwan style chicken strips with basil and mini juicy buns with pork (soup dumplings).
(5)
Josephine L.
All right, Bostonians: FORGET Gourmet Dumpling House. Seriously. The emperor has no clothes. Or in this case, the xiao long baos have no soup. Don't get sucked into the hype and wait 30 min in the freezing cold to eat at GDH. I don't care if they're related, owned by the same people or lifelong rivals fighting to the bitter end. Just go to Dumpling Cafe instead. It's closer to the T and so much better. Why: Bigger, cleaner, friendlier. Nicer interior, more organized staff, no disgusting earwigs/other bugs crawling around. Oh, and food is superior. The XLBs are much juicier (soupier?) and they hold back on the scallions/ginger enough to let the pork and crab flavor really shine through. The Asparagus with Beef in Sa-Cha (Satay) Sauce is delicious. Though it's really just stiry-fry, they manage to make the beef so incredibly tender. The beef noodle soup still isn't my ideal (a strange sweet aftertaste that I chalk up to too much sugar in the red roast), but it's still better than GDH's. It's of the more healthy, broth-like beef noodle soup variety rather than the greasy, thick, spicy kind. The unconventional item to get for those of you who want to be different is the spicy beef with longhorn peppers noodle soup. This also comes as a stir-fry dish, which I've also had, but I strongly recommend the noodle soup version. On a cold, chilly day, there is literally nothing else on the menu that will warm you up faster than this piquant bowl of hot, delicious broth, thick noodles, tender beef strips and abundant pepper shoots. In conclusion: Come here!
(5)
Sean M.
Among my work compatriots that hail from Mainland China, this is pretty much their #1 Chinatown restaurant. It is possible to order badly here, and if you have an American Chinese food bias go to PF Changs or that disaster on route 1N. If you are a Cantonese, fan, there are plenty of fine choices but this may disappoint. The name is not what this about, and as mentioned the Chinese name doesn't mean that see prior post. Still try the Taiwanese (mini-rolled soft taco-shaped) dumplings. They also have the best Xiao Long Bao in Chinatown. * chitlins/offal, mustard greens, this is what this place is about. * casseroles/clay pot stews, soups. * go early, with at least 3 people and get the 3 entree deal.
(5)
Cornelia M.
I've been here a couple of times and I can honestly say that they have pretty good food here. I love the soup dumplings they are just so tasty! From what I understand though this is the more touristy place and there's another place that everyone goes to that is better. I don't know the name of that place but I can say come here and get a beer with some soup dumplings! You can't go wrong!
(4)
Lynn C.
The little sister of Gourmet Dumpling House also seems to have smaller portions. The same dish we would get at Gourmet Dumpling would be approximately the same price, but at GD it's a gigantic Chinese plate, while at Dumpling Cafe, it's a little tiny rectangular western plate. The food quality...I think I prefer Gourmet Dumpling too. Perhaps it has to do with the older Wok or the atmosphere, but for some reasons I find Dumpling Cafe to lack in the same aromatic and flavourfulness in its dishes. Don't get me wrong, the food at Dumpling Cafe is good, just not AS good. In the end, it's really about what you're looking for. The Dumpling Cafe is cleaner, prettier, bigger, a lot more westernized, but I think I prefer to eat in a greasier, aromatic cramped restaurant like the original gourmet dumpling house.
(4)
Carol W.
I came back here with family last week and enjoyed a nice late lunch. We ordered the scallion pie, crab and pork soup dumplings, salt and pepper soft shell crab, Sichuan spicy fish, and seafood udon noodles cooked in sacha sauce. I was impressed with the presentation of the Sichuan spicy fish as it came out with it's own flame plate to keep the dish hot. The only thing that I really didn't care for was the scallion pie as it was really thick and had very little scallion in it! What surprised me the most about this place was the very attentive service. At most Chinatown establishments, the service is mediocre, but on that afternoon, our waitress was on top of everything and even the owner took notice of us in helping to set up the table for our two babies. I made sure to leave a nice tip which the owner noticed as well.
(3)
Dyan K.
Great, cheap, Chinatown food. The Xiao long bao are the best I've had in Chinatown, better than gourmet dumpling house. The soup is tasty, even bordering on too salty, and the skin is thick, but they are delicious. I've also had braised fish here, which for around $16 I think was a great deal for a whole big fish. The fried rice cakes, nian gao, were good and cheap. I wasn't wild about the fried beef dumplings. They were good, but the other things I've had are much better. I definitely recommend coming here for a quick Chinese food fix. It's pretty clean, the service is passable, but the food tastes like home!
(4)
River L.
The food is OK but the service is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After we sat down and made our orders to a waiter, another waitress came by and asked us to change seats very impolitely. So we moved to another table per her request. However, she asked us to order again. We thought it was ridiculous and refused to order again. Then she appeared very angry and rolled her eyes. Come on. We didn't do anything wrong, OK?
(1)
Mark K.
This place is totally sucks. Noodles are tasteless and waitresses are just so rude. They would boldly and loudly talking about tips when you are done with meals. I'd recommend to stay away from this place
(1)
Nicole R.
While walking through China Town we stumbled upon the Dumpling cafe. The food is just ok, and the services is pretty lack luster. We sat at a table for four (only two in our party) then they sat a couple we didn't know next to us shortly after we were seated. A little odd. Staff is unfriendly and a bit abrasive. With the amount of restaurants around i'll be sure to keep on moving next time.
The dumplings are superlative. Service doesn't matter when the food is this good; heck, they could demand that I serve myself from the kitchen and they'd still earn five stars. (Though service is spotty and tea refills are hard to come by.) Between the dumplings and the roast duck buns, this place is on another level.
(5)
Bob S.
Been here a few times; haven't made it to the other dumpling place - the line there is always too long for us - so sorry, no comparisons. This place holds its own with the other good places to eat in Chinatown. The XLB (which they call mini juicy bun?) are quite good - we order them every time we go; both crab and pork. Broccoli with garlic, string beans with dried prawns and spinach with garlic are fine renditions. The Taiwanese eggplant is very good; a bit unusual, slightly sweet. Kung Pao and General Tso's chicken are good; the Szechuan Flounder is very good (although I wonder if it is really flounder). It's small and pretty crowded. Don't be surprised if your neighbor is really really close. Ask him what he's eating. Service it a bit harried; they really need an additional server.
(4)
Dandan L.
The service was bad as expected. The soup dumpling was decent, although the waitress forgot about our order and insisted that I never ordered after I checked with her 4 times. All the other dishes we ordered were def below average, especially the beef noodle soup. It was bland. All the noodles clumped together and some of them were half cooked. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed all the Taiwanese food restaurants have at least decent beef noodle soup. I'm still willing to give another try though. I didn't get to taste all their "Classic Taiwanese dishes". It could be I was just being unlucky and picked all their less popular dishes.
(2)
Ariana Z.
Came here because the Gourmet Dumpling house was much more crowded than this place. The wait was only 15 minutes, which is good for these two places considering how popular they are. I had the Taiwan style wonton soup, which was very similar to Dumpling House's wonton soup. I really loved it, the soup was a good size, flavorful and light. I also ordered the scallion pancakes as a complimentary side dish and they are the best I have ever had. They are more crispy and not limpy like others I have had. Service was great, we ordered right away, and everything went smoothly. The cashier older woman, was very kind and kept coming out to reassure our group that she had our name down and our table status.
(5)
Alexander L.
A lot of the food was saltier than I am normally comfortable with. This included the xiao long bao and the taiwanese style pork. otherwise, the food was cooked well and nothing was dry.
(3)
Joanne G.
Fast service even when ordering streaming hot dumplings. Lots of seating and swimming fish to choose from. Everything we got was wonderful Ma Pa Tofu Spinach with garlic Taiwanese fried dumplings Pork and leek steamed dumplings Papaya Bubble drink
(4)
Anne W.
This place is definitely more spacious than the Gourmet Dumpling House. Somehow there is a trend that Bostonians enjoy eating dumplings.. both places are packed. I think the shao long bao are much better than Gourmet Dumpling House. They do not give you red vinegar but the black vinegar instead. I think it still could improve like Din Tai Fung but let's be honest.. it probably won't happen in Boston anytime soon. The other things were hit or miss... veggies were good but something that could be gotten at any Cantonese restaurant. The Taiwanese pork chop noodles were not that great either. I was hoping something pretty amazing since the waitress was like.. yes, those are good. The noodles are typical, fresh spinach, and some friend pieces of pork chop. It was okay.. tender but not really a must-have. I saw more people here getting lobster here than anything else. That's not very Northern Chinese or dumpling like.
(3)
Winnie M.
This place has only been open for 2 days only. I give it 2.5 stars only based on this initial experience. For a Tuesday night, it was quite busy, but I think it had more to do with it being a new place. The general layout of the place is overcrowded and not the greatest layout for a restaurant of this size. It might do them better to just lose a table or two for more comfort not just for the guests, but also for servers. The food: The scallion pancake was undercooked, not doughy, just undercooked...don't be fooled by the char marks on the outside. I ordered the Taiwan style Wonton Noodle Soup, which was mediocre. I'm not sure if its what the Taiwan-style is supposed to taste like, but the soup was very bland. Adding a bit of vinegar salvaged it a bit but not much. Not a fan of this dish, as the wontons were ok-sized, but it came with flat rice noodles, not the usual yellow egg noodles. That might just be the Taiwan-style, but I'm not a fan of flat rice noodles when it comes to Wonton Noodle soup. My boyfriend ordered the Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Shanghai noodles. It was a decent dish, but had too much beans and tofu for his taste (was not indicated on menu it would have such) and the pork seemed almost nonexistent in the dish. As for service, I can't say that it was a great experience, but it wasn't bad either. The food came rather quickly. There were no condiments of any sort at the tables, so you have to ask for them (like soy sauce, vinegar, etc). As I stated earlier that the layout was bad, we got seated at the table right next to the door. It did not help when there's a table next to us, then the 2-person table behind us. At one point, I got annoyed because during mid-bite of my food, I had to get up so that a waiter could get past me to the table next to us. I don't mind moving to make room, but at least wait until I don't have food in my mouth! Thankfully it was our waiter. The rest of the waitstaff as well as the hostess were extremely nice and seemed on their toes. Overall, it was a decent experience, but I'll give it a month or two before I attempt to try them again, maybe it will be a better experience.
(2)
Carl T.
OMG OMG OMG OMG soup dumplings.. they bring a whole new level and meaning to the phrase "sex in your mouth" I swear its like an asian pillowy gusher. While I recommend you place the first round of dumplings on your soup spoon and pop the skin to ooze the soup out for it to cool, there really isn't anything funner or more daring than poppin those suckers in your mouth and go on the ride of tasty goodness! Lets be cereal for a minute and talk about everything else. While we tried other dishes that I cannot recollect due to the drunkenness, I remember those dishes being extremely well prepared and delicious. Those dam soup dumplings really just stole the show! The flavor of the meat in side the dumpling was perfect and seasoning of the broth was as perfect. The skin, to the filling to the soup all flavors really complimented each other. I do have one complaint and it is towards the old man bus boy who I hope doesn't get one cent of any tip given to any of the tables. What a huge douche! I don't care if youre old or hate your job or life for that matter. But cmon... first off when we paid the bill we gave a generous tip being that we had a very good experience the problem came when he came up to our table as we were about to leave and joyously asked if we liked the food, and of course how could we lie!! And this muther effer goes "then why you not give better tip, you like food you give better tip." And we all looked at each other and were like wtf... old man, you just single handedly ruined our house of dumplings experience to the max to the point where that old man bus boy alone is the cause of taking away 4 stars! As far as business, I don't care who you are, you never say that to a customer. doesn't matter if that is how Asians are when they're old or what not that's just not how you treat customers especially when we gave you a 30% tip. Sorry house of dumplings this review would have been 20 stars, your food is great and wait staff awesome but your bus boy really ruined the experience and our night.. quietest walk and drive home ever thanks to you, you old fart...!
(1)
Amir K.
Everything is flavorful and the portions are enough for two. Sesame chicken is 10x better than the average take out.
(4)
Denise T.
A great source of late night eats in Boston. We arrived close to midnight and staying at a hotel near the Boston Common so we walked over, a short 10 minutes. Amazing soup dumpling!! (Pork filling and pork & crab filling were both yummy.) Thin skin, perfectly delicate filling, juicy soup!! Much better than those I've had in NYC. We also ordered seafood pan fried noodles with fresh shrimp, squid, snow peas, broccoli, mushroom and bamboo shoots over thin crispy noodles. Staff was efficient if not overly friendly and the place was clean! (No food on the wall!)
(4)
C C.
Terrible customer service. The two of us were in line when three more people walked in. They were the hostess's friends and were seated immediately when a table opened up. When questioned about why they got seated instead of us, the hostess got defensive and confrontational. Not only did she start arguing with us, she also wouldn't shut up after we turned around to ignore her. Standing behind the counter, she kept on making comments when we clearly can hear her. Do not go if you want to be treated with respect.
(1)
Tim D.
This place is said to have the best XLB in town (see all the other reviews about this), but I am going to review the rest of the menu instead. Everything about this restaurant says "awesome"... except the food, which is usually in the "pretty decent" range or slightly below. I'll walk you through some menu items I've tried and the grade they've received once wiggling down my gizzard. (Note: earplugs can't hurt if you're going at off-peak hours: they often play deafening, frantic K-Pop to ensure quickened eating, indigestion and feelings of helplessness.) Overall Grade: B- (pretty decent or slightly below) Braised Yellow Fish with Brown Sauce Grade: D I see this scrawny creature in my dreams and wet the bed. Simmered Crab with Silk Noodles Hot Pot Grade: B+ One of their better efforts: crab parts lazing on some mild, brown-flavored silk noodles with minced garlic and veg. Roast Marinated Bean Curd Grade: C+ "Roast" in what sense? This is simply that tofurkey loaf from the fridge section at the C-Mart across the street, sliced and garnished with green onions. Grilled Shrimp Skewers Grade: B+ A pleasant impaled-prawn appetizer Sauteed Noodles with Seafood Grade: C Overcooked linguini with too much pepper. For shame! Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style Grade: B+ My favorite appetizer there; three slender grilled fish. Very nice! Seafood Noodles Soup Grade: B- A good amount of fresh seafood, but too much pepper in the broth! They've committed this same indecency twice on this dish, so I can no longer extend my mercy. Steamed Dumpling with Vegetables Grade: B Serviceable pouches of green stuff. Ma Po Tofu Grade: B+ Surprisingly good. No pork, just wiggly, slightly numbing tofu. Oyster Tofu Soup Grade: B Oysters, green onions and tofu cubes in an unsalted broth; long forgotten before I even finished it, but pleasant enough (lots of oysters, at least!). Hot and Sour Fish Soup Grade: C+ Not even remotely hot, or sour (save for the single tomato chunk bobbing awkwardly against some squid scraps). Maybe they just didn't think I could handle the "real" thing, whatever it is? Pah! My parents were calling me "Hot and Sour" before... wait, I lost my train of thought. Sauteed Squid with Pickled Mustard Greens Grade: B+ A respectable version of this pungent, bilious favorite. Flounder with Sweet and Sour Sauce Grade: D+ Breading with take-out-packet sauce. Szechuan Style Steamed Flounder Grade: A- The best thing I've had there, though it pales next to the same dish at the place up the street (hint: its blessed name rhymes with Caiwan Tafe).
(2)
Misha T.
It's been a while since I had some bomb xlb and the ones are dumpling cafe are pretty solid. We also had the skewered and bbq'd duck tongues which is one of my favorite dishes in general. They make it pretty well but i think they over charge. Our scallion pancakes were w/e but that's one of those things that's so easy to make I rarely order it unless I've got a mad craving.
(4)
Twee V.
I have been searching for a dumpling place in Boston. So far, I haven't found any good dumpling place yet. This place is ok. Their dumplings are not bad compared to other places in Chinatown. The pork dumplings are a little bit salty.
(3)
Cari L.
I continue to be confused, perplexed, and utterly appalled that Gourmet Dumpling House is more highly rated than my beloved Dumpling Cafe, the restaurant that clearly makes the best food in Chinatown. First off, when you walk in, you immediately smell how delicious everything is. You do not smell grease - you smell all the wonderful dishes crammed onto the other patrons' tables. Although the staff is not super-friendly, they are accommodating and will bring you the things you ask for relatively quickly. Second, food I know to be tasty (I will address the soup dumplings in their own section shortly): Scallion pancakes - crispety crunchety, reheat well for a midnight snack. Pork and leek dumpling - for when you want a more gyoza-type experience than soup dumplings. Sauteed flat noodles with beef (aka Chow Fun) - something about the way Chinatown restaurants make this will always be better than your open-till-2am local joint - better texture, better beef, better flavor, more consistently-cooked noodles. Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Udon Noodles - the noodles were also perfectly spongily cooked; the black bean sauce was tasty... my only complaint would be that the minced pork was REALLY minced - like miniscule. THE SOUP DUMPLINGS. Now, full disclosure, the best soup dumplings I've ever had in my life are at Shanghai Cafe on Mott St in New York. These are the dumplings against which I judge all other xiao long bao. Things I value in a soup dumpling: flavorful, non-fatty broth; flavorful, non-fatty ball of meat; thin but unbreakable skin; a top-knot that isn't too hard or unpleasant to bite off. Dumpling Cafe consistently hits all of these points on each visit. The weakest element of their dumplings is probably either that sometimes the top knot gets a little thick and dry, or that sometimes the pork just doesn't taste as good as the broth. Though not exquisite, they are great and the best I have found in Boston. --------- Finally, a rant against Gourmet Dumpling House, for comparative purposes: Gourmet Dumpling House's dumplings consistently fall apart in addition to relying more heavily on fat for flavor. Nothing worse than lifting up the dumplings only to have the bottom fall out of EACH AND EVERY ONE. That is the true travesty of GDH's xiao long bao, and it has happened to me every time a friend has dragged me there under duress. Don't sacrifice your time, money, or happiness at GDH - DUMPLING CAFE FOR LIFE!
(5)
Patrick G.
Tried Dumpling Cafe the other day, so I could truly compare it to other places in Chinatown, and because many people rave about it. The XLB was pretty good, but I definitely think Gourmet's are better. There were a few missteps with service, and some uncooked beef dumplings, but, I think, even at their best, they play second fiddle to Gourmet Dumpling House right aroudn the corner.
(3)
Kelly C.
xiaolongbao - Thats what I came for and thats what I got. (To GO) I quite enjoyed them. They definitely would have been better had I eaten them there, but they held up surprisingly well on my 5 min walk back to the office. Full of soupy goodness, and the dipping sauce goes perfectly. I think I need to drag some coworkers for lunch there! Shouldn't be hard.
(4)
Jesse N.
I dropped by the other night for a bit after the Russell Peters show. This was my second time here...The first time around was okay. This time around was really awful. From the beginning... My girlfriend and I were seated at a 2-top table. After about 10 minutes of sipping tea and figuring out what we wanted to order, a waitress came over and told us we had to move because a table for 11 just came in and they all wanted to sit together. Way to give me the bait and switch! At least give me an appetizer or something for making me get up and move all my stuff to another table. Strike one. We ordered a few things: Scallion pancake, Kung Pao Shrimp, and Salt and Pepper Duck Tongue. The scallion pancake came out and it was okay, nothing special. The Kung Pao Shrimp was extremely disappointing - completely bland, and the celery was under-cooked. Also, I found a hair in my dish (strike 2). Luckily for them, that stuff doesn't bother me too much but I'm sure it does for other folks. The thing that got me the most was the duck tongue. At about $17 for the dish, I was expecting it to be phenomenal. It sucked! Something was off...I LOVE water fowl, but the tongue was so gamy, enough that I could only try one piece and had to stop. This is coming from someone who has once before eaten puffin, mink whale, and all kinds of funky "organs" without any hesitation. That's saying a lot! I told the waiter I wanted to return it and have it stricken from the bill. My family owns a restaurant and I know this is standard procedure if a customer is really disappointed with the dish and barely touches it. They said they could charge half-price. I admit, I was a bit taken aback, especially considering that this was the first time in my LIFE that I've ever returned a dish for being so offensive to my palette. Strike 3. I was still hungry so after they took away the duck tongue dish I ordered some udon noodles in black bean sauce. I also ordered a sprite because well, unless you're one of the lucky tables, you don't get a big pot of tea, and once your tapped out it's very unlikely that a waiter there will stop by to fill you up. Did I mention I bit into a chili pepper by accident? The waiter forgot my sprite, and I had to ask for it again, in addition to a tea refill. I mean, seriously, I've been around the block enough to know not to expect much in the way of customer service in Chinatown, but I got the sense the wait staff was annoyed with me because I turned away the duck. Ugh. I got the udon noodles finally, hoping that this would be one redeeming dish, but it was equally disappointing. The sauce tasted like sweet gravy and I could barely taste anything reminiscent of black bean sauce. If anything, it tasted like that "lobster sauce" crap that most Americans are familiar with. At this point, I just wanted to get my check, admit that the night was a failure, and get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Eventually I did, but the story doesn't end there. In spite of how crappy the udon noodles in black bean sauce were, I don't like wasting food so I packed them up and brought them in to work for "breakfast" the next day. As I was eating them, I noticed another hair on one of my noodles. Seriously? It's like this place wanted to give me one more F-U for turning away their duck tongue. I suppose this is my punishment for not braving the cold a bit longer to get to Peach Farm or Taiwan Cafe. Dumpling Cafe, never again.
(1)
Jonathan A.
If you're not Asian they hate you for going there, but you just can't beat the soup dumplings so you just have to suffer through asking for a glass of water and having someone literally sneer at you.
(4)
Allie H.
We came with one thing in mind: XLB. Xiaolongbao here is excellent. The soft, delicate dough parcels, nestled in a bamboo steamer, are precious little bites. Eating them takes practice and care. Delicately pluck them from the steamer with chopsticks, careful not to tear the skin and lose the flavorful broth inside. Balance on the shallow soup spoon and bring to your lips. You can already smell the beef inside, wafting up in little puffs of steam. Take a bite, simultaneously gripping the dumpling with your lips and slurping out the scalding, deeply-seasoned broth. This is exactly what you came for. Just order them directly, without browsing through the menu for their name (sometimes hidden as "juicy pork dumplings). Also worth trying are the scallion pancakes, where thick slivers of roast beef are wrapped inside the slightly crisp pancake and seasoned with warm sesame oil. An order of pork fried rice (my boyfriend has a weakness for rice that simply must be sated) was also good; notably, the pork is fresh and brown, not the typical pink cubes of cured meat you'll get at lesser places. We were seated by the window at lunchtime, watching the patrons come in waves. The Dumpling Cafe is buzzing, clearly with regulars and tourists alike. If you have to wait for a table, be sure you do. It's worth it.
(5)
Mike D.
I went here late night on a Sunday night. The food was great and very cheap! Everything tasted pretty fresh and savory. The service was a bit slow but it may have been the time of night so I wont take it away from them. I will be back to try more dishes!
(4)
Winnie L.
Get the soup dumpling!!
(5)
James C.
First time here and ordered the same few things we had at Gourmet Dumpling House a couple weeks ago. I would give Gourmet the slight edge on the dumplings. Scallion pancakes and Spicy Szechuan Fish were better at Gourmet as well. That being said Cafe is perfectly acceptable and has a nicer and larger dining room if that is something you are worried about. But I give Gourmet the slight edge for the food.
(3)
Marc W.
It was our last night in Boston so we chanced it and tried something without really researching it. The service was kind of awkward and uncoordinated. It was like 2 or 3 different servers were randomly trying to take care of us but not really knowing what was going on! Our table was positioned on a very lopsided floor which made for some uncomfortable dining. Anyway, let's talk about the food. It was less than aight. My wife had their version of Gyoza, she said it was o.k., but it looked undercooked. I tried a piece of it and wasn't too impressed. I had the twice cooked pork meal. The pork had a sort of rubber like consistency, almost like shark cartilage. Overall we weren't too impressed with our meals but maybe we just ordered the wrong sfuff. Perhaps some of their other dishes are much better?
(1)
Michelle w.
loved it!
(5)
Phoebe H.
The best Soup Dumplings in Boston! Customer service is what you would expect for an Asian restaurant in C-Town.....sucky. But hell the food is good and that's what you go for.
(4)
Jay M.
I came into this place mistakenly thinking that it was the Gourmet Dumpling House on the other side of the block. Oh well, I was pleasantly surprised because it turned out to be a good mistake. I haven't had food at GDH so this is not a comparison of the two. My partner and I came on a Saturday night after hours of walking the city. It was cold so I wasn't thinking when I walked into this place thinking that it was the GDH that we had walked by earlier during our lunch in Chinatown. Although the dining room was packed, we were promptly seated at a six-top with another couple that had already been seated and served. No biggie. We looked at the menu and decided on appetizers to share. Pork and leek dumplings, no brainer. Teriyaki chicken meatballs, awesome and a great value at less than $1 per stick. I always order something adventurous so that my partner can try new foods that he'd otherwise never order for himself so I added a plate of crispy fried pork intestines-- BEST that I've ever had in Chinatown! I mean, Penang makes a mean plate too, but these were fantastic! The dipping sauce, however, could have been less salty. Reminiscent of great peking duck if you're afraid to try these out, but enjoy duck. Seriously! Apps would have done the job, but he ordered pan fried udon with beef and I got Peking style pork chops for good measure. My chops were awesome! Crispy and crunchy without being over-sauced. The sauce wasn't one note like most sweet and sour dishes in such establishments. Well done! The udon was good, but I'm partial to mine so yeah...just good. The service was nice here. Tea and water glasses were full and the waitress was always readily at hand. She forgot my bowl of rice at first, but it took nothing other than a nod from across the room for her to remember and she quickly brought it over. I'd come here again, but not by accident. This place is worthy of it's own following much like that other dumpling place around the block.
(4)
Betsy A.
I seriously wish Yelp would allow zero stars, because this would be the place I would first apply it to... Let me start by saying this, no one is more sympathetic to the struggles servers go through every day to provide folks with good service; however nothing, and I mean nothing called for the awful service we received recently from this place. I understand the late night crowd can be annoying (heck! they were annoying me!), but my friend and I were nothing but polite to the servers only to be treated with disregard, and down right rudeness. I was left speechless and (as some of my yelp reviews should show you) that is very difficult to do... Is it worth it to list out everything they did to warrant the 1 star, and for you not to grace them with your business? Not sure I want to relive the experience, what I must say is, there are places in Chinatown with far better tasting food, to put yourself through the rudeness this people exhibit. You've been warned...
(1)
Duke C.
Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) lived up to their name. Lots of soup in the dumpling although the rest of the filling was a bit mushy. The Taiwanese pork chop noodle soup was a bit disappointing. The pork chop was mostly fat and too salty.
(2)
Chris H.
Very good. Got dumplings and scallion pancakes. Didn't blow my mind though. Service was OK, but I felt rushed.
(4)
Alicia J.
Three of us showed up to Dumpling Cafe, put down $60, and still had enough for breakfast the next day. Typical of Chinatown restaurants, you can get a lot for not _so_ much money. Dumpling cafe also shares the typical problem of Chinatown restaurants, that the menu is too big, and clearly some things are not going to be so good. Order carefully. We stuck to dishes that should either be good everywhere or were dumplings. The result was pretty good as the four stars indicate. We ordered the hot and sour soup, mapo tofu, a full braised fish, braised eggplants, wontons, juicy buns, and dumplings. This is a lot to review, but suffice to say that everything was pretty spectacular. For the price, it was 4.5 star food. The best was the fish. While I am a sucker for whole fish, it was well cooked and taken fresh out of the tank next to our table. The juicy buns were so great that I ended up squirting hot soup down my throat, but I didn't even complain. I also thought that the hot and sour soup was better than average, but I am hard pressed to explain why. The reason this establishment gets four stars is the relatively poor service. It was tough to get tea refills, and we never got water at all despite asking for it. Still, despite all that, I'd go back.
(4)
Allie C.
This is the first Chinese restaurant that I have tried in Boston. The soup dumplings were a lot better than the ones I have had in NYC. Lunch special dishes weren't bad either. Would go back if I were in Boston again.
(5)
Winnie C.
Quality: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Taste: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Portion: 4 out 5 (enough) Price: 5 out of 5 (very good) Service: 4 out of 5 (goof) This is the at least the fourth or fifth time I've eaten here, and I am definitely returning again and again. They have a lot of types of dumplings, all of which are delicious. The food comes out fairly quickly, the servers are average, but at least not rude like other Chinese restaurants around. I definitely will come back for their dumplings though!!! A lot of variety and are made so that the dumplings don't pop that easily....
(4)
Julia C.
The hostess and the proprietor were extremely friendly and sweet, but the waitstaff seemed very confused about what they were doing. Plenty of tea refills though, which was nice for a cold day. Watercress with garlic was bland and rather un-delicious, like Steve N. mentioned. It indeed needs some salt or soy sauce or something. Xiao long baos were tasty enough, and I did appreciate the thinner dumpling skin. But the dumpling skin was unpleasantly hard and dried out on the top, and I do agree with the reviewer who said that the insides were like meatballs. I like Dumpling Gourmet House's XLB better. Had a bite of my friend's stir-fried rice cakes. It was very tasty, but the menu read "Taiwan Style Rice Cake with Veggies," making no mention of meat. However, the dish came with a plentiful serving of shredded beef, and a few sad pieces of Chinese chives. It was fortunate that my friend just felt like getting her servings of veggies in and wasn't actually vegetarian. But those who are might want to double-check with their servers about the contents of their dish. I'd be willing to come back here and try out more dishes.
(3)
Allison B.
Get the xiao long bao. You will NOT regret it. They are phenomenal. If I could come here multiple times a week, I would, just to drink the delicious and savory (but also somehow sweet!) nectar that spills out of those soup dumplings. GO. NOW. And so cheap.
(5)
Michelle T.
The Chicken with preserved vegetable noodles I ordered tasted fresh, delicious, and definitely home made. Noodles from the north are meant to be a little bit chewy and these were good! The chicken broth was a little bit oily, but nonetheless, tasty and reasonable at $7. The Xiao long baos (little juicy buns filled with pork) had really thin skin, just like it's supposed to be and definitely on the juicy side. The fried noodle portion was smaller than most of the other entrees we ordered, but flavor-wise quite delicious. The cuisine here is a mish-mash of Taiwanese, Cantonese, Shanghainese, and random other Chinese dishes. Good menu variety! Taste: 3.5/5 Plating: 3/5 Originality: 3.5/5 Value: 3.5/5 (depends on what you order...I thought the dumplings were a little expensive for the number you get) Service: 3/5 (No complaints. Fast, efficient...all that) I would go back, but nothin' special here.
(3)
Aashish B.
Excellent...different and comparable to gourmet dumpling house. Their shechuan fish, grilled anchovies, and soup dumplings were awesome. And an excellent and artfully simple egg fried rice to go with it!!
(5)
Mabel N.
If you look at the lunch special price on the menu it saids $5.95 but they charge you 7.95 (another price) if you don't tell them you want the$ 5.95 version. FYI - You're getting the same amount of food for paying $7.95. Convo with the host - it was my responsibility to tell her I want a lunch special $5.95 verison. It's not even the lousy $2 dollars that I am concern with. She can't even look into my eyes when she told me she has to charge me $4 dollars extra for the 2 lunch special I order. It doesn't make any sense to me to have 2 different prices for lunch special. Slow service on the weekend - I called for the takeout orders and they said it will take 10 minutes. I ended up waiting for almost 30 minutes. While I was waiting next to one of the table the waitress (short hair lady) was cleaning...She was annoyed she YELL "EXCUSE ME" and stared at me because I was in her way!!! She was SO RUDE!!!!!!!!!! Food was ok. Not so friendly host and waitress. Taiwan Cafe and dumpling house doesn't pull crap like this. Wait staff are more friendly there.
(1)
Kit A.
Wow this place is delicious! The soup dumplings were perfect and the mini pancakes were so good. I didn't know what to expect when I came in, but I'm sure glad I tried it out!!! Unfortunately the service was not so good. They never ended up bringing water or more tea so I was extremely thirsty (especially after having salty food). I also had to ask a few times for our check. The sitting is a little cramped, but overally I'd definitely go again!
(3)
Sophie P.
Love the pancakes here! Food is more than decent every time I visit.
(4)
Chris W.
Dropped in on a Monday night for dinner, before heading over to see Blue Man Group. Had the soup dumplings and pork with leek (pan fried). My daughter also ordered Beef w/ Broccoli and Chicken Lo Mein. I'd say the dumplings were better and I probably wasn't eating the soup dumplings correctly but it's a place I'd go back. Service was 'OK', not warm and fuzzy but courteous. By the time we left (6:45) it was filling up w/ locals.
(4)
Naveed J.
Deceivingly cheap for the high quality of food..
(4)
Paul H.
Ok...so I read the reviews I bought into the "forget GDH" remarks... but I gotta say I am just not buying it. Now I will concede that with our party of 6, we had a hell of an easier time ( and a bit more elbow room) here... but what we made up for in room and a lesser wait we paid for in taste. The xiao long bao were good...not great...the veggie dumplings were rather dry on this particular visit . My wife ordered the sesame chicken and we may have well been in the suburbs. I had some seafood lo mein and it was average... not your standard msg laden dark burb noodles mind you..but nothing to write home about either. Everything at the table besides the pork and crab buns seemed like pretty average chinese fare. I would be thrilled if we had a place like this on the Cape... but to make the trip up... well not so much.
(3)
Terry B.
B I just ordered the xiao long bao here. Just to try out some Boston xiao long bao. It didn't disappoint! Slightly on the greasy side but tasty soup and meat. The service was kinda slow although it was only like 11AM. No customer service .. I don't expect much from Chinese places but still ... no smiles or anything haha
(3)
Tempe T.
We just dined here last night and... yum. Just loved it. I was in the mood for some dim sum so we got the vegetable and the seafood dumplings. Vegetable dumplings were good, the seafood ones were better, and best of all were the spring rolls. What. They put cinnamon in there, folks. CINNAMON! Try them! They come with two different dipping sauces, one of which must've been the sweet and sour though it had a hint of apple taste to it. Fogettabouttit. As an entree we split the shrimp asparagus with the sa-cha sauce which, if I had to try to describe, I'd say it was a roasted garlic-butter sauce with something in it that looked like brown sugar but was milder than that. At any rate, I recommend the place highly. The ambiance is charming, the tea flows freely, the service was super-attentive, and the food was deLISH.
(5)
Joanie L.
My 2nd time here was a private party but even then, the food was excellent. Great leek dumplings and soup dumplings, veg fried rice was tasty, decent teriyaki stick and noodles, good scallion pancakes.
(4)
Liz Z.
I've been eating here constantly during my trip to Boston. Scallion pancakes are my favorite ever. Delicious, with the perfect texture and amount of scallions. Doesn't get much better than this where I'm concerned. Pork & leek dumplings, beef & cabbage dumplings, fried wontons, sausage fried rice, spring rolls, wonton soup, miso soup- all super tasty. The dumplings are particularly great. I've always had friendly service, with dine-in or takeout. Everything has come out quickly, middle of the afternoon or during the dinner rush. My one negative about Dumpling Cafe is how you need to hit a $15 minimum to use a card- not a fan.
(4)
Skennenrahawi-Phil C.
Dumpling Cafe - Chinatown Boston MA USA dumplingcafe.com The service was excellent, fast and efficient. Dumpling Cafe is on the edge of Chinatown across from Tufts and the Floating Hospital for Children at New England Medical Center. I tried Dumpling Cafe without any prior research or referral from a friend. The menu was quite extensive and there's a wide variety of flavors and food available. I ordered take out for myself and a friend who's Taiwanese. I ordered the Crab Rangoon, Taiwan style grilled sausages, Taiwan style pan fried dumplings, Pork Fried Rice, Beef with black pepper and the Sesame Chicken. My Asian friend requested "Beef Lomein" which wasn't actually on the menu. The hostess was happy to make a variation on the lomein dishes which were available. I was surprised at how fast the food preparation was- even with our dish substitution - I waited less than fifteen minutes - on a busy night. The food was excellent - perfectly prepared, no MSG and delivered with a smile. I would definitely recommend Dumpling Cafe and plan to go again the next time I'm in Boston's Chinatown.
(4)
Anna I.
Since 2010, Dumpling Cafe joined the Chinatown food scene (695 Washington Street, Boston). A faux terra cotta warrior at the entrance with a red scarf welcomes you. Everyone from the hostess to the waitstaff is very helpful and efficient. Perusing the whole dining room, a bamboo steamer is seen on every table. A must have dish is none other than the mini buns juicy with pork and crabmeat filling ($6.50 for 6) or xiaolong bao aka soup dumplings. To the novice, you must carefully lift the plump dumpling with your spoon without puncturing it. Then carefully nip the top before gingerly slurping the hot, rich, delicious and flavorful broth that doesn't need the accompanying dipping sauce. Finish by eating the lovely crab and pork contents left in the dumpling. By far, this is the best xiaolong bao around and the secret is out. Next comes the oyster pancake with gravy ($5.95), which is a delicious egg and starch pancake studded with a generous portion of oysters and slathered with a slightly sweet red sauce atop some greens. Another interesting Taiwanese street food for the adventurous eater is the grilled duck tongues Taiwanese Style ($5.95). Four skewers holding four marinated duck tongues each. Obviously there is not much to eat here, so it is more for bragging rights. But be careful of the small cartilage. It is fun to also try the Grilled Chicken Skin ($2.95), which is rarely seen in Boston. Finally the Taiwan style braised eggplant ($9.95) is a perfect blend of slightly spicy sweet sauce with pleasantly soft eggplant, a great combination with plain white rice. Dumpling Cafe is definitely worth a visit, eager to serve all customers and even late night snackers until 2am.
(3)
Mitchell L.
NEVER GO HERE! I ate here and the service was horrible. I got food poisioning, don't go here unless you want to get sick. I thought this place would be better but I think ill stick with the REAL dumpling house down the road.
(1)
LuluandDaquan B.
We love this place after dining here for the 3rd time last night!!! It was hard for us to like to this place since we felt a loyalty to Dumpling House, but this place has seriously won us over with the food. 1. Cafe is newer and so much nicer, House is just grimy and over-crowded. This really makes for a different experience. I think atmosphere is pretty important though so that depends on the person. 2. Food is as good if not better than Dumpling House. We are obsessed with Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and have eaten them numerous times but I think they taste a lot better at Cafe. The skin is thinner, the soup is tastier, and so was the meat filling. Other dishes were great at cafe too. 3. Slightly better service at Cafe. So yes, Cafe wins in our opinion, and we will be coming here for our dumpling cravings in the future!
(5)
Barbara L.
Tonight was my fifth visit I believe to the Dumpling Cafe and it's official I love it! The food is delicious. Some of my favorites include the scallion pancakes, the pan fried seafood noodles, the final and most important thing is the juicy mini buns, it is basically a dumpling with a really awesome soup inside. Hand downs the best thing on the menu. Last weekend I was in there with my friend and we ordered pork buns and our order got messed up and we got served these instead so amazingly good, that I had to come back for them a mere five days later. The only issue with this place is that the service is inconsistent. Sometimes we go and it is awesome service other times it takes forever for the tea or water to get top off, or like the other night when our order got royal screwed and I would have been highly annoyed had I not been stuffing my face with the mini juicy bums at the time. I think part of the issue is there is this one guy that works mostly alone at night and since it's open late there are quite a lot of customers and he mans the tables alone for whatever reason. While the service is sub par I will be coming back for more just because the food is so awesome.
(4)
Victoria C.
The food is great! The soupy dumplings are definitely delicious. BUT, their service deserves only one star. I have been there multiple times with okay service (always SLOW) but in my latest visit, the owner made me so angry I had to walk out. It was lunch time and the crowd started coming in. I agreed to sit at a table which the owner left her own lunch there. I was alone so didn't really mind. Then with the owner's lunch still on the table, they sat another woman down. We smiled at each other politely and understood the situation. But then, the owner wanted to sit two more guests down at this table. Both of us politely declined and felt it would be too awkward to have three parties at this tiny table. The owner then said, "the RULE is each seat can have one person!" (or something similar) I was hungry and not in the mood to argue so I stood up and walked out. I love good food and can put up with bad service for it. But, if they continue to treat customers rudely then they don't deserve any business.
(2)
Rebecca P.
My husband and I were visiting from Houston, TX and stumbled across this gem as a late night find. Being a couple who seek out new, GOOD food we were wary, but very pleasantly surprised! Based on the reviews here, I was not expecting much and was shocked to find that most were absolutely wrong! What we ate: Beef, Pork, Seafood, and Veggie dumplings (steamed) Pros: Very quickly seated (although it was about midnight). Open until 2am (most of Boston shuts down by 11/12 - which is terrible if you're looking for a night life!). The servers were VERY attentive. The BEEF and PORK dumplings were the best I have ever had. My husband (a "foody" would say they were easily some of the best he's had) Seasoned VERY well and the sesame soy sauce they pair them with is divine and really accents the dishes in an extraordinary way. Cons: It was difficult to find someone who spoke enough English to answer a few of our questions. We live in Houston and frequent the "China Town" here and are used to foreign languages/different ethnicity's, but it was difficult to order and ask about the menu. The only reason I did not give this restaurant a 5 star rating is because everyone has room for improvement, but I would mail order these dumplings if I could!!
(4)
Callan C.
I've been to dumpling cafe twice and have had generally the same experience both times. The menu is extensive. The friends I have been with are obsessed with the mini juicy buns with pork. They are little dough packets with a kind of pork broth inside. They are alright, but I haven't found myself craving them all the time. Worth a try, however, you may love them! Service isn't very good. The food comes out fast but once the food is out you have to fend for yourself. No refills of the tiny water glasses. It can get bad when you've finished your sodium-packed meal and are trying to siphon out the few drops of water you have left in your cup. Bring a water bottle! Also, be prepared if you are with a group - they only take two credit cards per bill! Prices are reasonable, environment and food are standard. Enjoy!
(3)
Jenny C.
What does it mean to be a wannabe? Oh yes, to be a less cool version of something that already exists. If one can't already see the resemblance between Dumpling Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House, then she'll see it on the menu, where both restaurants devote a small section for dumplings (despite being named for dumplings). So, let's start with the positives. The waitress wasn't too attentive, but she was really funny. We had to ask her several times for water, but hey, can't really expect much. It's Chinatown But the good things end there. No matter how excellent the service is, one goes to a restaurant for food, and the food was just not good. We got the Xiao Long Bao, and the filling was really mushy. The taste was off, and the dumplings were overcooked so the skins had holes =no soup inside =sadness. The frozen Prime Food ones are better. We also got the stinky tofu, and it was a very funny experience, but I can't really judge it because my gag reflex refused to let me try it. I wanted to, but I just couldn't..... Then came the $21 three entree special. We got the pork chops (overcooked and too salty) , a spicy fish dish (that was okay, but was loaded with MSG and too salty as well), and watercess with garlic (which was the best dish of all of them). Overall, Dumpling Cafe seems like the failed child of Gourmet Dumpling House and Cafe de Lulu, trying to copy the good aspects of both and achieving none.
(2)
Tiff L.
The food offered here is pretty much the same as the Dumping House. I'm actually glad they opened another restaurant because it was always impossible to find a seat in the Dumpling House.
(3)
Julie T.
I must say, I'm a little shocked I didn't feel the same way as everyone else. Like many others, I too compared my experience with Gourmet Dumpling House and personally? I actually still like the House better than the Cafe. The flavors are lacking here and although it's a lot more spacious and clean, I just feel like something's missing. Maybe it's because I go to the House so often that they know my name and I feel more comfortable because of it. Shrug. The menus look almost exactly the same, but the tastes are so different. Example: I like starches so I like the very doughy texture of the soup dumplings. The service was eh. We sat there for a while before anyone came to take our order. It wasn't super packed either. And it was a while before the food came out, but in any case, I've made up my mind. This is just not the place for me.
(1)
Ashley L.
I got there around nine with two of my friends and they seated us after saying they were closing in an hour and were very distant while we ate. Other the that the food was great and cheap. I would definitely go back when I have more time to eat.
(3)
Hubert H.
I actually like this place very much. We had the fish soup stew Sichuan style, very spicy, very flavorful, carries a 'punch' and the portions were decent. We also had a mustard green with dried tofu dish, which was interesting, because it also came with edamame, which I thought was a little disappointing, since I don't really like edamame. I will assume that the English translation was inadequate. There is a great debate as to whether whether this place holds up to the Gourmet Dumpling House. I think my taste buds tell me that this place is a little more heavy on msg than the GDH. I do think that you get a greater variety of stuff at GDH as compared to here. I look forward to following Josephine L's recs and trying their XLBs. The service isn't great - always need to keep on egging the waiters to pour tea and so forth. But you will come here for the food, not for the service.
(5)
Elbert L.
I have been here once a week ever since they have opened a month ago, and each time they continue to impress me. Their Soup Dumplings are the closest thing to the ones I had in Taipei here in Boston, you cannot skip these if you come to this restaurant. I did not like the ones at TC or DH, their wrappings were too thick. I know people complained about service but hey, it is Chinatown after all, so it is expected, but I think they are more attentive than other places nearby. Their business is picking up briskly, each time I observed more and more people waiting for a table, so get here quickly before it becomes too popluar!
(5)
Heather G.
I think I was destined to dislike this place from the initial exchange. We came in, we were seated, and 2 minutes into studying the multi-page menu, a waitress came over, pointed to something on the menu, and said "Here. General Gao Chicken." Yikes. What was it about me that signaled to the waitress that I was looking for the General Gao Chicken on the menu? Who knows, but it immediately put me on the defensive. Did we come for General Gao? No, we came for dumplings. We ordered the spicy beef with bamboo because I just love the crunch of fresh bamboo after eating down the rectangular slices from a can for so long. The dish was definitely spicy, and delivered the assault to my taste buds I was looking for. My date ordered the beef fried rice as stomach-filler, and while I generally don't like fried rice, this was much cleaner-tasting than the greasy, salty, brown-colored Americanized Chinese version. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed the colors in this dish were white (rice) and green (veggies and herbs), and while this was not a mind-blowing plate of rice, a dish of Beef Fried Rice rarely is. I appreciated that this didn't sit in a congealed lump in my stomach all night. This was a great supplement to the meal and paired well eaten with the beef with bamboo dish. Because my date was a non-pork eater, we were limited in dumpling choices. I wanted to go for some soup dumplings, but had to settle for the cabbage fried dumplings instead. These were underwhelming, tasted fried, and had no real discernible flavor inside. I cannot fault the restaurant for this, however, because you really shouldn't come here for pan-fried cabbage dumplings - you should come here for soup dumplings! Lastly, we had an order of scallion pancakes with beef. Sadly, the sliced beef inside was only lukewarm, and instead of the hot, fried, crispy-outside-but-chewy-inside texture I normally get from this dish at other restaurants, the entire dish was room-temperature, which caused the fried dough to get, well, doughy, mushy, and gluey. A gentle squeeze to the exterior also caused the pancake to ooze with grease, and I will certainly stay away from this dish on my next visit. Though the restaurant was not busy when we arrived (nor became busy/slammed as we were there), the server rushed us to order, checking in every 35 seconds or so to ask if we're ready. The meal was tough to enjoy, as we had about 3-4 different servers checking in at 2-5 minute intervals throughout the meal (to hurry us along?), making conversation with my date a near impossibility. I understand that the restaurant culture is going to be different at a restaurant like this, but I don't get harassed nearly as frequently at Gourmet Dumpling House or Taiwan Cafe. Honestly, I doubt I'd choose to come back here over GDH or Taiwan Cafe ever again, but if friends were going here, I would be amenable to tagging along.
(2)
Alyssa K.
Food was super tasty. I wouldn't say its anything special. Except for the juicy dumplings. The juicy dumplings made it worthwhile. Very casual
(3)
Joey C.
Ahhhhh this is what it's suppose to taste like. Not like that other joint down the street, supposedly the "original" "DC" is bigger, cleaner and tastes WAAAAAAY better. What more is there to say? For Boston it's pretty good. Everyone is comparing to NY, but you can't! So for what it's worth, this is the joint for TW style grub.
(4)
Sara S.
Lets be very clear, if you are going to eat at Dumpling Cafe, understand that you should only be going for the dumplings. I wish I had ordered take-out. HOLY TERRIBLE SERVICE. Once i was seated I was ignored for about 15 minutes, then 3 different waitresses tried to take my order? I tried to order a drink from two different waitresses, they both acknowledged me and my order...then never came back with my drink. The most disturbing part was that both the bowl of dumpling dipping sauce was slammed down (splattering on me and my belongings) along with my dumplings on the table on top of my papers that I was reading and began to move. The rating i give them is strictly for their soup dumplings which were absolutely delicious, they are different from Gourmet Dumpling, but to be honest they weren't outrageously better or different, i'd rather go to Gourmet Dumpling any day.
(2)
Raymond W.
Sorry sex shop shoppers, Dumpling Cafe is now in town. If you can't wait for soup dumplings at Gourmet Dumpling House, Dumpling Cafe is a good alternative. I came in for lunch after an early movie and got the lunch special and an order of soup dumplings with some friends and were seated immediately. The soup dumplings were hot, the skin wasn't too thick or thin and had the right chewiness. The fish and vegetable dish wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was a good value and slightly lighter fare was essential.
(4)
Loan V.
So my friend and I had wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House but there was such a long line we decided to go to the Dumpling Cafe. We were seated right away which was very niced. Today we ordered the scallion pancake, mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat, a large miso soup with tofu and veggies, and sauteed flat noodles with beef. Out of very thing we ordered my favorite was the sauteed flat noodles and the mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat. I didn't like the scallion pancake since it was chewy, I felt they needed to fry it some more giving it a crispy outside. The miso soup with tofu and veggies was kinda bland, it could have used a little more miso. Although I didn't like some of the dishes we ordered but the biggest problem I had with the place was one of the staff member. I'm not sure what the lady's name but this waitress kept walking pass our table and opening the steamer that the mini juicy buns were in. I understand she wanted to removed some of the dishes but I felt that that was rude.
(3)
Irene Y.
definitely a much more upscale tawianese restaurant than some of the others in the area, but if you know how to order you can avoid spending a pretty penny. :) instead of doing the traditional family style where you share all the entrees, you can order any of the individual noodle dishes and be full and satisfied for about $6. i tried the taiwanese pork chop noodle dish and was pleasantly surprised at how authentic and delicious it was. my fiance and i fought over the pork pieces, so perhaps learning how to use your chopsticks quickly will benefit you greatly! the noodles were soft and chewy and served with a helpful amount of spinach. the soup tasted like a very mild chicken broth, but definitely comforting. loved my experience there and would definitely come back again!
(4)
Stephanie S.
This place is SO much cleaner than most of the noodle places here in Chinatown. It also has a better atmosphere. The soups are delicious as is everything else. I like the pan-fried noodles. They are also quick to refill your hot tea. The place is usually more packed than Pho Pasteur across the street, and I think its due to the quality of food. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)
stephanie c.
Was super excited for this new dumpling restaurant. I love dumplings and noodles. Came here for dinner and must say, it beats Gourmet Dumpling House hands down!! So much cleaner than GDH. Spacious and less wait, always a plus. Service was actually pretty good, maybe cuz it was slow that night. Had the XLB. Yummy!! They provide the vinegar/ginger that is supposed to compliment XLB which GDH did not provide. The skin was just right, thin enough to hold the soup, and not too thick so you eat a ton of skin and less meat. Perfect. My friend and I devoured it all. The soup was sooo delicious. Had the beef noodle soup. Delicious and not as oily as GDH. The beef was super tender, melt in your mouth quality. Huge bowl for only 6 bucks!! Tried another chicken dish with 3 "special ingredients". Also yummy. All of this, we stuffed our faces, had leftovers-total was 22 dollars!! Great food. Cheap prices. Clean restaurant for chinatown. Def a fan and am so happy they opened. Will be back soon!!
(4)
Oiyan P.
These soup dumplings are not the best I've ever had, but they are the best in Boston. For all you fans of Gourmet Dumpling House, you are all suckas! The dumpling skin here is fresh, smooth, and thin. The soup and dumpling size are ample! The other food is pretty decent too. The service is so so, but what do you expect? It's Chinatown! There's usually not much of a wait, unlike at GDH.
(4)
Christine L.
This place was actually not bad when they first opened a year ago. But the food quality and service has really gone down ever since then. Maybe it really depends on what you order.. It does have a nicer atomosphere than Dumpling House, though. Cleaner and bigger. Not really sure why it's called Dumpling Cafe when their dumpling selection is limited and isn't even that good. If you've been spoiled with good dumplings, you wouldn't be impressed. The filling is overchopped. The skin is probably not made from scratch or the proportions were off. But that's not the point. Point is when your food is mediocre, the service should at least be half decent to make up for it. The waitress who served us the other day was really rude. First she made us move to a smaller table to accomodate a bigger group. Then when she delivered our scallion pancakes, I asked her if they could heat it up a little more because the dough was still a little raw inside, she bluntly told us that it's not raw and that's just how their scallion pancakes are. Ridic, isn't it? Didnt want to argue with her cuz we didn't want to waste any time. Later on she just dropped off the rest of our orders (dumpling and pan fried noodles) right next to us without saying anything. In general, I don't expect much from restruants in Boston's Chinatown.. but I do not tolerate rude service.
(1)
Sidi L.
since they support lunch specials，the line is long...but their food are good. recommendations：soup dumplings，tomato shrimp with egg，peppers with beef
(4)
Biyu Z.
Terrible service!!!! I brought my friends and mum to this restaurant , we ordered dumpling and they served us until we finished all the other dishes!! And finally, they automatically charged us 18% tips without asking us !!!! We asked for the explanation and they just ignored us without even saying sorry. This is the worst experience I've ever had in chinatown. I won't go there anymore and nor my other friends. There are a lot of other options than this one.
(1)
Ryan K.
Great dumplings. The Taiwan style are my favorite.
(5)
Tina L.
Love this restaurant. The food is excellent, very fresh, and very spicy, too. The menu looks great, and there are a lot of choices. Love the dumplings and tofu. I can't wait to go back again.
(4)
Shuang C.
Grilled chicken skin 3stars. Interesting to try, not much flavor, mostly you just taste the sauce. Beef stew noodle soup. 1 star. The beef sucked, soup sucked, noodles sucked. Don't bother. Taiwan style pork chop noodle soup 3 stars. Soup was bland, noodles sucked, but the fried pork chop was REALLY good. Pork and crabmeat juicy buns 3 stars. Too salty for my liking, although better than GDH.
(3)
Chris R.
We started with the scallion pancakes and taiwanese dumplings - both good choices. The shrimp and asparagus satay was the best; came out fresh and hot, with the asparagus nice and crispy. General Gao's chicken was excellent. Overall, a good place to fill up before hitting the theatre, and pretty inexpensive. On the negative side, the decor and soundtrack wasn't elegant or anything special, but that's not why you come here. The food is yummy.
(4)
David C.
Gourmet Dumpling House, I am so sorry for betraying you. I will never do it again, I swear! My friend and I were starving and didn't want to wait the 20-30 minute line. 2 blocks later... Dumpling Cafe. If you've ever met me, you know I'm a dumpling champ. Dumplings... you and I have a special bond (get in ma belly). Actually, I have no idea where this thought's going... on to the review. So my friend and I ended up here after we didn't want to wait for GDH. 10 minute wait for a table, not too bad. The hostess and her waitstaff had no idea what was going on nor inter-communication skills, almost giving our table away to people that just walked in from the street. So we ordered some dumplings, of course including an order of xiao long bao (soup dumplings). FORTY-FIVE minutes later! "Molly, when do you want to walk out?" "... 5 more minutes?" "k, sounds good" Aaaand of course, two mins later, they come out. Xiao long bao = overly salty and too much gelatin (sorry, secret to soup dumplings is out) Other dumplings = eh Service = I've never seen so many people turning left, right, raising their hands trying to flag down their waiter for water/tea/bil. Dumpling Cafe, you get the 1 star for having thin skins on your xaio long bao and the tea woman was very expedient.
(3)
Jen H.
As it has already been said, this is dumpling CAFE not dumpling house. They are two separate establishments I send all of my friends and family to Dumpling Cafe when looking for a place to eat in chinatown. Their pork and crab juicy buns are AMAZING. I have never had a better bun anywhere in Boston. These buns are incredibly juicy and flavorful while having a very thin membrane on the outside. I've had dumpling house's buns on several occasions and they just don't compare. I'm also a huge advocate for dumpling cafe's bamboo tips which are slightly spicy and perfectly crunchy. As for their service, it isn't good, but I find that to be a good thing. In my experience, the better the service in chinatown, the worse the food! At Dumpling Cafe, the food will come out whenever it is ready, regardless of the order you think it should come in, and sometimes parts of your order get overlooked. However, if you share your food family style, as I often do with friends and family when in chinatown, this is hardly a problem. I also recommend family style sharing because most of the dishes come in a portion with just one thing (such as when you order bamboo tips, all you get is a plate full of bamboo tips and nothing else). If you remind the waiter/waitress of a forgotten item, they are quick to bring out the plate and are very apologetic. Overall, not a huge deal. Seating there is in fact, one person per seat. It never has bothered me to sit next to strangers. It gives me an opportunity to see what they are eating and asked what they ordered so I can try it too! Besides, this type of seating is, in my experience, common in the smaller places in chinatown.
(5)
Sam W.
I would advise people not to go to this restaurant. The service is horrible and the staff is extremely rude. I was eating there this weekend. We were sitting at the table waiting to be served for about 15 min and no one attended to us. During which, there was a full table of waiters and waitresses just chatting to each other, glancing at us then looking away. Ordering, waiting for the food and the bill was torture and was very frustrating. We left a tip of $10 for 6 of us (which i think was generous considering the horrible service), and as we were walking out the waiter cursed at us and said "i hope they get hit by a bus".
(1)
Espresso T.
This place has the best xiao long bao in Boston, and I have had a lot of xiao long bao in Taipei, Hong Kong, mainland China and back here in Boston and NYC. And, the food here is actually quite cheap. Its xiao long bao is MUCH better than the Gourmet Dumpling House (also better than the Taiwanese cuisine restaurant in Chinatown). In fact, it is better than some of the famed xiao long bao places in NYC too. Not all of the dishes are worth 5 stars, so I am giving this place a 4 star. If you stick with the right dishes though, their food is very good and I highly recommend this place. Best dishes from here are: Xiao Long Bao: The wrapper is thin and the soup inside is plentiful and tasty, as this dish should be; the meat also tastes fresh (Gourmet Dumpling House's version has very thick wrapper, not so tasty soup and dull tasting meat) Braised beef soup noodles: Tasty broth and they give you a lot of tasty beef as well (large portion and under $6!) Lu rou fan (braised pork on rice): a typical dish you see on the street in Taiwan; they do quite a good job here Most of their other dishes are still fine, though they are just not 4 or 5 star dishes that I would rave about.
(4)
Eric S.
This place has delicious dumplings and smells like heaven when you walk in ..Damn i was skeptikal about ordering from here due to the looks from outside kinda weird looking..But inside its a whole different story..The place is small and reminds me of a small hut like type restaurant that you would find in china,Taiwan,Japan,cambodia..ETC ..You get the picture!!..i will be back to try other items which look very good but wonder if my westernized appetite can handle what they offer and the fish looks very fresh...
(5)
Ryan M.
I came across this location on a trip to the Wilbur Theater. It's right around the corner, and conveniently located right near a parking lot. I'm a huge fan of the scallion pancakes. They are delicious! I usually get the beef and broccoli, and the pork fried rice is delicious. I don't know if every place is like this in Chinatown, but it feels very authentic to me. The tea is strong, the soup is good and plentiful, you are served with chopsticks and only receive a fork if you ask for one. There are ACTUAL Asian people dining here, which is a very good sign. Sometimes I drive in to Boston just to have dinner here. Give it a try.
(4)
Alyssa R.
I went to dumpling cafe last weekend with some friends. We had a large table with a lazy susan, which is super convenient for sharing dishes. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. Service was attentive. I think this restaurant had a more diverse and creative menu than most other Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants in the area. Go there to try something new, or for an old favorite. Try the mini steamed pork buns (soup dumplings), or the fried shrimp! I'll be back next time I'm in Boston!!! :-)
(5)
Nini G.
WORST. SERVICE. EVER! I've been to Dumpling Cafe before, and while their food is pretty good and their service consistently mediocre, I didn't think it would ever be awful enough to open a Yelp account just to warn the world of their existence. If you go for lunch or dinner, you'll get service, though probably you'll wonder why the staff all wear a permanent grimace. Lower your standards, enjoy the food, and walk out satiated. If you go at 3AM...well, just don't go at 3AM. You'll get treated as if you somehow owe them your firstborn child because they're doing you such a favor by serving you food that late/early. So you better tip them well...even if they 1. Make you wait...bring you the wrong order...tell you they are out of what you ordered so you either take the alternative (even if you physically can't eat the alternative) or you're outta luck...tell you they don't have time for you when you ask them about your order, that it must've been your mistake and not theirs...make you wait some more... 2. When you ask for tea, tell you that the table behind got the last pot...then proceed to bring out 5 more pots of tea to other people 3. Roll their eyes at you when you ask for your water to be refilled because you've been waiting more than an hour and your water has never been refilled 4. Tell you to never come back because you refuse to pay the 18% auto-gratuity they gave themselves, even though they were only serving (or in this case, ignoring) 2 people. Don't worry Dumpling Cafe, I'm happy to oblige. I will NEVER come back. So, unless you just graduated from anger management and want to test your newly found skill of patience, I say go somewhere else in Chinatown. There are plenty of other restaurants with just as good, if not better, food, and definitely a better attitude. And if it's 3AM...go get some pizza instead.
(1)
Catherine Y.
I came back here for dinner tonight and I just had to write about it right away! This place was packed tonight. So service wasn't amazing, but I'll let it slide for tonight... This time I ordered the crab and pork soup dumplings and they were amazing. Yes I've had Joe's Shanghai soup dumplings growing up, and all I wanted was to have some, so I ordered it, hoping for the best and I have to say, Boston, you delivered! I also ordered the rice cake dish with pork, and this too was really yummy. I was also looking around to see what other people ordered and I feel like there are so many more authentic dishes I should try next time!
(4)
Carl W.
First of all, I am of Taiwanese descent and found this place by looking for Taiwanese cuisine that I just can't get in NE Ohio. I tried the spicey beef noodle soup with an appetizer of oyster pancake. The soup arrived first and it was pretty good: slivers of beef and hot green peppers in a delicious beef broth with nicely firm noodles. The oyster pancake was MIA so I had to ask the waitress about it--she thought I was asking for the check but then understood and went to check on the pancake. I almost wish it didn't come!!! NASTY. Egg topped over a layer of corn starch goop with about 6 small oysters somewhere in between. Some weird variant of oyster sauce on top. That is nothing like Taiwanese cuisine I have ever tasted!!! I was expecting flour encrusted, fried oyster with green onion that is typical in Taiwanese cooking. I should have played it safe and gotten something more typical like the steamed dumplings. "Never have seafood at a steakhouse" or similar words of wisdom comes to mind here.
(3)
Emmi Z.
I've eaten here a few times and the food is a) timely and b) very, very yummy! Their Chilli Beef Stir Fry is the spiciest I've had in Boston and their noodles are very good. Ironically, they lose a star because I wasn't impressed with their dumplings - everything else I've tried on their menu is DELICIOUS though! (Greasy, but Delicious.)
(4)
Sandy H.
The xiao long baos here are so much better than the ones at the Gourmet Dumpling House. The dumpling skins are thinner so it makes for an all around tastier bao. The meat inside was really juicy, meaty, and flavored well. We also ordered the fried flat noodles with beef, but I would have to say that the other dumpling house made that dish better. I will definitely come back here for the xiao long baos.
(4)
Tamar A.
It's kind of a given that in any cuisine, in any dish, the dumplings are going to be the winners. I don't know what it is about stuffing filling into dough, but goddamn if it doesn't hit any spot it comes near. So why not capitalize on these delectable little savory squishes and make them the main attraction? I'm only peeved that I didn't think to do it. I mean, picture it: you're trudging through the slushy cold of Boston Winter in Chinatown, and you come upon this warm, red little beacon. You sit down in dark wood and order yourself some tummy-warmers. You spoon a soup-fulled dumpling to your lips, bite a tiny tear into the top and race the broth as it dribbles out in a pool of warm, oily bliss. Slurp. Chew. Repeat. Sigh.
(4)
Rachel T.
This place uses a LOT of MSG. I also had chicken gristle in my steamed chicken dumplings. Both experiences seem pretty sub par for what I would expect of a new Chinatown restaurant.
(1)
John C.
I would likely have given Dumpling Cafe three stars, had I not come in with high expectations. While DC may offer some of the best dumplings in Boston, that might say more about the uninspired Chinese options in Boston than it does about the dumplings at DC. I found them quite passable, but far from exceptional. What you will definitely get, though, is at least authentic Chinese. Just not necessarily transcendent Chinese.
(2)
Aboud D.
The should call it the Chinese Dump Cafe. Definitely not hygienic. Barely involved wait staff. Tables desperately need refinishing. The beef and cabbage dumplings were good enough with thin dough. The hot and sour soup too salty. At least the beer was cold. 3 stars for food, 1 star for ambiance and cleanliness.
(2)
Cindy K.
So glad that we have a new Taiwanese restaurant in C-town that is actually GOOD! The menu is very extensive and has all your typical Taiwanese dishes. We tried the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and they were average but probably one of the better ones I've had in Boston. The pork kidneys and sesame oil were soo good. This is a very typical taiwanese dish and even though its a very simple recipe, it takes skill to make this dish come out good. I was very impressed. I hear the noodle soups are really good but I didn't get a chance to try so will definitely have to try that on a cold day. Also, the lunch menu looks AWESOME! So many choices and not just your typical "Chicken w/ Broccoli" dishes.
(4)
Shannon P.
Lunch specials tasted great and were quickly delivered. This is important due to the numbers of customers that start funneling in! The place is small but grab a menu and start dumpling treat-or-treating. We only had dumplings and were not disappointed. It was part of a multi-spot plan for our picnic and it was great.
(4)
Markus B.
Great Xiaolongbao and good Stinky Tofu and Oyster Pancake. Food at least as good as Gourmet Dumpling House. Service just ok but not worse than other Chinatown restaurants.
(4)
Catherine S.
I've been to China, and the food (and environment) is as authentic as you can get. Make sure you know how to use chopsticks if you come here; they didn't bring us any silverware, which was fine for us (though we didn't ask, so perhaps you could request forks and knives). The soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) taste exactly like the ones I ate in Shanghai. We also got some noodles for a little more substance, and were surprised at how flavorful the dish was. If you want to experience Chinese cuisine without the 12-hour flight, this is your spot!
(4)
Becca H.
Another review singing the praises of the mini juicy buns, plus the roasted duck buns which were also fabulous. Service can be poky at times and they forgot our side order of rice but the food still made it all worth it. We were only visiting for 4 days but ended up going twice because the food was so wonderful. Definitely going back the next time we're in town.
(5)
Rina A.
Fast service, neat surroundings and great soup dumplings (xiao long bao). will be back :)
(4)
Andrew H.
This is my favorite resturant in Chinatown. I have been at least 5 times, and everyone i have brought has loved it. The juicy dumpings are a must have - the broth is delicious, the skin is thin and tasty, and the meat is well cooked. Always comes to the daily steaming hot. Other good appetizers include the scallion pancakes (pretty standard but crispy and tasty) and the mini duck dumpings - skin is a little thick and doughy but still really tasty. I've enjoyed all the dishes I've had and the portions are perfect for sharing. Favorites include: beef with mixed vegetables, the mustard greens with garlic, mango chicken (sauce is a little thick and sweet), and the lobster with garlic and scallions. Service can be hit or miss, but they are usually pretty attentive and helpful with ordering. I love this place!
(5)
Anna T.
Soup Dumplings! Finally a place in Boston that can make it the way I like it! Thin skin, soupy w/o the gelatin gooey-ness, and fresh filling. 4 stars are for just the dumplings. Porkchop w/ rice - 1 star tasteless & dry minced pork that goes w/ the rice, weird tasting preserved chopped veggie, oily cabbage...the only redeeming point is the fried porkchop which was marinated thoroughly but wasted cuz it was hard to eat w/ all the hard tendons and bones...the soy sauced egg was also okay (Blue Asia cafe still leads for me on this dish) Oyster Pancake - Never really liked oyster pancake this one was okay only cuz I tasted egg (hahaha I'm biased w/ anything associated w/ egg), also not as oily as TC, and the sauce was okay Service - I have to admit they really tried and I think they should continue...it's a rare sight in Chinatown lol. Our tea cups were refilled promptly, asked us before removing the finished plates, asked us if it was okay to give us the check, very courteous. Interior - definitely way more spacious than the other two taiwanese restaurants Price - All this for $19 shared between 2. Would go back to get the soup dumplings and try other dumplings & the stewed beef noodle.
(4)
Q S.
At first I was super duper excited at the sight of a brand new (and good looking) restaurant in Chinatown. Dumpling Cafe. Makes me crave dumplings. I always wondered why people name restaurants certain things but then don't really deliver on that front. A "dumpling cafe" should have more than just five varieties of dumplings. I was disappointed after I looked at my menu that it wasn't really a dumpling-exclusive restaurant like I had hoped. The menu here is almost identical to the one at Gourmet Dumpling House (also misleading and not made of dumplings!) and similar to Taiwan Cafe. Even though this place is new, you're not getting a lot of new variety in Chinatown. Here is my food review: 1. Scallion pancake: yes! a not-so-greasy version just done right. It doesn't have oily air bubbles like the ones from other restaurants and is pretty tasty 2. Hot & Sour fish soup: give it a try! The fish I had seemed a bit over cooked and wasn't soft and flaky like it should of been, but the soup itself was delicious 3. Veggie dumplings: these are better than the ones I've had at Gourmet Dumpling House, but you only get 6. A bit steep. 4. Pork & leak dumplings: didn't try these, but the bf said it was good 5. Seafood dumplings: It was ok. Could of been better without the imitation crab. They should make mini buns with the filing instead, it would taste better. The dough was a bit overcooked. Service: We came here around 6:00pm, so the restaurant was more than half empty. They had a lot of servers and they hovered around while you ate. The minute your plate was empty, someone swoops in and takes it to the kitchen. I'm assuming all the over-attention is because the place is new, but it's distracting when you're having a conversation and every two minutes a rotation of servers are asking if you have questions about something, need something, or want something to be taken away. But can't complain since other restaurants in Chinatown does just the reverse.
(3)
Nicholas A.
Amazing soup dumplings and General Gao's (Tso's) chicken. Ranked too low on Yelp.
(5)
Maria P.
My friends and I have been here a few times. The beef noodles were ok, they made it with flat noodles and a dark sauce. The beef wasn't high quality but it was an inexpensive meal so maybe my expectations were too high. My friend's vegetable soup was quite disappointing, it seemed like they had just thrown all the vegetables they had on hand into the stock pot and brought it out. They had a good fried pork with plain rice garnished with some fried bits on the rice. This was the best thing I've had here so I'll go back to try this. It was a good fry job, not too oily but crisp. Service was decent even though it was packed late at night and in the afternoon lunch hour. Our waiter was a little slow while it was empty though I guess they work faster when they are at capacity as opposed to when there's just a few people. It's a small space decorated sparsely. I'd recommend a few other places in Chinatown over this one but if this is your only option order the fried pork with rice.
(3)
J C.
Food was decent but the service was awful. Was totally rushed. Waitress trying to clear away dishes before we were even done with them. Never going back.
This place made me happy. We ordered xiaolongbao, san bei ji (three cup chicken), zha jiang mian (noodles with black bean sauce), and yuxiang qiezi (eggplant with garlic sauce). The zha jiang mian was probably a little better than average, the xiaolongbao were just right, and the san bei ji was a bit below average. After we got through a "ten minute" wait that was more like 25 minutes, the food was overall quite good. I believe that the restaurant is somehow tied to Taiwan Cafe - both serve Taiwanese food, although Dumpling Cafe has a bit broader of a menu and slightly different recipes. It has a decent interior and is a good place to take others.
(4)
J K.
i was in search of some soupy soup dumplings and i am sooooo glad that i dragged the bf here with me. there was another option but i read through some other reviews and it seemed like this one was the winner with less waiting time and better soup dumplings. (i judge the soup dumplings by the consistency of the shell, the amount of juice in them, and the overal flavor). dumpling cafe is a winner. the prices were fair (as most chinese restaurants prices are) and the service isn't much different than that of any other chinese establishment you'd frequent - order, eat, and go - and ask for things along the way when necessary. i'm going to miss the soup dumplings here because the broth just spilled all over my plate when i took a little bite into it. i had to ask for some bowls because they were THAT juicy. the skin wasn't too thick and held up really well when picking them up and all the dumplings were consistent with the amount of soup they each had in them. i'm jelly and now waiting for a joe's or dumpling cafe to pop up in san francisco. the closest i've been able to find is kingdom of dumpling and while they're delicious there, the soup in these STUMPS any that i've EVER HAD, EVEN FROM JOE'S in NYC. i mean they're called soup dumplings - get some soup in those suckers! ... sad face ... now to find some recipes and make these myself. 3 orders of soup dumplings (1 of which were a crab mix) scallion pancake was good but nothing really special $24 + $5 = $30 for 2 not bad and definitely worth it for the heartwarming soup filled dumplings.
(5)
Emily N.
The best dumplings I've had. The pork or the pork and brand soup dumplings were amazing. The General Gao chicken was damn good, too.
(5)
Bean C.
This was my first time at Dumpling Cafe, on Christmas Day, the busiest day for Chinese restaurants. I think they have been listening to the complaints about service, because I found the service to be pretty good. We were given a choice of seating as soon as we walked in the door. We opted to sit in the back, at a large round table with another party, a group of young ladies. It worked out totally fine. What I was hoping for happened. I was able to get some advice as to what to order. Don't leave without having the xlb, they're fantastic. We also loved the roasted duck buns. The ladies were all having large soup bowls of meat and noodles, as well as the xlb dumplings. Next time, I'll get one of those as well. The method seems to flag down the server when you want the bill, which came as soon as we got her attention, which was v. quick. I'm putting this place in the rotation, can't wait to return!
(4)
Kalun L.
Searching for the best xiao long bao is a side hobby of mine. I always order it whenever I see it on a menu. Sometimes, I am rewarded for taking the risk like yesterday. I stopped by Dumpling Cafe for lunch yesterday and I was pretty happy with their version of these soup dumplings. One order gets you six delicious dumplings, each a little larger than a golf ball. My four criteria for a good xiao long bao are: 1. Thinness of the wrapper. In this case, it was just thin enough to contain the soup without bursting. 2. Amount of scalding hot broth contained therein. Here, there was plenty of it. Yay! 3. Flavor of the broth and pork filling. Perfect. 4. Size of the dumpling. A point taken off because the entire dumpling spilled over the sides of the soup spoon (more on this below). Eating xiao long bao requires a little instruction, lest you burn your mouth and spill the precious broth everywhere. First, if you do not know how to use chopsticks, learn before you venture forth to eat xiao long bao. Now, understand that xiao long bao is necessarily made to order, so don't gripe if your appetizer of dumplings follows your entree. When dumplings arrive gingerly pick one up and place it in your soup spoon (this is a little harder if the dumpling spills over your spoon). Sprinkle a little of the accompanying ginger vinegar sauce over the dumpling (you can dip the dumpling in the sauce, but you risk tearing the skin of the dumpling and spilling the payload of broth). Now carefully bite a little hole on the top of the dumpling, then, because the broth is hot, gently slurp out the broth. This will tell you all is right with the world. Eat the rest of the dumpling and repeat. I also ordered the pork liver and kidney noodle soup. I love my offal and I was very happy to see it on the menu. The broth for the noodle soup was a pretty good chicken and ginger. The noodles unfortunately were just kind of meh. Service was brusque, but that's to be expected in a Chinese restaurant. The bill with tax and tip totaled $15.
(4)
Maryam D.
The soup dumplings here are delish and definitely one of the better ones I've had in Boston (I'd even say better than my favorite, Gourmet Dumpling House). Unfortunately, that's where the praising stops for me. While nothing is terrible, I can't help but compare to GDH. The bad: - The watercress w/ garlic was soggy and disappointing. - The pork and leek dumplings were awful. - The good: - soup dumplings!! Thin dough filled with yummy soup and pork. - a hot pot beef short rib dish (sadly don't remember the name, but it was soo good)! The beef just melted in your mouth and was very rich and savory. - I tried two noodle dishes as well, both ok. I go with my friend who always orders in chinese, so I don't know many of the names for the dishes I've tried. She tells me that this is more authentic and homestyle Chinese for her, and prefers to GBH.
(3)
Good M.
We had to tell them to turn down the top 40's crap they were blasting away throughout the dining room. Their despicable attitude and service aside, let's talk about the food; We ordered all their signature dumplings and they were inadequate at their best. If we wanted frozen dumplings we would buy them at the grocery store. They are supposedly known for their dumplings right? I think not! And their meat and seafood dishes tasted more Cantonese than Taiwanese. Luckily my work paid for dinner, otherwise they'd never catch me through the front door. Go to Taiwan Cafe instead for Taiwanese cuisine.
Seriously the best xiao lum bao in Boston! The skin is thin and the soup has a great flavor. I enjoyed these tasty dumplings with a side of sauteed green beans with dried shrimp, also delicious. Less oily than the veggie dishes you get at most Chinese restaurants here, more similar to how they are traditionally prepared. Also, you get complimentary tea (as you should!). You don't get a pot at your table, but our cups were constantly refilled. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Dejan M.
My friends and I found the food here divine. For the first time ever, I'm actively craving an eggplant dish. We've covered a fair sample of the menu, ranging from soup dumplings to the spicy Szechuan seafood medley, and everything tasted delightful. My friend who frequently visits Shanghai was impressed by the food authenticity at Dumpling Cafe, though obviously the portions are bigger here. The place is not small, but it's cramped. Expect to sit quite close to others and touch neighboring tables as you ease into the wall seats. But it's worth it because of the amazing flavors you'll enjoy. The only nitpick is that some dishes are spiced up enough to overwhelm the actual food taste. They're not too spicy to eat, they just feel like they'd taste the same even if squid was replaced by beef.
(5)
Marlecka M.
Very busy place. Don't come here if you want & expect friendly warming service. These waiters/waitresses are serving so that you eat in peace with you family/friends. However, if you want to catch their attention, make sure you're loud and noticeable. I went with my boyfriend's family, and we agreed to "trying new things" So we ordered Fried Stinky Tofu..... WORST IDEA EVER! hahaha It was an experience though, it smelled HORRIBLE (a bit like feces.) I didn't dare try it, but the others did and they said the taste stuck in your mouth... ick. We had the Salt and Pepper Soft shell crab, which was VERY delicious. The Calamari was nice too. We also ordered Steamed Watercress, which was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly. And then there was soup... A hot pot of bubbling pig intestine and pork blood soup lol (told you we were adventurous.) It wasn't that great... usually when one cooks pork intestines you're supposed to boil it in Oolong tea to get rid of that intestine taste... But these guys didn't do that... We also ordered a big bowl of rice, but the waitress came only with 4 small bowls of rice, and we were thinking "ok, she's probably bringing out the other 4..." NOPE, we were left with 4 bowls of rice and had to share.... they do have a nice menu with a lot of variety
(2)
Amber S.
This place was a disaster
(1)
Jenny G.
Last week while eating at Pho Pasteur, I glanced through the window and found my self wondering if this place was new. My boyfriend told me it had just opened a few weeks ago. So when my college friend from Denver was in town for the weekend, it gave us a perfect reason to try Dumpling Cafe. We ordered the Pork and Leek dumplings (fried), the sesame chicken, sauteed flat noodles with beef, and the mango chicken. After what seemed like only five minutes, our food came right out! Delicious and Big portions. The sesame chicken was divine, not overly greasy just crispy. The mango chicken was packed with flavor and huge slices of real fresh mango. Everything we ordered was super yummy. Definitely will come again! Oh and ... They have the best crab rangoons ever! They're not folded into some weird shape. But who cares if they just look like triangles if it means there's more filling inside. When I got the rangoons to go the hostess even asked me to tell her if there was anything I don't like about them (for the future).
(4)
John X.
They have the best xiao long bao in Boston. If you want some of these cheap delicious delicacies, this is the place to go. Their other entrees are not bad either, but definitely get a few long bao before heading out.
(4)
Chris B.
Really liking this place -- only 3 weeks old, but definitely has their act together. Late brunch at 2pm on Sunday resulted in delicious dumplings, a pork appetizer, and a lunch special. Here are a few thoughts: 1) This place seems to prioritize "more healthy" food -- the sauces are going to be less starchy and lighter, and the fried foods are less fried. Tofu with scallions and veggies resulted in very nice, lightly fried soft-tofu in a thinner sauce. Dumplings seemed to have less gelatin. 2) Soup dumplings have a very nice, thin wrapper -- I love having less dough here. Combined with less gelatin, I'm very happy with these. The tradeoff is that the soup seemed a little more oily than I was expecting (probably from chili oil, though), and the filling was more like a meatball than not. 3) The owner mentioned she had formerly run a Chinese restaurant in New Hampshire (I think) -- so this is an experienced team behind the restaurant. No wonder, given they've only been open 3 weeks but had a happy, well-run & full house. 4) Interior is nice and happy -- fairly big space, more Californian aesthetic than Boston. 5) You can get the lunch special ($7.25?) on Sundays! I really like this place -- it's going to be my new go-to place in Chinatown, beating out Gourmet Dumpling House.
(5)
Alex S.
I love their noodle soup. It is cheap and fast. I have not tried any of their dumplings simply because their noodle soup is good. Recommendations: The taiwanese pork chop noodle is authentic and the pork cutlet on the side is very tasty
(4)
Harry H.
Stopped in for dinner on a fall weekend and we were quoted a 10-minute wait, which quickly grew to nearly a half-hour as we waited outside amidst an Elizabeth Warren rally. We were seated and asked on three separate, not-far-apart occasions if we were ready to order - we still weren't, and the constant interruptions didn't help. We came here on the recommendation of a Chinatown resident so I don't knew it the tip was skewed White, but I tried to right that ship with an order of a few apps (preserved egg & chilled tofu, chilled jelly fish, grilled anchovies Taiwanese style), salt & pepper calamari, and some seafood dumplings. Received no preserved egg with my chilled tofu though the dish I did get was pretty good, albeit aggressively seasoned to the point of overpowering the dish. Liked the dumplings dipped in the sauce but to a level nowhere near approaching the point of them being eponymous. The rest of the apps were solid, though enjoyed without tea since the first refill a minute after we sat down. Service on the whole was brusque at best as we sat at the table abutting the fish tank and we were rushed out the door to turn the table. A pretty substantial amount of satisfying food, but not sure the addictive and nicely peppered calamari dish can really warrant the $79.13 pre-tax for three.
(3)
Katrina W.
Simply the Bomb!! Best whole in the wall noodle/dumplings cafes I've been to, which says a lot cuz I'm Asian.
(5)
K T.
Their Mini Juicy Bun with Pork is the best in town! If you don't mind of your fat in take, their gill chicken skin Teriyaki is also surprisingly tasty. Their lunch special is a great deal too, include a course, rice and soup. What more can you ask for!
(3)
Ida C.
I didn't try Dumpling Cafe for the longest time after it opened because the giant photos of the food decorating the wall outside made it look kind of like a cheap diner. Also having memories of when that area was part of the Combat Zone didn't help either. However, after walking in, I realized it's actually quite nice inside and wouldn't mind having a birthday or graduation dinner party there. Since Dumpling Cafe is a Taiwanese restaurant, I generally try order typical Taiwan-style dishes. While I've only made my way through a small sampling of their menu so far, I have tried and really liked C4 Roast beef with Scallion Pancake (a "Chinese burrito" as my friend calls it), M8 Taiwan Style Eggplant, and A3 Fried Stinky Tofu which is possibly the best stinky tofu in Boston. The picked vegetables and the sauce they serve with it make the whole dish more than the sum of its gloriously vinegary, sweet, salty, and stinky parts. But the real star of the menu has to be the Mini Juicy Buns aka "xiaolongbao" (C12 or C11 for versions with and without crab meat). Thin wrappers that don't break spill the delicious juicy porky innards!--a hallmark of a great xiaolongbao and definitely the best I've ever tried in the Boston area. Every time I go to Dumpling Cafe, I see each and every table order a basket or two or six (not kidding at all!) of these. They provide metal tongs to pick up the xiaolongbao, but don't try to grab the buns by the base or middle because the "teeth" on the tongs will pierce through the skin there. Instead, grab it by the thick topknot--trust me, it will support the entire weight and the buns will not break. It's kind of like magic sometimes. While the xiaolongbao are enough of a reason for me to go--and I can't imagining not ordering them while there--there have been a few misses in the menu. A4 Chilled Chicken with Chinese Herbal and Wine Sauce tastes and smells strongly of wine and little else. B10 Grilled duck tongues (we were curious, darnit!) was mostly flavorless bony meat with a little bit of bottled teriyaki sauce brushed on top. I've also tried N15 Szechuan Style Flounder which is a direct competitor to the popular dish from Gourmet Dumpling House. Dumpling Cafe's version is larger and currently a dollar cheaper and also comes served in a dramatically bubbling cauldron over a tiny Sterno flame. But I still think Gourmet Dumpling House's version tastes better a bit better. However, Dumpling Cafe's xiaolongbao beats the ones from Gourmet Dumpling House by a large margin. I'm really so glad I tried this restaurant and can't wait to see if I can uncover any more gems in their menu.
(4)
Ann G.
A great, affordable meal every time with fresh ingredients. I love that they are open until 2am. For an excellent meal, order the mini juicy buns with pork, the pork and leek dumplings, and the Szechuan style flounder.
(4)
Steve N.
went here yesterday around 3pm. the space is nice, new and clean. i understood what some people were saying about the slant to the floor but we were seated in the back half so it wasn't even noticeable. we started with the grilled duck tongues, chicken skin and chicken meatballs. the chicken skin while having a good flavor was pretty flabby with no discernible char, ask for this one to be Well Done. the duck tongues were OK but rather small. Taiwan Cafe's duck tongues are much larger and plumper making for a greater meat to cartilage/bone ratio. the meatballs were decent but would of benefited from some type of dipping sauce. for dumplings we got the juicy pork with crab, the beef with chive and the pork. all were very good but the juicy dumplings (aka XLB) arrived with most already being punctured which is one reason why i like my XLB with a thicker skin than most, i think Taiwan Cafe's are Spot-On. we also got the beef with long horn peppers and while packing a bit more heat than Taiwan Cafe's didn't have the level of flavor. an order of watercress with garlic was just OK. the greens went dull green rather quickly and the whole dish could of used a shot of vinegar or at least some salt. the rice was serviceable. we'll definitely be back to explore the menu a bit as it's pretty large.
(3)
Amit A.
This place is open till 2AM, we got in around 12, I think haha..We ordered a noodle plate with tofu and vegetable dumplings. If you are vegetarian you'll have a few options to choose from. Nothing more to say about this place, its ok, nothing great
(2)
Juan S.
The decor is nice and not overwhelming, it doesn't try to distract you from your food or the people you are eating with. As my friends and I looked at the menu and went around suggesting to each other what to get my friends realized that I had never EVER had soup dumplings. SO we ordered them. We did order other things, and to be perfectly honest with you I have no idea what they were, I ate them and I enjoyed every last dish. But I have no recollection as to what they were. Once I tried the soup dumplings everything else was meaningless. to me. Don't get me wrong the other dishes were great too, but man these soup dumplings were delicious enough to run off with the whole dish for yourself and not share. The "shell" or the dumpling part, is nice and soft. and once you open the dumpling up and put in some ginger and sauce, you suck the juices out of it before you hog down that mouth watering dumpling. The filling is obviously soupy, with a sweet and sour taste. The sauce that you add is a bit vinegry(probably because it is vinegar),but not overwhelming. After this day I went on a spree of trying out other soup dumplings. I have only tried a couple more, and I have to say I keep coming back to this place, Dumpling Cafe, to eat them here.
(5)
Annie C.
Meh. I've had better. ...And better is about 2 blocks away. (Go here: Gourmet Dumpling House). FOOD: If you're going to a place called Dumpling Cafe, I would assume that you want some dumplings. While this place has a small assortment of dumplings, none are particularly stellar. The shaolin bao are too heavy (even when they are freshly made) and the skin tastes slightly off (too chewy or maybe too dry?). SERVICE: The service is slightly better (i.e. friendlier) than what you'd expect in Chinatown but it's slow ... which makes the mediocre execution of the food inexcusable.
(2)
Ray A.
Like others I excited to see a new place near me in Chinatown so decided to give it a try. However, I was very underwhelmed with the food -- not sure if it's stuff they'll work out or not, but given the other amazing places I'm unlikely to try again (i.e., I don't think there's any comparison between this and Dumpling House, which has been consistently good the 20-30 times I've eaten there). Of course maybe it was what I chose to order. Had a craving for General Gao's chicken -- the sauce was overly sweet and almost tasted synthetic. Could barely get through it (my favourite chinatown general gao's is chau chau city). Also had sauteed noodles with mixed vegetables. Noodles were overcooked and totally lacked flavor. They had also told me they have broccoli in them but instead had spinach. I thought maybe this would be a creative twist I might like, but it didn't work at all. I also ordered the shrimp skewers and prefer to peel off the skin, legs, etc, but they were almost stuck on making that a cumbersome experience (once done though the shrimp was decent). I actually think it's a one-star but will give it a little benefit of the doubt for being brand new.
(2)
Al A.
Tasty dumplings! Good location. Meh service. Relatively cheap.
(4)
Busy L.
Came here with my Mom for an early lunch after getting back to town at Logan. This is a newer Taiwanese style restaurant in Chinatown and a nice addition. Very similar in style to Taiwan Cafe. Food was very good. My mom loves dumplings and says the steamed dumpling with the soup inside (forgot what they're called) are the best in Boston and better than the ones she's had in NYC or China.
(4)
Helen S.
We LOVE Dumpling Cafe...and even that might be an understatement. The food is extremly affordable and always delicious, especially the juicy pork buns, which they are known for especially (and the beef teriyaki skewers are fantastic!!) There is usually a wait, but it moves fast and it 100% worth it, and the waitstaff is also very nice and accomodating, considering how busy they are. We have been there many times, and have no complaints!
(5)
Rob E.
Came here for the first time for takeout. They only give 6 dumplings and they were only ok. The hot and sour soup was only ok as well. Also, the girl gave me the wrong dish in my takeout bag. I think the dumplings and hot and sour soup are better at gourmet dumpling house.
(2)
Lala L.
I really like their steamed dumplings....too bad the service is horrible. It's about one of the better place to get the xiao lung baos in Boston. Yummy steamy dumplings with pork filling wrapped with wicked thin dough, bursting with the broth when you bite into it. yum-O. (try not to burn yourself).
(3)
Sweet T.
This review is strictly for their soup dumplings. After a late night and obviously unfruitful search for char siu bao, we came here and ordered some dumplings to go. Waiting for the T at Boylston and too hungry to wait, my boyfriend and I dug in and immediately regretted not buying more! These things are delicious, filled with a tasty broth and a small but satisfying meatball. Will be back for more.
(5)
Jordana S.
I lived in Taiwan a few years back and really missed xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. The xiao long bao are the real deal, and the guotie (half fried, half steamed dumplings) and tsong you bing (scallion pancake) are also excellent, and very authentic. We tried to order our favorite chicken dish, la tze ji din (pan fried spicy cubed chicken with dried hot peppers), which was not on the menu but when we asked the waitress assured they had, but what ended up on our table was in fact gong pao ji din (kung pao chicken). That said, it was still very good, as was the yangzhou fried rice, which is white and fluffy and not brown and greasy like you usually get at Chinese restaurants. But really, order the xiao long bao, they're amazing.
(5)
Tim W.
This place is just okay. The dumplings are average. Compared to other soup dumplings, Dumpling Cafe's were extremely fatty. Actually all the food we had was extremely fatty. The noodle soup we ordered literally congealed after sitting there for a couple of minutes. The soup dumplings had balls of fat drip out if they were not eaten immediately. However, it did have good flavors. Like I said, this place is just okay. Nothing to wait in line for though. Worth a trip but not a return.
(3)
H T.
Food is equivalently good to Gourmet Dumpling House on Beach St in Chinatown. If you're looking for a bit more of an authentic taste of Chinese food, you'd come here. The space is very small. The general services provided by the waiters and waitresses are not very good and it's very typical in most Asian restaurants. This restaurant is not very creative in terms of their business name as well as the dishes they served (including the dish name on the menus). All the dishes I can get at their place is all available at Gourmet Dumpling House. Regardless, the food tastes good for those who like to experience more authentic Chinese dishes.
(3)
Courtney T.
This place gets some serious points in my book because we stumbled in past closing time (after 2am on Thursday), but the place was still full and we were graciously seated. I got the seafood dumplings which were ok (I think I prefer pork ones) but my bf got the flat noodles with beef and it was SOOO GOOD. The beef was cooked really nicely, a little on the rare side, tossed with scallions, bean sprouts, and those amazing flat noodles that are so good for soaking up booze. Super cheap too. Thumbs up.
(4)
Dave O.
Really good chinese in Boston's Chinatown. Try the stir fried beef with Chinese Long peppers. The juicy mini pork dumplings were fabulous. Service is slow as expected in Chinatown. Reasonab;y priced and a fun atmosphere. I would recommend over many other Chinatown spots.
(4)
Alan Y.
This is a pretty decent place to get reasonably priced and tasty "taiwanese" food. I would give the food here four stars, but the service drags the overall rating by one star. The waitress practically yelled at my to move my cup, despite having moved it sufficiently for our incoming dish. That left a really sour impression, despite the food. The xiao long bao's are really great; the skin is thin and there is ample soup inside of them. The rest of the food here is also decent. The long horn pepper soup with julienned beef is an absolute bargain for 5.95 (I often get it for take-out). The broth is tasty, the peppers are fresh, and they it with ample meet. The Mango chicken here is pretty good, as is the long-horn peppers with julienned beef. I didn't really like the twice-cooked pork, as it was extremely oily and the pork contained a lot of fat. It seems like most of the dishes here are really oily, even when compared to other chinese restaurants.
(3)
Michelle L.
Love the Dumpling Cafe and would take it over Gourmet Dumpling House any day. Skip the lines, and come here for xiao long bao, noodles, and my favorite- oyster pancakes. There are only 2 things I fault this restaurant on, which may or may not bother people. In complete Chinese fashion, the service is quick and prompt, but you will not get that smiley friendly service. The second thing is, it's hard to figure out what you're ordering from the menu. Sometimes the names of things are helpful to decipher what you're ordering and other times things like "FuZhou noodles" don't help at all and you're at a gamble for ordering. The prices are decent and the food is quite yummy. Definitely one of my go to places for a warm meal.
(4)
Sara H.
This is the first place in Boston where I've actually had the Shanghai Dumplings the way they're supposed to taste. So good! And the Taiwan noodle soup with pork and vegetable is delicious as well. I highly recommend this place.
(4)
Kristina C.
I live at Archstone (the high rise in Chinatown) and have sampled many of the local restaurants. I am completely hooked on their mini steamed buns with pork and crabmeat (soup dumplings) and I have started referring to them as crack dumplings. Their scallion pancakes are amazing-- thin, not overly fried, and full of flavor. Dumpling Cafe blows Gourmet Dumpling House out of the water. Obvi this is not an expensive restaurant and you wouldn't go here for ambiance on a hot date but if you want to eat some delicious dumplings then this is about as good as it gets in Boston's Chinatown. If dumplings aren't your thing, every time I have been here the wait staff has been helpful in pointing out popular items to others eating with me. But, I usually get take out and enjoy the deliciousness in my own home.
(5)
Sarwar R.
Stumbled upon the place after deciding we didn't want to brave the long line to get into Penang. Overall, a very good experience. - Not a tiny space, but the tables are crowded together. We were seated almost immediately (despite it being new year's eve), but had maybe six inches between us and the next table. Clean, well lit and well staffed - Huge menu - not generally a good sign, but in this case, actually worked out for us quite well - We didn't do the dumpling or the soup. Should have looked at the Yelp reviews to see what everyone was raving about. However, was not disappointed with what we got - Ordered the shrimp skewers and shrimp pancake w/gravy as starters. Both were EXCELLENT. The grilled shrimp were large, sweet and crunchy. The shrimp pancake was a near perfect substitute for the roti pratha I would have gotten at Penang. - Wife and I shared the Kung Pao Shrimp (how pedestrian, I hear some of you say) and the crunchy noodles w/seafood. She asked for no squid in hers. The noodles were perfect, and the seafood 'broth' and jumbo shrimp on the plate did not disappoint. The Kung Pao Shrimp was about as close to authentic, based on experiences in China, as I have seen stateside - Would have been a great place to go with a larger group so we could have sampled more dishes - Amazing quality for the price. Sub $30 meal for the two of us
(3)
Gabe C.
These are the best xiaolongbao in Boston. ("Mini Steamed buns with pork" or C11 as they're known at Dumpling Cafe) As the name suggests, this is a place to go for dumplings. We came in with very high expectations for the xiaolongbao, having heard great things. We were not disappointed. Both C11 and C12 (xiaolongbao and the variety with crab meat) were excellent with C11 slightly better than C12. The fried pork and leek dumplings hit for par and the dry fried beef chow fun we had was slightly below average. Since the name of the restaurant implies that the focus should be just on the dumplings, I give 4 stars for a great dumpling experience. When you're craving xiaolongbao, skip the other chinatown choices and head straight for Dumpling Cafe.
(4)
Ben A.
The food was quite tasty, came with a large party and they sat us quickly. Quite cheap for the amount of food you get. I went with a group of 8, we ordered the dumplings, C5-C12, some other entrees and ended up costing us around 10 bucks a person plus tip. Strongly suggest getting all the dumplings just go in and ask for them, they are absolutely delicious.
(5)
Mara M.
Came with a friend claiming that Dumpling Cafe has the best soup dumplings in Boston. Bold claim given that I'm a die hard Gourmet Dumpling House fan. We had the soup dumplings, duck dumplings, a beef soup, and a scallion pancake. Upshot? The soup dumplings may nudge out GDH's by a hair - the skin is not as thick and the soup is somewhat more tasty. They are also less crowded, which does become a problem at GDH. However, all in all, I'm sticking with GDH unless the lines get way too long.
(4)
Amy C.
It was my turn to choose a place to eat today, and I thought of Dumpling Cafe because it just opened up not too long ago. It was a MISTAKE! Pro: One star for seating us promptly and giving us tea and menus. Conssssssss: -The tables and chairs were inches apart from each other. I was pushed and shoved at least 50 times from waiters walking back and forth serving food,placing orders and other patrons trying to leave or enter their seats. -Ordered 4 dishes, taiwan style pan fried dumplings, mini steamed buns with pork, shredded beef with long horn peppers noodles soup, and taiwan style wonton noodles soup-the beef noodles soup came in about 5 minutes, (in my head, i was thinking, YES! im starving, my food will arrive any second now, i was WRONG)....i sat there watching the boyfriend take mini bites of his noodles while we wait for the other food...5 mins past, 10 mins past, 15 mins past, others that came after us got their food- we finally got attention from a waiter and asked where our rest of the food was, and he was like 1 dish? we were like NO, THREE dishes. he was like, okay, and walked away. another 5 mins past, the owner comes by and asked if everything was okay. We just glared at him with our hungry eyes and said, where's our food?!! he apologized and said he would check on it, but he end up going back to the cashier station and stood there. THANKS for checking up on our food boss! After a few mins, the rest of food decided to come, and my wonton soup was wicked bland...there was absolutely no taste to it. Also,I did not get to enjoy the dripping soup from the dumplings because they were all popped some how! how do you enjoy soup dumplings when there's no soup?!?! ARGS! So, if you want to be crammed up in a fire hazardous place and wait forever for mediocre food, this is the place to go.
(1)
eric u.
best chinese food in the city. i've tried the best dumpling place in san francisco, this place is better. beef with longhorn peppers is great as well as just about everything else i've tried on the menu. sure the service leaves a bit to be desired. i don't care.
(5)
Mark M.
I used to go to Gourmet Dumpling House because their food was passable and they had a mediocre Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) that somewhat reminded me of Taiwan. Then I tried the Dumpling Cafe which blows GDH out of the water. This is easily the best Xiao Long Bao in Boston, and it rivals some places in Flushing, NY. The rest of their food is also excellent. This is easily the best Chinese food in Boston and one of the best kept secrets in Chinatown, as the lines of people pile up to get into Gourmet Dumpling House - suckers!
(5)
Graham K.
Ate here for the first time after reading the reviews on yelp. I'd say the reviews are about right. 3.5. I would have given it a 3.5 but we can't on yelp. Great dumplings as expected and pork noodle dish was good. I would go back, but I won't be in a big hurry. It is slightly above average. It is clean and the wait staff are polite.
(4)
Doris K.
Really great dumplings with average main dishes. We had almost every dumpling that we could get our hands on in this place - from the pork and leak to the xiao long bao. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more variety of dumplings but what they did have was good. I really liked the thin skin of all the dumplings and the meaty insides. We also ordered the Szechuan fish stew which lacked flavor - Gourmet's is better. There was also an order of pan fried noodles with vegetables which I didn't care for...I wasn't the one who ordered it either (^_^). At around $6 for 6 dumplings the price seems a little steep but it's better than having to make these things at home by myself.
(4)
Loren S.
I read about Dumpling Cafe from a food blog called SeriousEats.com and had to give it a try on my recent trip to Boston. Here in Austin we don't have many dumpling houses so I was excited to get some chopsticks around a warms savory vegetable dumpling. My boyfriend and I also ordered the scallion pancake and a tofu and vegetable stir fry. All three dished were really good and hit the spot after a long day of sight seeing around Boston.
(3)
KoreanSoup S.
Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are good here. 4 stars Shui Jiao not so good. They taste like they came from my freezer. 2 1/2 stars. Overall 3 stars. but very happy to have another xiao long bao in the city!
(3)
Kathryn A.
Dumplings are 5-star. Everything else is 3-4 star. Why the 2-star review? Because if you seat 2 of us, hand us our menus and - instead of taking our orders - ask us to move to a table of 8, already occupied by 6 - well, guess what? YOU DESERVE A 1-STAR REVIEW. But your dumplings are divine, my little dumpling, so I'm giving you a 2.
(2)
Hana N.
Once I cheated on Gourmet Dumpling House and went here. Never again. Though much more spacious, the service was terrible. My friend ordered noodles with pork and was served some awkward (looking and tasting) soup instead. We tried to clarify our order, but they got mad and made us pay for the soup that we didn't eat. They were NOT helpful. The only saving grace was the good dumplings. I'll never cheat on GDM again.
(1)
Stephanie Y.
Cute little bustling place. My friends and I came here after church on Sunday morning and waited for about 20 minutes for a table. When there's a window looking into the dining area, you get very hungry and you start salivating at everyone's food. I took this time to observe what others ordered and tried to find it on the menu. Of course we had to start with the xiao long bao!!! The dumplings were juicy and piping hot! Unfortunately for a few of the dumplings, since they used parchment paper instead of lettuce, it stuck and ripped the poor thing. Juice and everything came spilling out. It was quite a sad moment. We also ordered the pork and mustard green rice cake, which is a traditional Taiwanese dish. I also ordered a beef noodle soup to share with shanghai noodles. Gotta love asian food. It's cheap and very filling.
(4)
Thy L.
You need to know what to order here. Some stuff is really good and some stuff is not so good :( THE BAD: Xiao Long Bao - no no. The skin is too thick and rough. The soup is okay and the filling is okay. Not too spectacular. But maybe I'm snobby, I think there are no good places for Xiao Long Bao in Boston. I always have to go to Joe Shanghai in New York. Hot & Sour Soup - Four words: Stay away from it. Salt & Pepper Pork Chops - MEH. Just go to a Cantonese restaurant instead to get this THE GOOD: Fried Wontons - VERY GOOD. Get it. You'll understand. A bit oily, but delicious. Noodle dishes - excellent. The noodles are hand-made. You can tell by the inconsistency in sizes, which would not happen if a machine did it. The shanghai fried noodles and beef noodle soup were both good. Braised Tofu - not bad at all. Very appetizing gravy/sauce. I will definitely come back to try some of their more special dishes like the "hot pot" style stuff looks good.
(4)
David A.
Well, let's start with the obvious: it's much better than panda express. In fact, it is much better than most standard chinese-american restaurants (yes, I realize it's taiwanese). It is also of a slightly higher tier than many Boston C-town institutions, like China Pearl. I've only ordered take out here for lunch during the weekday. based on what I've seen from table-diners, it may be even better for those that stick around. The flavors of most of the entrees are best described as "fragrant". Portions are med-large and totally sufficient, even for a big oinker like myself (metaphorically speaking, i'm not that big...) Of course the xiaolongbao is a must. After that, there is a little noodle dish called Fuzhou tucked away on the menu that is exceptional and very much unlike a typical chinese noodle dish - a fact most likely chalked up to it's being specifically taiwanese. The dumplings are all quality. I have yet to explore the menu extensively, but am working on it. Somewhere in my Dumpling Cafe future is the sauteed pig's blood. The fact these guys put this on the menu, should tip you off to the restaurant's above average authenticity. Check it out!
(5)
Corona W.
Unlike other restaurants in Chinatown, the seafood dumplings here are actually just that - seafood dumplings. Many dimsum places/ restaurants in Boston use pork as an ingredient in almost every dish. While many of you may not mind, it's problematic when you are a pescatarian like me. Don't even bother asking the ladies who push around the carts because they'll tell you its seafood only when it's not. Anyways, the dumplings here are delicious and the skin tastes home made. My friends have also raved about the meat dumplings and xiao long baos. The basil eggplant dish at Dumpling Cafe is far inferior to the basil eggplant served at Taiwan Cafe. Other dishes here are likewise, just ok. Bottom line - go here for the dumplings and go somewhere else for food.
(3)
Renee R.
Soup dumplings are amazing- and the Taiwan hot and sour soup is one of the best I've had! Our service was great and our server even offered suggestions- just ask them what they recommend! Our bill was $30 for 2 - cant beat that! Will definitely be back
(4)
Hung C.
The food was ok. The server and owner, didn't seem to care much about the customers who were dining. Or even came over to help, sat there for a good 15 min before we had to asked someone to help us. During the dining, all the servers and owners where talking so loud you can't even hear all the other customers in the place. The owners was just sitting at a table near the register eating peanuts and talking very loud. Don't suggest anyone to go here!
(2)
Rick M.
Xaio Long Bao... or soup buns... or mini juicy buns... or pork "soup" dumplings. So many names for one delicious little dumpling! Try to pop an entire dumpling into your mouth and it bursts with flavor and well... soup! This place does a good job on their dumplings. And the Roast Duck Buns are wicked pissa good too. Service was standard for a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Next time I come in I'll try a few other dishes but definitely can't go wrong with any of the dumplings and buns here!
(4)
Clare Z.
The dumpling and bun in this cafe are really good. I like the Mini Juicy Bun's taste and various kinds of soup.
(4)
Alexandra S.
fast service, great price, delicious food. I read a lot of reviews on here complaining about the service, but seriously? what do you expect? they want you in and out as fast as possible to make as much money as possible and honestly, it doesn't seem like they'd miss you much if you didn't come back again because the line was out the door so obviously they're doing something right! capitalism at its finest. maybe take the first date somewhere else and come back here when you're not trying to impress. now that I've said that, moving on. I ordered spring rolls, pork and leek dumplings, general gau's chicken, and pork fried rice. it could be concerning how quickly they brought the food out but upon digging in, I knew immediately it was very fresh. The pork fried rice was really good. It seemed like they maybe used less oil than other places do so it wasn't as sticky but delicious nonetheless - some might think it is a little too salty but I can't get enough salt so I was happy. The dumplings were also delicious. Brought out later than the rest of the good and very fresh. I really enjoyed the general gau's chicken. Sometimes I shy away from fried chicken because if it sits it can get hard and hard to chew but this was perfectly done. Happily heading home with plenty of leftovers.
Don't order the noodle soup here. It's horrible! It's so bland! We had to add so much hot sauce & other condiments to make it decent to eat. If we have to write a review based on our noodle soup alone, we would've given a 1 or 2 stars. It's 3 stars because of our family who was also with us for dinner says their dishes were pretty good. Everyone was enjoying their meal here except us. If we ever come back here again, we would definitely stay away from their noodle soup. The service here is decent. We definitely can't complain. The place is small & it was busy when we were there.
(3)
Natalie P.
Came here to try to XLBs. Disappointed. After one or two, they actually taste kind of gross. The dumpling shell is thick and sticky. Not delicate like I prefer my XLBs to be. If you've had great XLB from Asia or din tai fung you know what I mean. The pork inside was questionable. Not very soupy. Not even sure if it was cooked through either. 2 stars at best. Probably only really gets a 1 in my opinion.
(2)
Daniel C.
I came here for a late dinner (7pm) after doing some research on Yelp. I never been to Boston's Chinatown and was pleased to find that it was an easy walk from my hotel. Upon finding this place I was surprised it was packed, and even more surprised to be seated immediately, across another customer getting ready to leave. Tables were not yet cleared which was awkward. In terms of food, the entrees I ordered are 5-stars in quality. Mini Pork Buns (Xiao Long Bao) were a misnomer - they should be called Da Long Bao since they were enormous! Easily double the size from Din Tai Fung and other places in SF Bay Area, but with the same excellent rich broth and juicy pork. I also ordered Beef Brisket Noodles with Spinach - excellent broth, very tender and juicy brisket, and good use of spinach and pickled greens. Noodles were chewy, which is how I like them. Minor quips is that the tea was a bit bland. I ordered a coconut boba tea (to go as a dessert) that was pretty good, except pearls were a bit bland. Service was decent but I can't help but feel its a bit erratic with seating folks and moving chairs and tea pots from table to table.
(4)
Erica K.
More popular than any bar in Boston, this place is out of this world. All joking aside, drunk Chinese food is the way to go. We ordered beef with pepper, soup dumplings, pork chops and I got rice noodle soup. The broth was so good, it's a little salty, but I love salt. The pork chops were incredible, crispy and had a nice ginger taste, and the beef with peppers was good and spicy. Service is kinda terrible but it was 1 in the morning, the line was out the door and I had a happy tummy.
(5)
Edward W.
Food was good, but not amazing. My only gripe with this place was the service. Now don't get me wrong, I know that Asian restaurants are known for their quick efficiency so I'm not expecting 5 star service. But I had to wave down the waitress 5 times to get 2 cups of water, which is sort of ridiculous considering the place wasn't even packed when I went. Also most watery tea ever. Now for the food: Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) - easily best thing ordered. Very juicy and authentic. Taiwan Style Eggplant - aka with garlic, basil, and black bean sauce. Pretty good, but liked the one at Taiwan Cafe better as I think they overdid the sauce a bit and I could only taste sauce. Beef and Chicken with Basil - Good, but again not amazing. I don't know if it's because the eggplant was so saucy, but I thought this was a bit bland. Portion though was generous. I'll consider coming back and trying other dishes, but at least for this time, the only dish I found worth re-ordering was the xiao long bao.
(3)
Arlyn S.
The mini juicy buns are amazing. I like the pork and crabmeat and the plain pork buns. The juice pours out and can burn your chin if you are not careful. We went three days in a row after discovering it walking late night in Chinatown. The lunch specials are a good value. If you buy the appetizer combo. Choose three appetizers instead of getting fried rice. This will leave more room for dumplings. The braised short rib soup with spinach and noodles has a great sweet and salty taste to it. The wonton soup was ok. Get the short rib soup instead. It's flavor profile is worth the time.
(4)
Vincent H.
Came here for dinner the tonight and thought that it wasn't too bad. Probably lucked out cause there was no wait with the rain. Seafood Fried Rice and Beef Pan Fried noodles came out really fast. Adequate portion and hit the spot. Xiao Long Bao on the other hand was definitely something different for me. Felt like XL Xiao Long Bao's. Also would it hurt if they gave out more than one sauce plate? I'd like to toss some chili on mines and I know some of my friends don't like spicy foods. Lastly what's up with them not leaving a teapot work us? Also there's a $20 minimum for card.
(4)
Thomas L.
The first warning sign was no boneless spareribs. But ok, I found several other items on the menu that seemed appetizing. - pork fried rice - pork/leak steamed dumplings - spring rolls - chicken wings - crispy chicken strips The pork in the pork fried rice was very soft and chewy; not quite the consistency I was looking for. The rice was flavorful, as were the peas. The sauce on side was helpful for that added bit of flavor. The pork/leak steamed dumplings were the highlight of the meal. Very tasty pork/leak combo, juicy, and hot. The dumpling dough was good. The spring rolls were very pedestrian and nothing at all to write home about. Nothing really jumped out at me here. The chicken wings weren't good at all. I'm not even sure they were cooked all the way through, although they were extremely hot on the outside. I couldn't quite pinpoint the sauce that they were garnished in. Doesn't matter, it didn't make them any better. The crispy chicken strips were decent but overall not that crispy. They were a mix of white and dark meat, which was nice. But, they were lacking. We left half of them on the plate. We arrived right before a lunch rush, but service was still subpar. We had to ask for water and tea refills. My plate was dirty, although it might have been a water stain from the dishwasher.
(2)
Sarah C.
Food is great. Customer service is still awful. Will I go back? Unfortunately yes because they do make the best soup dumplings. We pointed out to the manager that we found 2 ant like bugs in our wonton noodle soup. He quickly removed the plate and told us that the vegetables were probably not rinsed thorough enough. That was it. He was scared that will make a commotion and other customers will find out. Geez
(1)
Anita L.
Within the 3 times I came to this restaurant, my first experience was okay. They got me my food everything was an in and out experience however the last two times was absolutely terrible. The same waitress that served my party was rude, didn't know her menu and got our order wrong. And when we explained to her kindly that theres a mistake she took the plate away and started talking trash about us thinking that we couldn't understand. What also threw me off was the fact that on the check that they printed out it already included the tip. So when they print out your receipt for the card she told me to write the tip in the tip part of the receipt. So she practically forced me to tip her for the bad service.
(1)
BostonBestEats X.
Having only recently moved back to Boston, this was my first visit to what is apparently a one of the better restaurants in Chinatown according to those in the know. I first discovered Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings or "mini juicy buns" as Dumpling Cafe more evocatively calls them) at the legendary Din Tai Fung in Taipei, and it's pretty much been all downhill since as far as dumplings go. Maybe the Shanghainese invented soup dumplings, but the Taiwanese perfected them. But as for XLB in Boston, Dumpling Cafe's renditions are probably as good as it gets. However, the real reason to go to Dumpling Cafe appears to be the rest of the menu, which is some of the best Chinese (or more accurately, Taiwanese) cuisine I've enjoyed in Boston. Our Saturday Lunch group of Chowhounds enjoyed: 1) Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ($7.75) ~Whether this is a specifically Taiwanese version of the ubuiquitous pancakes most Chinese restaurants serve, I couldn't say. But it would make a delicious lunch sandwich, with the crispy fried pancake wrapped around tender, thinly sliced beef, raw green onions and hoisin sauce. Not as standout as some of the other dishes, but well worth ordering again. 2) Twice Cooked Preserved Pork, house-made ($11.85) ~My favorite course, the tender slivers of pork belly are pickled in-house, and stir-fried with leeks. Not only delicious, it was actually a beautiful looking dish as well. 3) 3 Essence (aka, 3 Cup) Duck Tongue in Clay Pot ($18.85) ~3 Cup Chicken is classic Taiwanese, and something I love. But with duck tongues??? I will try almost anything once, but for some reason duck tongue is something that has always scared me. However, I had heard this was a must-try dish at DC, and I'm so glad I finally overcame my timidity...this was DELICIOUS! Admittedly, a little complicated, even annoying to eat, because there is a cartilaginous bone in the center of each tender little tongue. But I eventually worked out a trick for stripping the meat off using my tongue and teeth. Maybe I should make a YouTube video? Maybe not. But once you figure out the trick, they are no longer so annoying to eat, and actually quite addictive. 4) Braised Chicken Meat Balls ($11.45) ~A dish I would have never ordered if it didn't come recommended, this turned out to be another lovely dish. The meatballs are light and almost airy in texture, but with a nice slightly crispy sear on the outside. Framed with baby bok choy, this is also a beautiful dish. 5) Mini Juicy Buns with Pork ($7.75) ~An ancient example of molecular gastronomy (just try to guess how they get the soup inside!), as I mentioned these are decent enough examples, with fairly thin yet strong skins and a flavorful broth. Do read up on how to eat them, or you will end up with soup on your shirt or a burnt tongue, or both. Much better than the thick-skinned monstrosities that are served at what is otherwise the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston, nearby Taiwan Cafe. 6) Taiwan Style Pan Fried Dumplings ($7.75) ~A Taiwanese acquaintence makes what are the best dumplings I've ever tasted, with the distinctive open ends allowing the meat stuffing to peak out. These are not in that league, but tasty, and the favorite dish of at least one of our number. Afterwards we went to nearby Xinh Xinh for an excellent avocado boba shake (a Taiwanese invention, although XX is Vietnamese).
(4)
Kim S.
The restaurant was typical of an eatery in Chinatown. Tables and seating were cramped in the small area and guests are quickly seated with strangers to minimize wait. We were seated next to a couple that was obviously on a date. It was kinda weird at first to overhear their conversation and menu selections but I quickly got over it. To my surprise, the diners consisted mostly of western clientele ordering Chinese delicacies such as intestines and tripe. Kudos to them... I don't even eat that! We were served tea in a large clay pot in large cups. That was pretty handy because I hate having to refill the typical small cups. Although we placed orders for apps and dumplings to start, everything came out at once at "Chinatown" speed. Staff is always in a rush but gets you what you need if asked. I don't mind it so much because it means a shorter wait time for a table, food and for your bill. For starters, we got the steamed duck bun, mini pork bun and fried crispy chicken strips, Taiwanese style. It seemed like everyone else ordered the scallion pancakes but we opted not to. The duck bun was very flavorful and there was plenty of meat filling inside the warm bun. I liked that it was lightly grilled on the bottom for a nice crispy texture. I made the mistake of NOT letting the Mini Pork buns cool down and the piping juices exploded in my mouth. The large pieces were a bit bigger than "bite size" it was more like two bite size, if there's such a thing. The Taiwan style crispy chicken strips reminded me of fried catfish with a cornmeal batter. It was addictive. Although I saw fried red basil on the dish, I couldn't taste it on the chicken. For dinner, we went the family style route and split a few dishes. I wished I referred Yelp before our visit. I was overwhelmed with the extensive menu that had appetizers, grilled dishes, dumplings and buns, noodles, braised soup, beef/chicken/pork/seafood/vegetable specials, Chef;s specials and lots of other authentic Chinese food that I've never heard of but wanted to try. This menu was NOT for the faint of stomach, after all there were dishes that had blood pudding, pork intestine, pork blood, duck tongue and frogs, just to name a few. The salty fish chicken fried rice was very good and affordable at only $ 7.25. We wanted a side vegetable dish and was bummed to hear they ran out of pea pod stems. The waiter suggested Chinese broccoli so we went with that. It was good but I think the price was a bit steep at $ 11.35. The pork belly was reminiscent of Cambodian/Vietnamese 5 spiced braised pork belly stew made from thick soy sauce and sugar. The consistency was the same just that it didn't have the strong anise and black pepper seasonings. I was thrown off by the chicken with garlic sauce. I imagined a chicken breast stir fry in an oyster and garlic sauce. Instead there were strips of chicken, scallion, dried wood ear mushroom and bamboo. It was quite different and on the sweet side. Dinner was very good and I definitely want to be back to try the other 200+ menu offerings. I definitely want to try some of the casserole dishes as well as the hot pot items.Our bill total was $68.64 Crispy Chicken Strips Mini Pork Buns Chinese Broccoli Shredded chicken in garlic sauce Salted Fish Chicken Fried Rice Special Duck Bun Pork Belly Taiwanese Style 2 diet cokes It fed four of us and there were plenty of leftovers...until Next time! **NOTE I'd try to go between 11 AM-4PM next time when they offer a combination special. You can get 3 dishes for 21.95 and there are 59 choices to choose from. Great deal! For food pics mami-eggroll.com/2014/09…
(4)
Nancy C.
Went here again for lunch with a lot of friends; we ordered mainly off the lunch special. There were 7-8 of us so we ordered 2 xiao long bao orders, beef with long horn peppers, string beans, watercress with garlic, pork belly, flounder with ginger and scallion, ma po tofu, fish fillets, twice cooked pork, general gao's chicken, egg with shrimp and tomato, and various other dishes I don't remember. Typically I'm not a huge fan of lunch specials because they tend to be very Americanized. I did try the flounder, watercress, beef with peppers, and the pork belly - I have to say all of those were pretty authentic and some even tasted similar to my mom's cooking. The best dish was the beef with longhorn peppers. I'm a huge fan of spicy food and have a high spice tolerance, and this was actually pretty spicy. It wasn't too greasy either, which I appreciated. Coming in a close second was the pork belly. Tender and flavorful and drenched in a delicious sauce, both this dish and the previous one are similar to what my mom and aunt cook for holidays. The flounder was a smaller portion than most of the other dishes but was decent - it was flavorful without being too salty and the fish was pretty fresh. Egg with tomato is a dish my dad often cooks but I was disappointed to see that this dish was too sweet (they must've added a lot of sugar). The watercress was very oily but also very tasty. Same goes with the green beans, though the watercress is far more authentic and probably healthier. As always, the xiao long bao are a must try, though they seemed to be not as good as the last time I had them. I liked the soup the lunch specials came with - it's not your typical egg drop or sweet and sour soup. Instead, it's a simple soup made with pork broth and has chunks of daikon (if you're lucky). The lunch special also comes with rice, thank god. Overall, all of this food only cost is $15 per person after time. Honestly, where else but Chinatown could you find such a good deal? Personally, I'd come here again for dinner because as good as some of these dishes are, I wouldn't order them again. I'm mostly a fan of the huge steamed fish. But if you want a very cheap lunch that is good and will fill you up (and a lunch special menu that had something beyond your typical Americanized Chinese food), Dumpling Cafe is the place to go.
(4)
Khunravin H.
I've been here many times. Every time I go service is always great. It gets packed quickly here. Seating is very limited. So limited that sometimes you have to share a table with other patrons. So why would one come here? For the mini pork soup dumplings of course! I mean they have other food too, but it's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason.. If you need help learning how to properly eat a soup dumpling, there's plenty of help on blogs and on YouTube. I'm not particularly good with handling chopsticks, but a girl I was seeing taught me how to hold the dumpling for consumption. Anyway, do stop by here, you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Myan T.
We usually come here for lunch. Overall meals are pretty good. Dumplings and steam buns are pretty fresh and enjoyable. They have an inexpensive daily lunch special from 11-4 for $7.50 or $7.95 a plate that includes rice and soup. Service is prompt and they always make sure the table are kept clean. There are a few downsides. One being that this place is pretty compact and you occasionally have to squeeze your way out. Secondly that if it's packed there is a good amount of wait time. They also serve beer and wine until 1AM!
(4)
Shani T.
Really a 3.5 star rating. So let's start by saying I love efficiency at restaurants, and Dumpling Cafe totally nailed that aspect. All our dishes came out quickly and that definitely deserved my nod of approval. Now, I don't go to places in Chinatown expecting great service, but I expect, I don't know, some sort of politeness at least? My boyfriend and I walked in for an early Sunday dinner. We got seated quickly with our menus with little talking, which was fine. I opened my menu and began browsing, and after a couple minutes I motioned at our cups when I made eye contact with a waitress and she came by to pour us tea. She definitely didn't care much for how she was pouring the tea--it was super sloppy and she overfilled my boyfriend's cup before proceeding to overfill mine and spilling the tea on the table and somehow, on my foot (I had my legs crossed so my left foot was slightly out from under the table I guess). The waitress disappeared quickly to grab napkins without us asking which was good at least, but when she came back she threw down the pile of napkins on top of my menu. Um. Okay. I was kinda reading that. Anyway, we end up ordering two orders of xiao long bao (soup dumplings), an order of Chinese watercress, and an order of salt and pepper pork chops. All of this done with barely any acknowledgement from the waitress. 1) XLB--these were actually super awesome. I would even say better than a lot of places in NYC. Definitely the largest XLB that I've received at a Chinese restaurant. Each order comes with 6 and man, and I almost regretted the fact my boyfriend and I ordered two orders (not that we didn't finish them, they were really good!). The skin is doughy, but still soft and easy to bite into. The broth is quite good and seriously, I can't get over the sheer size of these. 5 stars for sure 2) Chinese watercress--I was really in the mood for a good vegetable dish and I love kong xin cai so I decided why the hell not, let me pay $12 for this. It definitely satisfied my craving. The garlic was cooked perfectly to season the watercress and the veggies weren't too salty. Still, $12 for this is a reaaaaally steep markup... It also takes like literally 2 minutes to cook. 4 stars, due to the price 3) Salt and pepper pork chops--also a very large portion. Not too salty, not too peppery. A bit thick on the breading, which I could taste a little more of the pork. Overall though, not bad. 4 stars If I had to judge Dumpling Cafe strictly based on quality of food, I would give a 4 star rating. The service though was just so subpar to the point of bothersome. At some point I asked for two glasses of cold water and the waitress turned around and walked away before I even finished my sentence. Yeah, she knew what I wanted and got it for me, but it's kind of just common courtesy to, I don't know, let me finish talking? I did all of the ordering in Chinese too. Anyway, I guess I would come back here for the food. Kind of reminds me of Shanghai Asian Manor back in NYC, just not as friendly.
(3)
Miriam S.
We got the beef and long horn pepper - delicious! And the mini juicy pork dumplings - amazing! We ordered the seafood fried rice that was really mediocre and asked the waiter for a spicy chicken dish, he recommended mango chicken. It was a way too sweet mess. Do not get the mango chicken. The service here isn't great either haha. Just order what they are famous for and enjoy!
(4)
Theodore T.
I've gotten food here twice now, both times for dinner, takeout. Most recent visit I tried the egg fried rice, Taiwan eggplant, spicy pork chop, and soup dumplings. No complaints, food has always been hot, tastes good, and service is fine. Seems busy for dine-in usually.
(4)
Karen W.
My friends and I must have come on a bad day. Or maybe things are usually like this. Communication problem: We ordered 2 steamed pork buns, salted fish and chicken fried rice, and Taiwanese style noodles. They gave us the rice and noodle dishes, but instead of the pork buns they gave us pork dumpling. (I remembered we said steamed pork buns because we joking about buns as we ordered.) The waitress who gave us the dumplings saw our confused expressions, but walked away. So we told another waitress and she took it away. No apologies, but that's okay because we got our buns in the end. Food: Everything was okay except for the Taiwanese noodles. There was an excessive amount of vinegar and salt/sauce in it. I can't tell if this taste is Taiwanese style or not, but it was extremely salty and weird. Social grouping: I am not sure if this is normal, but the workers were always in a group socializing either at the counter or near the bathrooms. It was hard to grab their attention when we needed something. The tea: Our tea was not refilled unless we asked for more tea. After getting one of the workers' attention and letting her know we wanted more tea, she gave us a teapot of hot water. When we wanted to tell her or another worker we wanted tea and not water, everyone was in their social group again. Incense: We sat near the incense holder. A worker lit the incense. I personally do not like the smell of incense, but I had to suffer since we were already eating. We smelled like incense afterwards. I thought if they were to have incense in the restaurant, they should at least light it before the restaurant was opened. Instead, they lit it when everyone was eating. We were there around noontime. Maybe it was supposed to be some common sense knowing that they have incense in some consistent manner, but I never got the memo. The bill: They included tips in the bill. 18% gratuity. I ate with three other people... Overall, I did not feel comfortable eating here. I cannot tell you if I would recommend this place or not since you may like that specific taste of Taiwanese style food, hot water, and/or the smell of that specific incense, but just keep in mind of things that may happen such as what happened to me today.
(1)
Dan R.
So first off, my friends and I went here two nights in a row - so think about that. The szechuan style flounder is AMAZING. It is served in a simmering bowl of spicy goodness and cabbage over a flame. It's super hot so don't burn your mouth on it at first! There is something in there that finds its way to my bites sometimes that's weirdly numbing/bitter with an almost concentrated anise flavor? If you know what that is, hit me up, I don't like it. We think it may be the pieces of pepper? Scallion pancakes are too thick/doughy but I'm ok with it because I just get some of their other magical treats like Juice Buns (DIVINE), proc dumplings, and pea pods. My friends and I love to come here after a late night working in our restaurant and fill the table with food and over eat, all for like $20 per person including a fat tip. I like it and will continue to come here for tasty food! Servers are pretty indifferent but we have had the same one a few times now and she has grown to like us which is fun.
(4)
Christine T.
Daughter enjoyed the Mini Juicy Pork Buns...visiting from LA and we ended up going here three times during our 8 day stay...will come back if we're ever in Boston...plus they're open late...the noodle soups are pretty decent too
(4)
Katy M.
I heard rave reviews of this place, but I got takeout and must say I was disappointed. The food was good, but not great. I got the roast beef wrapped in scallion pancake and the mini juicy pork buns. While the roast beef was delicious, the scallion pancake wasn't very flavorful (it did make for a good sandwich though). The mini juicy buns, while savory, were a little too soggy at the bottom, making them difficult to eat without making a mess (I know there is a special way to eat them, but it didn't work for me here). Not bad, but there are better places in Chinatown.
(3)
Raymond W.
The soup dumplings were okay, skin was too thick and dried out too quickly. Service was fast. So fast that the waitress kept taking away our tea pot and did not return with a fresh pot. They were also quick to put on an automatic tipping charge of 18%. Ouch.
(3)
Cheeba C.
Yummy delicious. Waitresse can be pushy, but you're in Chinatown. Soup dumplings are great and general gau's chicken was crunchy....yeah!!!
(4)
Lee B.
We went here and asked about the ingredients of an item on the menu, to ensure that it was free of shellfish or prepared separately from shellfish, as my wife has a very severe allergy. The waitress assured us that there was no problem, and they could accommodate. We wound up in the emergency room that evening because our "vegetarian" dish had NOT been clear of shellfish. AVOID this place if you have an allergy.
(1)
Gigi L.
I've been to a few Xaio long bao places in Boston and this has to be one of the better restaurants serving this dish. The skin is still thicker than the proper version, but not too shabby since it holds the soup inside of them. Also tried the beef chow fun which was just average at best. I ordered what sounded amazing--the fried oyster pancake, but it was disgusting. DO NOT ORDER THAT! Trust me!! Prices are average, service is average.
(3)
Zachary D.
I'm addicted to their Shanghai noodles with chicken and mustard greens. They also have best soup dumplings I've ever had hands down! Can't beat the prices either. Don't bother going anywhere else in china town for dumplings or noodles!
(5)
King Y.
Sadly disappointed the last time we went. We were really looking forward to lunch here. There are a few problems First the xiao long bao was too salty. It doesn't really hit you at first, but after a few, it becomes clearer. I don't know if they changed their recipe, or maybe we just got a bad batch. Still a disappointment. Second the service is not appealing at all. They are happy to put you at tables with other guests. I understand I have a choice, and this is doable and understandable when it is crowded and there's a wait. However, they clearly set up their tables so that they can put multiple parties together. This tells me they care more about revenue than they care about customer satisfaction. I really don't want to hear my neighbors' conversations or have them hear mine. And all at the same time trying to pretend we can't hear each other Third and not last complaint is the wait staff are rude especially to non-mandarin speakers. Sad to see Food is 3.5 stars Service is 1 star.
(2)
Steve X.
THis place is your classic Chinatown service. Horrible service. Good thing is they open late so if you are in Boston, stop on in and get your fix of dank chinese food. But don't expect much. I didn't. Their dumplings are of such small portions, as are their other dishes. So if you are not sober, this is your place. If you are sober, try something else.
(2)
Dean B.
I'm sure it is a difficult thing to successfully run a high volume, late night Chinese restaurant in the middle of Chinatown. Well, this place has got that process down to an art. Their soup dumplings, of course, are to die for. The teriyaki duck tongues are a winner in my book. So is the combination pan fried noodles and scallion pancakes! Wash all that down with some Tsingtao beer or two, pay the very affordable bill, and you can tuck yourself in for a good night sleep!! If you're craving late night soup dumplings in Boston, this is the place to be!!
(5)
Young P.
Don't wait in line to go to Gourmet Dumpling House. Just come here. It's owned by the same guy and they make everything the same (well except for the spicy flounder soup which I will explain more in detail) Soup dumplings - Yes. They taste exactly the same. Why? Because it's made by the same people. Don't get me wrong. If you are visiting Boston, then dining at Gourmet Dumpling House is a must experience. However, if you live in Boston and you've been there many times, don't wait in line to eat there. It's a waste of time because down the block you can come here and eat the same food at the same price and the best part is there is no line because everybody is waiting to get into Dumping House!!!! More about the flounder soup... I will admit, dumpling house's fish soup is much thicker and delicious. Here, it's still pretty good but it doesn't have that deep, thick taste which is a bummer....so if you really like the soup, just go to dumpling house. But for everything else, just come here. I highly recommend pork belly Taiwanese style. this junk is delicious. its so fatty and juicy and comes with vegetable at the bottom and really well complements the fat. oh and the sauce that they use to cook the meat is out of this world.
(4)
Rufio R.
Great spot for authentic Chinese food. I ordered beef fried rice, soup dumplings, and scallion pancakes - everything was delicious! Based on eating soup dumplings at many other places, I can say that this place had one of my favorites because of texture, temperature, and taste. Highly recommended and great for groups!
(4)
Abhishek C.
Excellent mini pork buns. Very good and fresh rice cakes with pork. I particularly enjoyed the green tea bubble tea milkshake. The fried calamari were average. Price was very reasonable and ambience was above average. Will definitely visit again especially for the soupy, thin shelled mini pork buns....
(4)
Leo C.
Last time when I went there with my son, this place Suprised me. I can't believe how terrible the servers was. When we walk in they just ignore us and playing there phone till we ask them for a table.The food was pretty good and it's reasonable. But the way they served was disrespectful, instead of put the food they throw the food on the table. And after we asking for our bill, the server just stand there. I thought she was trying to have conversation with us, but she just stood there until we put on our money on the bill!!! WTF? This's the first time also the last we eat in here!!
(1)
Jorge C.
Terrible customer service. I stood around for 10 minutes before they even acknowledged me. Both the door person and the waitress were unfriendly. I've been there twice and have had the same experience both times.
(1)
Gabriella L.
Worst customer service ever! Came in here to order takeout. We were sitting down in one of the empty tables to look at the menu to see what to order and everyone was rude. They told us we cant sit down on an EMPTY table just for us to figure out what to order. We just left. Not worth the time or money.
Let's get the ambience and experience out of the way first... It's a small (maybe 40 seats), mostly run down place. It reminded me of the type of lunch joint that factory workers may have gone to 50 years ago. The wait staff hovers to get you to hurry up and order, and when finished eating, hovers to get you out. I suppose it's understandable... they want to turn tables, which are shared with strangers. Now the food... The dumplings were excellent a 10 for sure. Scallion pancakes about a 7. Crispy chicken at least an 8. I would hope to go back with a group of 4 or 6 so that we may experience many other choices from a menu that doesn't stop.
(4)
Amanda W.
Racist towards African American women and Italian men. The biggest issue, the bill included 18% gratuities for a dinner for 2. This wasn't an option, it was in the bill, but not for our white and and asian friends sitting at the next table!! When asked why? There was no explanation. Along with no attention and pieces of our meal missing . So we outsmarted them which wasn't hard! We asked for a separated check without the gratuities and that we would put it in. They got no tip! #racistsshouldgooutofbusiness
(1)
Paul T.
Authentic Taiwanese. The stinky tofu, potstickers and Taichung steamed meat ball made me shed a tear. Smell, texture, taste "to the land" or as if you were there as the Chinese idiom says. It even came with some sappy mandarin pop songs for accompaniment. Jin ho jia. Gai ho. If you don't know what that means, you must eat here and find out.
(4)
Heesun P.
I ate Kung Pao chicken. It was good. But there was kinda trouble when I paid! I should have to paid back my change but clerks didn't make right calculations even their attitude was so rude. That was a horrible service :(
(2)
Victoria S.
I went here for lunch with a few friends and was expecting a typical lunch that you would get in Chinatown, but that was not the case. We were seated at a table and the first thing I noticed was the dirty, stained plate right in front of me. I switched it with a plate from the next table over so that solved the problem. We ordered a salty fish and chicken fried rice, Taiwanese udon noodles, and steamed pork buns. Somehow, they managed to mess up our order and gave us regular dumplings, so we told them we didn't order that and they took it off our table without saying anything. Not even a sorry for messing up our order? The rice dish came out first and was decent, not great, but also not horrible. We then received the udon noodles, which had a horrible sauce that was too vinegary and salty. When we finally got the steamed pork buns and were halfway through out meal, the staff decides it would be a great time to light incense. I understand it's an important aspect of Chinese culture, but WHY DO IT RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO EAT LUNCH??? The smell of the incense ruined my appetite and made not only the food taste worse, but also leaves you smelling for the rest of the day. This place doesn't open until 11am, so why not do light it before people come into your restaurant? The service of the staff was inattentive as they were all just standing around the cashier chatting up a storm. We asked for more tea, but instead received a pot of hot water. They include 18% gratitude on the bill, which I did not think they deserved, so instead we tipped a tad bit less. I will not be returning here again. There are PLENTY of better places in the area to get better quality food and service.
(1)
Joanna Y.
If this were a review on their soup dumplings only, this place would receive 5 stars. I like that the consistency of the wrap is the perfect amount of thickness. The soup inside is flavorful. All 3 orders of our xlb came out in one piece, no leaking soup dumplings here. Whenever I go to gourmet dumpling, at least one xlb is popped. Although the soup dumplings are great, I need other dishes during my meal for the variety. We ordered the following dishes as well, but was not nearly as impressed. - schezuan flounder soup: At gourmet dumpling, I like ordering the schezuan fish soup. It complements the dumplings very well. Unfortunately, the schezuan flounder soup here is quite bland. Not spicy or rich enough for my taste. - pan fried noodles: crispy and tasty noodles. Not a bad choice. - taiwanese pork belly: juicy and good sauce. Very fatty if you like that stuff All in all, not a bad place!
(4)
Rachel K.
The dumplings are still fantastic, but service this past weekend was horrid. I had to ask for waters twice, and the check three times. Additionally, we ordered two sets of dumplings and they only came out with one. We were in a rush to be somewhere and didn't have time to order another by the time we could flag our waitress down. We left hungry and were disappointed.
(2)
Steffi L.
One of the most disappointing Chinese restaurants I have been to in Boston. As someone born to Shanghainese parents who made regular trips to Joe's Shanghai in NYC, these soup dumplings were barely passable as "restaurant quality." The only worse soup dumplings I have had were frozen ones. They were also far too expensive. The prices are also absurd for Chinese food - my boyfriend and I were charged almost $15 for a simple vegetable dish, which would normally go for $8 in NYC. Overall, I would not come back, as it does not provide great value for the price they charge.
(2)
Minju K.
Ironically the McDonald's across the street is closed and this place is open till 2am (Thank youuu) Their xiao long bao (soup dumpling was so good) also their sweet and sour soup was amazing I would totally come here again for late night food
(5)
Juan C.
Food wasn't that great. Wish they would speak English. Very hard time understanding.
(2)
Samantha A.
Awesome soup dumplings!!!!! Best I've had outside of NYC!! Although I do wish they were a bit cheaper or you got more than 6. Best bubble tea I've found so far, too!
(5)
Jennifer G.
Decided to try this place out since I was in the area. Looked like it was pretty busy, so couldn't imagine the food to be terrible. I probably wouldn't come here again. I ordered a wonton noodle soup and wasn't very impressed. It was pretty bland and left me feeling really indifferent. Service also wasn't great, servers can be rude.
(3)
Melissa O.
Food was good but don't order the fried rice, you will definitely be pissed when a plate of white rice comes out and you're charged $7 for something that comes free at most places.
(3)
Sunny C.
Soup dumplings are okay, but really doughy. Something didn't quite taste fresh about them; it tasted a bit sour. Water spinach stir fry in sa cha sauce was really tasty. Service could be better in terms of friendliness. Servers and hostess gave off the impression it was such a chore to be there.
(2)
Christine J.
wow are they going downhill!!! im so sad to say the quality of food/service is no longer as good, WHY??? the XLB looked funny, something went wrong with the dough it looks like. and the spicy fish lunch plate was so damn salty, it tasted like preserved fish. :( and to make it worse, the server dumped all the leftover dishes (totally diff tastes- 3 cup chicken and spicy chilli fish) TOGETHER IN ONE BOX. that is it. they need a heads up on what they're doing before they lose all the customers they've accrued over the last few years.
(2)
Alexandra M.
This place is kind of insane. You better get everything you want to order in right away because they won't be back and they have a million other things to do before stopping for you. I got the scallion pancake which was quite dry, even when I smothered it in soy sauce. I also got Taiwan style eggplant which means garlic and basil (we had to look it up). The basil was left in and impossible to eat--so avoid it!
(3)
Nandanie S.
Chinatown, you've struck again. My first visit at Dumpling Cafe was on a warm Sunday afternoon after a day of shopping and the movies. I was hungry and wanted a nibble. This nibble turned into an all out smörgåsbord of all things yummy, courtesy of the Dumpling Cafe. We ordered beef and scallions, scallion pancakes with roast beef, and then dumplings. Oh dumplings. I CANNOT believe that I've never had a Chinese dumpling before... I've had Thai dumplings and they're just not the same. I'm a clumsy eater...let's just say that I'm clumsy in general. I even told my husband this when we first met just to get that out of the way. Eating dumplings was a whole 'nother type of clumsy. To me, it was an art form. I watched Annie C, and followed suit. These dumplings were soupy, tasty, and just damn delicious. I was a little upset when they were gone... Not to downplay the other dishes... the beef and scallions dish was rustic, well prepared, and full of flavor. The scallion pancake with roast beef was crispy, tasty as well, and something I'd order time and time again (and we did...). The orders are huge and great to enjoy family style with friends for lunch/dinner. So the second visit was after a BollyX demo on the esplanade. I said... "What could I possibly want to eat after BollyX-ing it all day? Dumpling Cafe. And so we got the scallion pancake with roast beef again, chicken with eggplant (deeeelicious), and 2 orders of dumplings. One order had crabmeat and the other was the original recipe. Both were superb, but I prefer the original much more than the crabmeat ones. I think that after this visit, I was a pro at eating dumplings (at least I thought so haha). I loved the chicken with eggplant...the basil that topped it off made it so good. Service was quick and attentive. I got a laugh out of the girls when I said that I walked into the kitchen instead of the bathroom. The cook found it funny too. See?? I'm clumsy. Told ya...
(5)
Deb E.
Not amazing but not bad. Used to my shanghai style fix in nyc but this was ok for Boston. Kept it simple with two orders if xlb(crab & pork) and an order of pan fried noodles with beef thought about scallion pancakes but way over priced at $5.95. Xlb was hot - no lettuce on base of steamers so challenging to remove without ripping the soup dumplings. Broth was flavorful but not as unctuously porky as the ones at shanghai cafe in nyc. Pan fried noodles: skimpy on the noodles for the price - ok flavor - I'd call these average. Bonus points for hot tea, friendly service and no line on a Saturday at noon.
(3)
Daniel L.
I don't know why they only got 3 1/2 stars review. I stumbled on this place by accident. Their dishes are really good. I tried the xiao-long bao, duck bun and beef noodles. The price is reasonable too.
(5)
Ivy T.
Interesting when we had to share the table. The dumplings were slightly too big. We got the pork and crab along with pork and mushroom. Both pretty good, but hard to eat due to the size. Dipping sauce was really good and loved how they out in slivers in fresh ginger. We ordered winter melon stir fry which was light to eat and pretty good.
(4)
Ale P.
Small little joint in Chinatown where you can get some pretty good eats. Stopped here for lunch twice recently when I was visiting family in Boston and was quite impressed. I do recommend ordering the XLB, or xiao long bao, also known as soup dumplings! They were flavorful and tasty on both occasions. Though I think the wrapper could've been a little thinner. We also got the Taiwanese style spicy eggplant. First time: amazing! Second time: wayyyy too sweet. So they might have a little consistency issue there. Which is a shame since I would've given this place 5 stars... We also ordered some salt and pepper squid, which was really good. And the Taiwanese noodles stir fried with seafood was very tasty. I would definitely stop by whenever I visit Boston again!
(4)
Amy L.
I don't like to post negative reviews but the way this place handled my order made me. I was looking for some Asian dinner takeout when I walked around the area the other day. A first timer to the place, I read their menu and asked the guy at the counter about a couple of dishes and told him the names of a couple of dishes I was interested in. When I reached the end of the menu, I asked the guy how many dishes were already on his list and whether he could repeat the names of the dishes so that I could place my order. Instead of going over the list of the dishes, this guy printed out a credit card charge slip and said, "sign it and I will tell you what you have ordered." What?! I told him that I had not decided yet and need to know what is on his list. He insisted that I must sign the slip to pay him before telling me what is on my list. Then another woman said that all of the items had been sent to the kitchen as I spoke with the guy early on and nothing could be cancelled at that moment. She also said that if the take out order was placed over the phone, they will repeat the order to the customer but since I was at the store, they did not have to. I was tired and did not want to pick up an unnecessary argument. So I signed the slip, which was almost $50 for a single take-out dinner. Now coming to the food part: They are mediocre to the most if not totally disappointment. I can make better dishes or at least use the right ingredient to make the Fuqi Feipian. To sum up, the food would get a 3 star and the service and attitude get them a 2 star deduction. Conclusion: Try the Malaysian place next door, Penang. Much better food for the price and no coercive sale tactics.
(1)
Karan R M.
Oh, Dumpling cafe how I've missed you these past few months. This was my go to chinese place when I worked in Downtown Boston. I remember being here during graduate school but I was reintroduced to the place by a colleague. The best thing about this place is their ability to customize your food. I gave them specific instructions on how I want my food cooked and it was presented to me exactly the way I wanted. Also, their ability to multi-task even in a huge customer crowd is awesome. I'd recommend this place highly.
(4)
Elica I.
My husband & I love their soup dumplings & yeung chow fried rice! I do like some of their other dishes, too, but these two dishes are always good. Service is like any other Chinese restaurant. Definitely not a 5-star service. I only gave 4 stars as they changed their jelly-fish & garlic dish ... not sure what happened, but I was really sad when this particular dish was no longer palatable.
(4)
Lillian C.
Came here with a group of friends on a Thursday. It was pretty full, but we didn't have to wait too long for a seat. I like ordering family style and sharing so I can try different dishes and that's what we did. We ordered: XLB: very big, hot, and juicy. I liked the flavor, but thought the dough was a little too thick. Flounder hot pot: very flavorful. Not too spicy, went well with the rice Stir fried string beans: lacking flavor and was just OK Mushroom and bok choy: very fresh vegetables and I liked the gravy on the vegetables Spicy intestine and pig blood hot pot: A little disappointed in this dish... was lacking in flavor, items, and the sauce just way too thick A pork dish: This was a tangy pork chop dish... one of the best things I ate that night. Pork was very well cooked and the sauce was so tasty. For the price and quality and quantity you get for this place I'm definitely a fan! I'm already counting the days until I can go back...
(4)
Harsha G.
The service was horrible. The waitress even asked for a higher tip when we were leaving.
(1)
Gigi H.
Our usual favorite Gourmet Dumpling House had way too long of a wait tonight so we thought we would give DC a try, that wasn't a good idea. It's not that the food was gross or anything, just not as good as our favorite. We ordered the exact same food here as we do there just to compare. The two restaurants are supposed to be owned by the same people that own GDH but the chefs are definitely different. First we ordered Taiwanese Hot and Sour. The soup was a miss. It had too much cornstarch and resembled snot and had too much salt and not enough vinegar. I also like my hot and sour to have a bit of black pepper and/or white pepper but this soup was seriously lacking. I was able to have a couple of sips after adding half a cup of hot tea to it. The next dish was pork with bamboo tips; again, too much cornstarch. The meat wasn't finely shredded like I prefer. I make a much better version of this dish at home. Finally our order of pork and leek pan-fried dumpling came out. While I did enjoy seeing large pieces of leek on the inside, the dumpling itself was not crispy at all, only a small area of it was actually fried and the rest was soggy. The dipping sauce did not have shreds of ginger like GDH and could use more seasoning considering how bland the filling was. We also ordered some scallion pancakes. I like that they weren't as greasy as GDH BUT they were really lacking in flavor and the dipping sauce that accompanied them did nothing to make them taste better. In fact, it was the same dipping sauce as the dumpling sauce. They are supposed to be different. At GDH, the sauce that is served with the dumplings as lots of ginger in it but the sauce for the pancakes has lots of coriander, which gives a fresh flavor to the oily pancakes. We won't be eating here again.
(2)
Will C.
I prefer this place if I am in the mood for mini-juicy dumplings in Chinatown. I don't like waiting in line for the other place so I come here instead. Mini juicy dumplings are great here, hint of ginger and juicy. As for some of the other dishes, I'd recommend to sticking with the basics like lo mein or fried rice. The other dishes are alright.
(4)
Iaroslav M.
just had lunch here. Food is good,but service is horrible. I work in the industry and i expect the service to be good no matter how cheap or expensive the food is.After the waitress took my order and brought my food -She didn't said a word bringing my soup (ok,ill take it),then bringing my main meal she just put the plate on the table and walked away. How rude!im your customer, not an animal. Even if your English is sucked just say basic"enjoy" or "here you are".I didn't expect her to check on my meal of course (not existing thing in 99% of Asian restaurants ).On the top of her performance she brings me my bill while im still in the middle of eating without saying anything. I don't know who would tip her on the service like that. Doesn't she realize that tips are her income?Ill stop by for take out only.Maybe.
(2)
Eric C.
I was eager to introduce the SO to something different within the Chinese restaurant world but didn't really know where to start within the Boston Chinatown. We found this place called the dumpling cafe so we figured we would try it out. For those of you who do speak Chinese and are looking for a place to go they speak Mandarin. As per my norm, I quite frankly ordered way to too much but I really just wanted him to try everything! We got the Xiao Long Baos that surprisingly still had the soup in them. They were piping hot but once sufficiently cooled were a burst of flavor in each mouth. Do you know how to eat these? you should first carefully pick them up with your chopsticks to prevent them from bursting. Bite off the top so they can cool and pour some of the vinegar and ginger sauce inside and eat it. You'll think you've died and gone to Shanghai. The next dish was the salt and pepper pork. Easily a favorite for anyone coming in. They have west lake beef soup as well but unfortunately the SO hates cilantro because of the weird genetic issue making it taste like soap. This was followed by a giant clay pot with mifun and lobster... more of a soup than what I was expecting but delicious nonetheless. This is a solid 4 stars. Not OMG I gotta have it but definitely a solid place to introduce a friend to real-er Chinese food. Parking across the street in the garage =)
(4)
Wen-fai F.
This is my go-to place for soup dumplings (xiao lung bao) in Boston. The skin is incredibly thin, soup incredibly flavorful, and the meat is well-seasoned. I take my Chinese friends and family who are out of town to Dumpling Cafe and it never disappoints. Their pan-fried dumplings are also terrific. I've tried many other dishes here, noodles, oyster pancakes, vegetables, tofu dishes. Everything is decent but nothing I've had is a real stand-out other than the dumplings. One thing I really liked was the oyster pancake with gravy. Prepare to share this though, as it is pretty oily! I like that Dumpling Cafe never has an absurdly long wait; the longest I've had to wait is 30 minutes, and that was with a party of 8 people on a Saturday night. As far as service, it is a little difficult to get the attention of the wait staff during peak hours. I've had to go up to the register to pay the bill before because it took so long for someone to come to our table. I really don't mind that though.
(4)
Jimmy B.
When I'm drunk, I think of this heavenly oasis in the middle of the night. Absolutely delicious when flat-out drunk, although to be fair, I've been here when I was "fairly" sober at the end of the night, and the food was STILL amazing. As all the other, numerous reviews have said, you MUST get their xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Any will do - go with crab, pork, hell, just go crazy and order two of each. For beginners not understanding the craze of soup buns - they are basically bigger dumplings with delicious broth inside. You bite off the top, drink the soup (careful, it's scorching hot!) and then add some black vinegar and ginger and munch away to your heart's delight. Absolutely amazing! As a side note, their flat noodles w/ beef is also very good! A nice complement to the soupy buns, so it's worth a try. And a side side note - don't expect great service. The service staff have limited english and care only about bringing you food, getting your money, and clearing your table all within 5 minutes if they could. Which, in most cases, isn't bad, but don't expect any memorable drunk conversations with the staff. At the very least, there's plenty of other drunk patrons that can fill up that void if need be (these conversations make great stories, trust me).
(5)
Al G.
Make sure the lobster is cooked. It was jelly like...we asked for it to be cooked some more...then got attitude from the head guy and reheated (still jelly clear) lobster. The biggest issue was the overall filthyness overall. Try other options first.
(1)
Celin W.
3.5 stars. Tried two dishes here. The shanghai soup dumplings (xiao long bao) which was very good! Rich, juicy, the skin wasn't too thick, and very flavorful. Tasted very legtimate and I was impressed. A 4 star kind of soup dumpling. I think it's slightly (very marginally) better than dumpling house and Taiwan's cafe soup dumplings, BUT so slight that I'm good with eating at the other two places too. Also had the shui zu yu (hot sauce fish / szechuan fish). While it came in an impressive metal bowl with a small fire at the bottom, it really was not that tasty. Here I can firmly say that dumpling house (cambridge)'s fish is much better. Gourmet dumpling's fish is also better. The fish here wasn't bad by any means, decent, though overcooked (too soft), just lacking in the szechuan punch. Hence reducing the rating to 3.5 instead of 4. For those who know Han Dynasty, Han's fish is definitely way better. Again, Dumpling Cafe is very decent, service efficient , menu extensive, and looked very popular on Friday night. Not sure I would go back for anything else other than the xiao long bao.
(3)
Jake L.
4 stars for the soup dumplings alone (they'd surely be 5, but the rest of the experience just didn't quite deserve it)! Those were amazing, and we will definitely come back just for those. The rest of the food was average - I've had much better Chinese food (though I've had worse as well). I'd recommend coming for the dumplings though, I could definitely have made a meal out of them, and forgot about the Vegetable Lo Mein, Stir Fry Beef Noodles, Scallion Pancakes and Chicken Peking Style. None were bad by any means, but no stand-outs either. Also have to give props for taking my friend's severe peanut allergy into account. They were very accommodating.
(4)
Lester L.
The location is very convenient, but there are definitely reasons why this restaurant only had a handful of people during a weekday lunch hour: the food is mediocre, the ambience is questionable, and the service is horrible. The scallion pancakes had the texture of cardboard. The soup dumplings were below average, at best. The menu is uninspired and doesn't have anything interesting or new to offset the mediocre quality. The staff was, for some reason, compelled to blast teenie bopper hits at a volume a tad too loud to ignore. Finally, the waitstaff never returned after dropping off my food: the small cup of tea I was given went by too quickly, and I could have easily used 2-3 refills during the course of the meal. I will not return to this place and would not recommend it.
(1)
Lauren H.
(I think?) this is the only place in downtown Boston where you can get Xiao Long Bao. They're very tasty, most likely can rival New York's Chinatown dumplings. It's a small cramped space, but the table turnaround is quick so you're not waiting for long if it's crowded. In addition to having their Xiao Long Bao, I also had their Ox Tail soup which was great! Nice and collageny, just the way I like it. My S.O. at the time had their egg drop soup which he enjoyed, not much to note about anything else since we only came here for a quick snack. Well worth it though.
(5)
Clara L.
Communication fail on this visit. After I ordered my delicious dinner and spent the prerequisite $20 to make a credit card payment, they brought the bill and when I showed the plastic, they told me cash only. Machine broken, no heads up, no signs on the door saying cash only, nada. Womp womp. Because I'm a jerk, I only had $15 in cash on me and I had to run out to get cash, which was super annoying. Delicious food still, but always be prepared to pay cash here is the lesson I'm taking from this visit
(2)
Emily A.
I'd been here once before when the line at GDH was too long. Got the soup dumplings and fried pork and leek dumplings and they were great-on par with anything else in Chinatown. And I was with my friends, having a great time, so in our good humor we kinda laughed off the bad service. Even when the waitress spilled water on me and my friends when refilling our glasses, and refused to speak to us or look us in the eye, we let it go. Didn't seem that bad. I couldn't really ignore the terrible service today. The food I had this time around was not good at all. Don't get the mango chicken. It's artificial tasting, too sweet, and doused with sauce. Also the bubble tea is icy. Obviously their specialty is the dumplings, so I don't hold it against them that my entree was subpar. Especially considering the size of their menu-it's hard to make 9 pages' worth of excellent, invariably delicious meals. Once again, the waitstaff was aloof, cold, and blatantly uninterested in common courtesy. I've never been the type to get mad at unfriendly waitresses. I don't expect them to crap rainbows or radiate warmth. But actual eye contact and verbal communication would be swell, so I know that they've heard me. TL;DR If you're gonna go, go in a good mood with a big group. And stick to the dishes they're famous for.
(2)
Elaina C.
great place! we stopped by on a thursday night around 9:30 PM and mostly all the other restaurants in Chinatown were closed but this one was bustling. It was packed and we even had to wait a few minutes. We got the chicken wonton soup which was great but the dumplings are AMAZING! we got the pork ones and the meat inside was so flavorful and tasty... I definitely recommend! reasonable prices as well
(4)
Tanya Y.
Fun fact. On a recent busy night we were seated at a larger round table with people we did not know. By the end of yet another amazing meal (btw. convinced that Dumpling Cafe has the best soupy dumplings in Chinatown!), the boyfriend and I became acquainted with a mirror image couple of us! We shared food, travel stories, and ended up talking with these strangers for an additional hour or so even after we were done with our meal. Cheers to good food and good company!
(4)
Yang L.
If there is a no star option, I will definitely choose that. The waitresses are very rude in this restaurant. And the food is just so so. I will never never go to this restaurant again....
(1)
Xiaowan W.
Food is just OK. I wanna talk about their service. Last time i signed the bill and paid about 14% tips, cause the service was pretty average or say " not good". The waitress who was about 40 years old, rushed to my dining table and forced me to resign the bill and said " the lowest should be 15% tips", then she still stood there supervised me pay her enough tips, collected my plates without asking my opinions. Wow, thats sooo low.
(1)
Andrew R.
Been here several times, and it's hit or miss. Sometimes the food is amazing, sometimes it's perfectly mediocre. I'd mention particular dishes, but I've felt this ambivalence about them too. It's good, and I haven't found better in Chinatown, but it's not amazing.
(3)
Judith M.
This place just continues to amaze with excellent food, fantastic staff and unbeatable prices. Every single thing we've ever ordered has come out fast, hot and DELICIOUS. I cannot get over how perfect their dumpling covers are, toothsome, tender, tantalizing. SO GOOD.
(5)
Jimmy H.
Bad service server was so rude never came back and checked our meal food was very good also asked for a coke then he came back and slamed the soda on the table i know some times others have a bad Day but never been treated so rudely..
(1)
M M.
My friend from Taiwan ordered for me, so I'm not sure exactly what the dishes were called, but I believe we had the pork soup dumpling. You nibble a hole in the dough and slurp out the incredibly rich broth...wow! Beef noodle soup had incredibly tender beef and rich, delicious broth. I stole a bite of a dish that looked like beef with chinese broccolli(?). Sorry to be scattered on the dishes, but I suspect that just about anything you get here is going to be great! The teacups are large and they left the teapot for us on the table. seating is elbow to elbow, but that's Chinatown - embrace it!
(4)
T D.
First time eating the pork soup dumplings (mini juicy pork buns/xiao long bao), and they were DELICIOUS. Somewhat of an art to eat and not burn your mouth or spill the delicious broth inside, but definitely worth it. My whole table just ordered the dumplings. 6 dumplings per order. One member of our party ordered 2 orders for himself, and he said he could have eaten more! Service was okay, and restaurant ambiance was typical Chinatown, but everything is quickly forgotten once the dumplings arrive.
(4)
Dan G.
Unfriendly staff, but what do you expect in Chinatown on a busy Friday night around 11? Anyways, the place is small, but we didn't have to wait for very long for a seat. You will most likely share a long table with others. Whatevs. We ordered the soup dumplings which were sooo delicious. I've never had them, but they are delicious little pouches filled with broth and spiced meat. LOVE it. We also ordered chicken terriyaki meatballs which we were surprised at how yummy they were and how much they give you, garnished with a green vegetable along the side. Yup, I will definitely go again when I am in the mood for dumplings but all the dim sum places are closed!
(4)
Wael B.
Food and dumpling were good. The bubble tea was okay. Only reason I gave it 3 stars the wait staff was rude and very slow and they messed up our orders twice. We had constantly flag them to order food and even ask for water that we didn't even get at the beginning when we sat in our table.
(3)
Shabby D.
This place is amazing. It makes up for ALL the terrible Chinese food places in this city. The soup dumplings are to die for and the eggplant with chicken is the most amazing dish I have ever eaten. The scalion pancakes, wontons and chicken low mein and also amazing!! I could eat here everyday. Aaaaammmaaazzzing food!!
(5)
Luigi S.
Basic. Ordinary hot and sour soup. blah dumplings. decent squid. busy weekend in town but felt like just going through the motions with the menu. good tea. friendly service
(2)
Francesco R.
Every time I come to Boston this is the place I wanna go first. I think today I have paid my 5 visita since Juky. Their food is scrumptious and compensate the rudeness of the service, the only reason why I didn't give them a 5 star rating. Who cares about the service when the food is great?!? Today we had chicken with eggplants, my favorite dish, different types of dumplings ( another must order dish) scallion pancakes, spring rolls and fried chicken all our orders were delicious
(4)
Andrew Q.
Good xiao long bao have become increasingly easy to find in America, but I love them all the same. Dumpling Cafe has shorter lines and still solid dumplings. Their other dishes are likewise solid. Prices are generous, though portions are surprisingly small for a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant has a crowded layout, and even saying that is being generous. I'm a skinny bastard, and I could barely squeeze past other tables to mine. Service is fine for me, but I speak Mandarin, so I might have in-roads. It's a bit difficult to get their attention though; I occasionally have to pull the potentially insulting hand wave. So it goes, I suppose. I like this place if only for the vastly shorter wait time. Solid food, but not necessarily my first choice in Boston's rather saturated Chinatown.
(4)
Wei S.
Went there yesterday afternoon around 4pm. It was not busy. Waiter was okay and the food is fine. Juicy buns tasted a little bit sour which are not suppose to be like that. But the hostess in pink was terrible! She sat by the dinning table for the entire time playing her phone. She saw us after we entered the restaurant, but she decided to stick her butt there and not to greet us. We thought she was a customer at the very beginning. The same thing happened to another couple too. No body in the restaurant helped so they got had to find the table by themselves. It's not a welcoming restaurant.
(2)
Sophie P.
Great dumplings!!! It's not much of an experience here, well what can you expect when it's in Chinatown? The servers are really quick in taking your order and bringing out the food. Things to get: Pork and leek soup dumplings Pork buns (not like modern pork buns between a fluffy bun but in a twisted top dumpling) Both for only $14! Hard to find deals like this in Boston.
(3)
Luci N.
Went here last night for food and boy was it delicious! Scallion pancake is not oily and the mayo shrimp was the best I've ever they put the right amount of mayo I love it and will come back for more food!
(5)
Jiyea C.
Yummy xiao long bao. DO NOT GET BOBA HERE. IT IS POWDERY AND GROSS. These are the only two things I tried here so I can't on much else. Service was kind of inattentive, but it wasn't bad.
(4)
Isabella G.
Don't get me wrong the food is good, and always fresh. But the customer service is seriously lacking. The waiters are unfriendly and I always seem rushed when I go, whether if it's with a group or alone. Whenever I go in they always seem to have a problem taking cards, and it gets really annoying. I would consider this place cash only. But back to the food- I always get the wonton soup. It's very good! The broth is very flavorful, but light, and amazingly clear for the flavor it has! It also has raw spinach that has become freshly wilted from the warm broth, so it's still a little crunchy. Yeah, I'm into it. Oh! And the wontons themselves, are really good! The dumpling skin never breaks, and the stuffing has a lot of flavor as well. I would consider the prices fair, and even a little on the high side. I'm used to large portions at Chinese restaurants and really getting a bang out of your buck. But the portions aren't that large, especially if you want to dine family style. They have a good lunch combo deal though!
(3)
Meghan S.
SERVICE IS HORRIBLE! I have never had such rude waitresses as I did here. Food was okay, but the experience makes me never want to come back.
(1)
Chris M.
I really wish metro Detroit was a dumpling town but while I wait for this to happen I have Dumpling Cafe in Boston. Steamed or Fried, simple or crazy they have them all. They have a very large menu with just about everything on it. Be prepared to wait and when you are seated be ready to make friends because they pack you into whatever seat is open. Only downside is that the place is a bit warm but its a small price to pay for a great soup dumpling.
(5)
Megan D.
The mini juicy buns with pork. That is all. Nothing else matters.
(5)
Andrea B.
Don't come between me and my soup dumplings, unless you want to die. Is that an exaggeration? Not really. I may be a huge slob when I eat them, but regardless, I mean business! Day or night, there is no time that I will say no to a soup dumpling invite. I don't care if it is 80 degrees out and I just came from an intense workout, I will still want soup dumplings! And yes, I have done that, by the way. They are the most wondrous things that I went far too long without ever trying. And let me tell you, Dumpling Cafe is where you want to go to pop your soup dumpling cherry. It's seemingly always busy, and it is open until 2 A.M., in case you live nearby and get a craving. Thanks to some expert guidance from Annie C (thanks, girl!), I got a crash course in soup dumpling consumption. Place a dumpling on your spoon with the pair of tongs that are provided. Add soy sauce if desired (I personally feel like the dumplings are tasty enough that any additional sauces are rendered unnecessary). Then, take a tiny bite out of your dumpling so that you can slurp out the soup from inside! Be careful, it is HOT!! You will probably find that the soup is so delicious that you want to gobble the whole dumpling up in one bite, but I don't recommend it. Your poor burnt tongue and mouth will not thank you. Then, once the soup slurping is complete, you can proceed to eat the outside of the dumpling, as well as the meat. That's the part where I tend to get sloppy. But they're so good that I want to get them in my mouth (and belly) as fast as I possibly can, so manners tend to fly out the window. I've tried the pork soup dumplings and the ones with pork and crab meat, and found that I prefer the former. The crab meat didn't really do much to add to the flavor. All of the above may seem obvious to you, but as a total newbie, that lesson was much appreciated! I've tried a variety of other dishes here, none of which were all that memorable by comparison (except the scallion pancakes, which are excellent). Everything is reasonably priced, and more than reasonably delicious, so Dumpling Cafe has quickly become my favorite spot in Chinatown. Oh, and random tip for people who are like me and prefer to pay with plastic at restaurants - they accept credit cards, but if you're looking to split the bill, they won't divide it up between more than two cards. Plan accordingly. Bring cash if you're with a bigger party!
(5)
Ann K.
Mini juicy pork buns = mini juicy pork bombs! They are packed with so much flavor, and if you're not careful, they'll explode and gush everywhere. Get the buns. Delicious. The 'special mustard greens with edamame bean curd sheet' is also a nice salty treat. And bacon lovers, try the grilled pork teriyaki, which is essentially fat, juicy bacon on a stick!
(5)
Pat F.
I like to go there for the juicy steam dumpling, and pork chop noodle. Went there a few times with my friends. The atmosphere was fine, food was good, but the service was terrible. The wait staffs were so rude, and not very helpful.
(2)
Gyumin L.
Their food was okay, but okay does not mean it's great. It was average for a Chinese restaurant. One thing I want to mention here is their horrible service. My waitress was very unpleasant, seemed like she was very irritated at something which made my last couple hours in Boston very uncomfortable. She did not even smile once, and she kept talking to me in Chinese even though I told her that I do not understand her and constantly answered her back in English. It is usually understandable situation, especially at busy Chinese restaurant, but her impoliteness was just enough to make me feel horrible and go sign up for Yelp to write a review. Tea was never refilled, bill was given even before I finish the half of my dumplings, then forced me to move my stuff over; I know, I can definitely do that, not a big deal, but she could ask me first instead of just bringing people in without a word. I'm definitely not going to recommend this restaurant to anyone, and I believe no one deserves this kind of service.
(1)
Seth C.
Seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the service here. To borrow a phrase: Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown. I've eaten at a lot of the little spots in Chinatown, and the service is usually indifferent at best. Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't really know. Luckily there's an easy solution to this problem: Order the soup dumplings. You're at Dumpling Cafe, after all. ...although they're called something like "mini juicy buns" on the menu. While you are eating these ungodly delicious dumplings, you will cease to care about the level of service, or about anything else in the world. Except how badly you've just burnt your mouth maybe, so either be patient and careful, or suck it up and flag down that inattentive waitress for more water and beer. Fewer and shorter waits for a table than at Gourmet Dumpling House. Calibrate your expectations about service and atmosphere, and order correctly, and you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Idy T.
For a restaurant named Dumpling Cafe, it is surprising that dumpling selections only consisted a small part of the menu. Nevertheless, the dumpling is so good and juicy! I tried the xiao lung bao, pan seared dumpling, and taiwanese sausage. The xiao lung bao was so juicy! The skin for the dumpling with thin and perfect. I don't like it when the skin is too thick. The juice in the xiao lung bao was full of flavor. It was really delicious. The pan seared dumpling was also pretty good. But I wished that they seared the dumpling a little more. I like it when it is a little crispier. The taiwanese sausage is also really good. I like taiwanese sausage because it is a little on the sweeter side in comparison to chinese sausages. The service here is not that great but it is what one expects eating at a Chinese restaurant. I would come back again for their xiao lung bao. I highly recommend it. But be careful to not burn your tongue when you eat it because when it is fresh out of the steamer, it is super hot!
(4)
Michelle C.
Updated review: Another bad experience at Dumpling Cafe. The vegetable dumplings, stuffed only with a chopped green veg., were tasteless. But they did have an unexpected crunch--of sand or grit. Apparently the greens had not been washed. The waitress offered to exchange these dumplings for chicken dumplings, but the mgr. vetoed this gracious offer. Poor customer relations. BTW, the tea is just yellow water, and the soup had no taste except salty. I don't understand why this restaurant is so popular. First review: The roast beef pancake looked so good at the next table - golden brown, looked crispy. But the 'roast beef" was inedible. It was all gristle. I complained to the waitress, who referred me to the cashier. She apologized, said something like it was an unusual occurrence. No offer to waive the cost. Then she short-changed me a few cents. After I asked to see the bill, she gave me the rest of the change.
(1)
Donna S.
I love the mini juicy pork buns and will eat the entire order myself. Service is not the greatest but the prices and food make up for it. Other good options are the noodles with minced pork in black bean sauce
(4)
Collins F.
My Taiwanese friend swears by this place. The food is quick, good, hot, tastey and has a great price. I usually get the dumplings and some rice with a beer. I wish they had a full bar, but I'll take it. It's location is great because you can find some watering holes near by after for a night cap. I love that I never feel full after eating here - meaning more room for adult beverages.
(4)
Mary T.
I have been here a couple of times and ordered their xiao lung bao (soup dumplings), dumplings, and other items on their menu. I like all of the items that I have tried so far. The beef noodle soup is one of the best in Chinatown. The crab meat xiao long bao is very fresh and juicy. The service is not bad either. This is my go-to place for late night cravings of chinese food!
(4)
Patrick C.
One of the better places in Chinatown for soup dumplings. The food here is very good, but god almighty is the service absolutely abysmal. With waitresses walking away as they take your order, taking the order incorrectly, never checking up/refilling drunks, and picking up plates as you're still eating, be ready for a pretty awful service experience. I've tried very hard to like this place, but the two times I've been here, the service has been consistently bad.
(3)
Kirsti G.
My husband & I decided to try Dumpling Cafe after we had heard from our friends over and over again about how good it was. We were searching for some NYC worthy soup dumplings & this is the spot! They were very good, much better than we had tried at other places in Chinatown. We also got the stir-fried beef & veg noodles, they were just as good or even better than the dumplings! Would definitely recommend anyone who is visiting to order the noodles. 4 stars because the service was poor.
(4)
Francisca W.
heard mixed reviews about this place and, as someone who usually errs on the safe side, never was tempted to try -- especially when there are already TWO known places within a single foot hop distance that guarantee good quality of similar food. but since a friend who has been was recommending, the adventurous spirit in me agreed to give it a shot. sat down and instantly wanted to complain about a waitress (it so appears they work as a team without dedicated tables). the 3 of us were seated at a table of 4 but all the tables were flushed against each other to make a super long table. there was a group of 2 sitting next to us at another 4-seater. friend decided to ask if she could put her pocketbook on the empty chair next to this couple instead of putting it on our 4th empty seat. the couple agreed graciously, but I don't know what this waitress was staring at her for, even trying to glance into her bag...maybe see what valuables in there that made her need to keep it close? regardless, it's none of your biz, and that nasty expression on your face did not make a good first impression. don't you worry, when this couple leaves, I'll make sure I grab my friend's bag back to our side so you can seat other customers. (Turned out we left first so kinda a moot point - her expression, that is.) then the same waitress came to take our order. i was glad that pretty much was the last time i had to deal with her. the other waitresses that came to our table afterwards was more friendly...probably a reason why they still got the usual tip. we were not hungry (after 4-6 ice cream at scooper bowl, one tends not to), so we ordered 2 things of dumplings, a hot and spicy soup, and a braised beef soup noodle. none of that impressed me. dumplings was bordering on tasteless; braised beef was not tender and flavor was ok (who knows if they're using packaged soup base?). the hot and spicy soup was probably good in the winter time as it was soooo spicy it made us all sweat and killed all our tastebuds -- maybe that's how it's supposed to be so i'm not complaining. i just got a soda and soldiered on. place was starting to fill up even for a week night...i see why they had to do that long table setup (fit one more table at the end to generate more revenue;.flexible for bigger parties), but i don't really appreciate that. I know the other two dumpling places are cramped in their own ways, but at least I would suck it up and return for their food. this one...between the wait staff attitude and food quality, i'm not quite sure when, if ever.
(3)
Shin M.
My family comes here every time we visit my sister in Boston. We always order a lot of food because there's so many of us. I'm an ABT so I don't know the names of most things so I will just put what I can remember. Ching Tsai- it's good, but it needs more oyster sauce! Xiao long bao- This is pretty good, especially with the vinegar/soy sauce! There was some kind of fried lobster dish... the seasoning was really good Beef chow fun- not much taste to it but I still loved the texture of the flat noodles That's all I can really remember and name off the top of my head... Every time we come, we have reservations but it takes forever to get a table even with the reservation. They even sat us at a round table with 3 other people who were near finishing their meal... awkward.... they need to get this part straight. Also, my mom tipped a certain amount (don't remember how much, let's say $30) and the server went up to her and said "Hey, this is not X%, you need to tip 1 more dollar!".............................. REALLY???? You gotta chase after $1? And how rude of you to even ask??? I would've given this a 4 star for its food but it gets a 2 star because of the poor reservation process and that extremely rude server.
(2)
Stefan B.
Really good for being in Boston. Boston just seems super white and I was shocked they even had a place for xiao long bao here... Din Tai Fung is better. The broth tastes kinda... Less brothy and more soupy here than dtf. Like they added salt or powder or something to this one. Plus the skin is a little too thick. But it's still good. It will appease your cravings. Plus I think they put more soup here. The dtf ones are more delicate. Stingy with black vinegar and ginger... Service is meh but it's a popular Chinese place... Popular places are bad service and Asians always have bad service (as an Asian I can say this) Totally exceeded my expectations :+) I thought boston was just white people who like dunkin donuts and red Sox and patriots... I mean it still is but they have this! Pro Lots of soup Good xlb for being in bawston Con Not as good as dtf (soup inside taste less natural) Service meh (but popular + Asian is not a good combo so you should know this) Wait (only 5 mins when I was there but it can be bad)
(4)
Monique S.
I came here with a friend who ordered everything. We had rice noodles, with chicken, a variant of spinach, and soup dumplings. She made great choices and was able to communicate in the same language as the waiters with ease. The food came out quickly and was very filling. As I ate my lunch, I realized I was there before. This place stays open, and I ended up here after midnight one night. I was not happy with the sesame chicken I had that time, but this time made up for it all.
(4)
Raymond M.
The service blows, it's Chinatown. If you expect it you'll only be disappointed. So brush that aside as they brush you aside (see what I did there?) and you will be ok. Focus on the food! I always get the mini juicy pork buns. They're supposed to be a bun but most people see it as a dumpling. Sometimes I get two orders along with a few other things. I have the most experience with the Szechuan Style Founder and those juicy bun/dumplings. I like the fish, it goes well with a side of white rice. I've been to a few places that make this I don't have a preference but the sauce base is more liquidy than other places that make it thicker. I'm not into the soupy part of it as I only eat the fish and the peppers so it doesn't bother me. Careful with the juicy buns when hot. It's like molten lava if you attempt to eat it whole or even just suck up the juices. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before attempting to eat. Most important part!! Don't tear the skin! it'll all leak out and it won't be the same! Put it on the soup spoon they give you and you now have a choice to make. Either bite a small hole in the side of it and suck the juices out and then eat the dumpling or just put the whole thing in your mouth like a savage and munch away! It'll be like a big gusher and this is why it's important it's not scalding hot anymore because if it is, you're gonna have a bad time.
(4)
Alex A.
Last time I went out to this place with two friends, we consumed something like 12 orders of soup pork buns between the three of us. No shit. Seriously, this place is great. To this day, I don't understand why there isn't a crowd of people numbering in the hundreds gathered outside this place every day, cheering each time the doors open. It's seriously that good, and if you know anything about Chinese food in Boston, you owe it to yourself to go here and pig out like a disgusting piece of shit at least once. It's sort of a rite of passage.
(5)
Erin T.
3.5 stars The food is ok. The only reason I come to this place is because their juicy dumplings. I can't say much for other dishes but the last time I had the "house special clams & pork w/chives" and "spicy calamari" they are a bit salty for my taste( so is the juicy dumplings) I would come back but not as much as I would like since I am not a big fan of "sharing table" with strangers.
(3)
Paul W.
The soup dumplings are to die for!
(5)
Jason B.
Dumpling Cafe: widely regarded as the best restaurant for soup dumplings in Boston. This would be reason enough to come here. But fortunately for us, there is a whole menu full of stuff here that constitutes "reasons to come to Dumpling Cafe"! They'll accommodate a whole group of folks for a birthday dinner, which is good, because Dumpling Cafe was where we went for my recent 3X'th birthday (which is what I'm calling it now.) The beef with longhorn peppers is a huge win, especially combined with scallion panckaes. The vegetables & garlic are fantastic, the oyster pancake...my god, I sound like Emily G. That's for good reason - we let her order for the table when we came here because she knows her Dumpling Cafe! Soup dumplings with black vinegar are the winningest of winnings. I don't know how to be more effusive with my praise of the lovely food here, so I'll compliment the servers - they're attentive and quick with refills of the lovely giant cans of Sapporo. Hooray for Chinatown!
(5)
Kimberly Y.
We have been here several times now. The food is pretty good. The service OK, which is pretty high for Chinatown standards. We mainly come here for the XLB which we like better than the other XLB place in Chinatown. They also have some good rice plate deals like the pork chop over rice and chicken drumstick and thigh over rice that is reminiscent of a whole in wall place I used to frequent in NYC's Chinatown that is no longer there. But this place is much cleaner! Good food and good prices. Can't beat that!
(3)
Joyce D.
If I could give this place no stars, I would! This has got to be the worst restaurant I have ever been to! The food was not great and it was very oily. The service was horrible and the waitresses were very rude. No one wanted to give recommendations as to what to eat. You're probably wondering...so why did you stay? Well, it was late and we were tired from walking all day and this was one of the closest places open near out hotel. Anyway, we ordered the rice with egg, noodles with chicken and various dumplings. The waitress took her time taking our order and then it took longer for the food to come out. The food when it arrived did not look that appealing. The noodles were oily and the rice was still a bit hard. The dumplings were okay, but the waitress did not tell us which was which and she gave us our dumpling sauce late. The place is somewhat clean. It looks very run down and could use an upgrade. The customer service is beyond horrible! The waitresses are not helpful and they even tip themselves! I bet they do that because of how horrible their service is! You know what, I should have crossed it out and put a big fat zero and gave them a real tip... "treat your customers well for money tips!".
(1)
Todd K.
there are so many amazing restaurants in Chinatown. This is not one of them. I must have picked a bad day on Tuesday. The ma po tofu was almost inedible. Not sure what the vintage was of the gelatinous, too salty, very nasty sauce, but it took a day to get the taste from my tongue. This was not some local specialty, as I've had ma po tofu in many different restaurants many times before and didn't think that it was something that could be mangled, but they did. I wouldn't describe it as spicy, it was simply gross. The dumplings were mediocre - not thoroughly steamed and as a result, crunchy at some of the seams, and nothing special. Service was disengaged - they never came by to ask how it was.
(1)
Emily G.
The soup dumplings are still the best, but I'd be remiss if I didn't update my review to talk about all the other things Dumpling Cafe does well. That's right, this place ain't no one trick pony, almost everything on the menu is a winner. If you found yourself dining with weirdos who didn't want XLB, order some twice cooked pork, beef with longhorn peppers, flounder in chili sauce, mixed vegetables with garlic, pork and leek dumplings, the Taiwan style rice cake, the oyster pancake with gravy (plus a steamer of soup dumplings for yourself), and some tallboys of Sapporo so everyone will leave happy and full. Then you can go find new friends - friends who don't say ridiculous things like "no soup dumplings."
(5)
Zhongbing Q.
Just let you know, this restaurant charged 18%Tips by theirselves without a warning. The service is absolutely no good, never ask what else do you need and even not full fill your water. The last thing, be careful with the back of your credit card, one waiter there like turn your card over even he is not the guy charge for money. The restaurant has the in front desk person do the payment, I was ask him what is so interesting and why you need look the back of my card? (If it is the signature, I think it is the business for the in front desk person)
(1)
Jessica W.
I've tried Dumpling Cafe, Taiwan Cafe, and Gourmet Dumpling House. I LOVED Dumpling Cafe. The soup dumplings were actually better than Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. The skin was much thinner!!!! However, I thought the actual meat and soup in the soup dumplings were a little salty.. but still the best I've had in Boston! We also got the beef wrapped in scallion pancakes which was even better than taiwan cafe. The scallion pancake is less oily, but still just as delicious. We also got the pork over rice dish which was really good as well. Will definitely be stopping by this when I'm craving my Taiwanese dishes next time :)
(5)
Kandi A.
I came strictly for the dumplings at this place. The veggie were to die for and then my life was forever changed when I tried my first soup dumpling. I will never be the same. Also ordered satay chicken and veggies. It was pretty good but over salted. That's the only downfall of this place.
(4)
Jillian W.
I came here for lunch with my mother on a weekday around 1PM. I have to say that this is the worst restaurant in Chinatown. The restaurant wasn't that busy and yet the service was still unacceptable. Not only that, the food wasn't that good either. We ordered soup dumplings and it came out in literary a couple of minutes after ordering. Usually it takes around 15 to 20 minutes to make so you know that something was not right. Also, the waitress didn't give us any sauce for it and when we asked for it, she rolled her eyes and walked away and brought it to us. You know the dumplings comes with it so don't act like we're asking for something extra. 10 minutes into lunch the dumplings became cold and inedible. We also ordered a mustard green and pork soup dish with rice cake. They cooked it instead of putting it in soup. We tried to explain that we ordered the soup version but she again scoffed at it and said that we didn't order it that way. Seriously, what the f*** is her problem?? So we just finished our meal (not enjoyable at all) and paid the bill. Before leaving we put the tip on the table and immediately our waitress came over and grabbed it on the spot and left! No thank you, no smile, nothing! Can I say what a total b****? That was the only time she actually moved fast. Yeah...not coming back even if you offer to treat. To the "waitress", if you don't like your job, just quit, nobody is forcing you to stay there. You want the money, you have to EARN it. Would not waste time and money with this restaurant. If you want dumplings, I would just over another 5 minutes to either Gourmet Dumpling or Taiwan Cafe.
(1)
Madelyn Y.
The juicy pork buns are to DIE for! I was introduced to this place and he told me to dip the bun into the sauce and place it on your spoon. Bite the top off slightly so you can air out the bun and sip on the soup that is on the inside. DELICIOUS! Other than that, I don't quite remember anything else that's why I gave it a 3 stars. If I had to rate the bun alone it would have been 5 stars. :D
(3)
Graceypoo M.
one of my favorite places to get XLBs soup and filling are both flavorful. If you order to go, they make sure to enclose the ginger dipping sauce. the crab rangoon is freshly made and the filling has more complex flavor than just plain cream cheese with imitation crab. They add some seasonings that add an extra special-ness to the rangoon. the beef scallion pancake is not that great.... so I just stick to the XLBs. tip: minimum $20 for credit card use and no more than 2 credit cards when splitting the bill. there is an ATM across the street near tufts. It's always better to pay in cash!
(4)
Madeleine Q.
Great soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and other Taiwanese dishes! I recommend getting the pork and not pork + crab meat. They do not add any crabmeat inside the soup dumplings and you end up paying extra for a speckle of orange-ish crab meat on top. They also have great shrimp, egg and tomato dish, a great selection of Chinese vegetables, eggplant in black bean sauce, and fancy spicy fish stew. Even with a large group, we are seated within 15-20 minutes on a busy day. They are quick and efficient. This is far better than the dumpling house in Cambridge.
(4)
Lily Z.
The service is the only thing I complain about. The waiters could be a little more friendly, and less rushed. The food here is so good and comforting. I traveled tip Hangzhou a couple years back and ate xiao long bao. Dumpling Cafe is the closest thing to Hangzhou ive eaten since that trip. They're so good and I recommend the pork with crab xlb because the crab adds extra flavor. Just be careful because the soup is so hot. Also, order them first because they take longer to cook. The pan fried noodles with beef are also delicious. The crispy noodles with the sauce are so so good, and the texture is great too. I haven't tried the other meats because I love the sauce on the beef. (Not sure if its the same for chicken and seafood.) Their chicken with asparagus in satay sauce is the only other thing I tried here and it's delicious as well. The asparagus is the huge stalk kind, but its not too bad. The sauce and chicken is what is the yummy part. The chicken is moist and not rubbery at all. Give this place a chance!! Just make sure to get ginger in the shoyu sauce for the dumplings. Only lost a star because of service
(4)
Vicky H.
I've tried this place many times. The food isn't always consistent so sometimes it's great while other times it's just bleh. I like coming here because their prices are more reasonable then others, plus they take credit card, which also helps. I've had many of their dishes: xiao long boa (reg and crab based) -- prefer the crab based. pork and leek dumplings - tastes better pan fried. veggie dumplings spicy beef noodle soup Taiwan Style Hot And Sour Soup -- this was good, the perfect amount of hotness. pork and green mustard with nin go - this is one of my fave dishes. strips of pork with mustard green stir fried with nin go. salt fish and diced chicken fried rice yang chow fried rice Sauteed Julienned Dried Bean Curd with chinese celery & peppers - there wasn't much bean curd in it which was somewhat of a disappointment. There was more sauce then veggies. (spicy) -- it said it was but i didn't feel much difference. Ma Po Tofu- vegetarian - this was a really nice dish. I liked it more than the Julienned bean curd. (spicy) -- where was the spice? next time i will know to ask them to add more spice to it. Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant - we ordered this but i don't think people liked it as much as they thought. There were still several pieces left. Perhaps they were too full to finish it. I didn't try it since I am not a huge fan of eggplants. One of my fav's is the xiao long boa because it's steaming hot and the juice inside tastes so good. You'd just have to be extra careful because it literally squirts out and can hit another person. PLUS, often it's super hot so you don't want to burn your tongue and not be able to eat anything else. The only thing i do not really care for, is the service. Much like many places in Chinatown, if you're a "westerner" you will feel that service is somewhat lousy and subpar. But, if you're used to this because you're an "easterner" then it's easier to accept that this is just how it is and that isn't going to change. This is no P.F. Chang's, that's for sure. If service was a bit better, I can definitely see a 4 Star. I will still continue to come here though - because it's one of a few places that opens late and the food isn't crazy greasy.
(3)
Kevin C.
I have been to almost every restaurant in Chinatown, and this one is the best by far! It is very cheap, the service is lightning fast, and all the dishes are impressively authentic and delicious. Perfect for late night, stays open way into the early hours beb. The mini juicy dumplings with pork and the duck buns are insane, I think I had them four times one week.
(5)
Di L.
Soup dumplings...*gurgle drool gurgle*... If Dumpling Cafe, no, if CHINATOWN served nothing but these babies, I would be wholly satisfied with my Chinese food experience in Boston. Ever since I sank my wee baby teeth into my first paper-thin xiao long bao wrapper and sucked out the rich, meaty dumpling soup, I've been in love. And when I moved to Boston, one of my top priorities was to find excellent soup dumplings to satisfy my intense and frequent cravings for them. For years, I scoured the city, frequenting restaurant after restaurant to no avail! Finally, I settled for the frozen packages at C-mart, which are actually quite good, and I thought I was satisfied. Then Dumpling Cafe opened. For me, they get five stars for their soup dumplings alone, but there is quite a bit more that this place has to offer. Dumpling Cafe offers a broad array of authentic Chinese dishes containing assorted meats and exotic vegetables showcased on a pristine menu unbesmirched by spell-check. I'm actually not a fan of their main dishes, but if you must get one, I recommend the ones with the strangest ingredients and/or the worst translation. I think their forte is definitely the appetizers and dumplings. The selection may be small, but each item is very well executed. Additionally, the restaurant itself is spacious and clean. The wait staff is quick and efficient, albeit not especially friendly (but this is Chinatown, folks. Come on.). They take reservations and cards, and serve alcohol into the late night hours. I also really like their complimentary tea. They serve you a large pot of this nutty, black tea that is different from the other restaurants, and is never over-steeped. I have to admit, I was initially skeptically, but now this restaurant is my go-to establishment for late-night Chinatown runs, which means that if it's 11pm and any of my friends mentions a) dumplings or b) Chinese food, we invariably end up here. It's definitely a great place to go to try something new, or to return to an old, comfortable favorite that tastes just like home.
(5)
Congyi F.
Worst Chinese food in the US I have ever had. Comparing to the food here, Panda Express is way to decent. And we found hair in the dishes. No words to describe how bad this is.
(1)
Steve L.
Unexpected GDH alternative! Discovering after a night of sport drinking that GDH was closed, followed some tourists into the Dumpling Cafe (DC?) for some fat and salt. Not sure if it was my state of mind, but the juicy pork dumplings were actually juicier than those at GDH, and certainly hit the spot. Only downside is that the ginger soy dipping sauce wasn't as pungent as that at its more renowned competitor, so overall quality felt similar. Service was fine - I went out of my way to be preemptively pushy about getting and paying for my food.
(4)
Paul B.
Great xio long bao!
(4)
Rachel L.
Came here after work, chose this place since the lady at Dumpling House shooed me away, again. Knew exactly, and had my heart set on the shredded beef with long horn pepper noodle soup. Entered, and there was a man, I assume worked there, sitting with his feet on a chair and with no shoes on. Lovely. Got seated. Placed our order, the noodle soup, mini pork dumpling, and shredded potato with pork. The soup was nice, had a good spicy kick to it and was flavorful. My date didn't really like the shredded potato with pork. Mini dumplings were okay. In the midst of eating, two other customers came in and was seated right next to us. Now let me say, the restaurant had soooooo many other seats opened. But no, the waitress had to put them right next to us. Made me really uncomfortable and it was pretty early on our meal. Quickly finished eating, paid and left. Somewhat to very hesitant to go back.
(2)
Nick C.
I'd review this place as good overall--perhaps not the best Chinese place in Boston, but a good one. We were a little disappointed with the dumpling portions and our inability to flag down the wait staff for more than 2 seconds at a time, but the MaPo tofu that I ordered was cooked perfectly and the spice was awesome! Pros: Super tasty food, reasonable pricing, extensive menu with veg. options Cons: Dismissive service, ungenerous portions, crowded dining seating
(4)
Angie S.
While visiting Boston, I wanted to eat in Chinatown, and Dumpling Cafe was just a short walk from my hotel. I shared the mini juicy buns with pork and was very pleased. They were slightly juicy and had a great ginger flavor. For my entree, I stuck with the old standard, sesame chicken and rice, and gobbled it up! Portions are huge, service is fast, the free tea is great and the food prices are reasonable. I would definitely return!
(4)
Sharon Z.
The place is pretty popular even on a Thursday night. I tried Xiao Long Bao (Mini-bun) with crabmeat for the first time here yesterday, a soupy pouch of deliciousness. Also got pan-fried dumplings again, thin layer of dumpling skin, soft and seared to golden, generous amount of meat and chives to heighten the herbal flavor. The shanghai noodle and jelly fish appetizer is a little bit on the salty side, less impressive.
(4)
Moses P.
I'm gonna share with you a secret. Gourmet Dumpling House = Taiwan Cafe = Dumpling Cafe. I know this because I asked the very nice lady at the cash register if the owner was making bank since the restaurant was packed and she replied, "Yes, he owns Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe so he makes lots of money!" I was surprised and so I asked, "Same menu?" She nodded her head. In conclusion- I know Gourmet Dumpling has Kate Hudson's face on the wall and a ton of hype because of the lines but if you want amazing soup dumplings, spicy flounder stew, beef with julienne peppers, and crappy service WITHOUT waiting in line, go to Dumpling Cafe!
(4)
Nicole V.
Damn you Dumpling Cafe. Listen, I just wanted to come here and order mini juicy buns. I was perfectly happy with this standby. I was doing great with this song and dance. But then something happened. I gave up meat for Lent. This meant no soup dumplings despite the fact that I had out of town coworkers in who wanted XLB. So we ordered up a storm. Peapods in garlic and the ginger with garlic lobster were winners that night. I have no idea how much it cost (thanks, job) but there was so much food that we couldn't even finish it. Eating lobster with chopsticks wasn't easy for me, so I just went in with my hands. It was delicious and super messy. Pro tip: not only do they take credit cards, but they take Amex! Score! The other night we rolled in around 11:55pm on a Saturday. It was still Lent but damn those soup dumplings. At 12:02am I ate one. It was the first time I had broken it on a Sunday (which you are technically allowed to do) and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. Other than that we had more vegetables with garlic and some spicy fish dish. Apparently it isn't the same spicy fish dish Sarah had the first time, but it was delicious. I guess I'll just have to go back and try that one too. Damn bird. Damn Dumpling Cafe. Damn delicious.
(5)
Teresa Z.
Will never go there anymore. Ordered lobster, paid for $50 for a small "incomplete" one. When they gave us the receipt, we were surprised to see that they already wrote the tip on it! 20% of tips for lunch for almost no service.
(2)
Amanda Z.
Definitely my favorite dumpling place in Boston's Chinatown! Always head here when I'm in the area for both the soup dumplings and steamed dumplings. Soup dumplings are very hot - so definitely wait awhile after you've nibbled a bit of the skin to let the soup cool down a bit. Haven't ordered any side dishes with rice, but they look promising. Seating isn't too bad - definitely more space to walk around than many restaurants in Chinatown. During the dinner rush, you might have to split a table with some other customers. Overall, though, pretty good experience and I'll definitely continue going back.
(4)
Daniel S.
I really enjoyed this place. Food was definitely a cut above the usual Chinese fare. We were served quickly, despite it being very crowded on a Saturday night.
(4)
Jennifer T.
The food was flavorful, slightly on the salty side, but the portions were decent - we had enough for leftovers the next day. The xiao long bao (mini juice buns) had a lot of extra soupy juice in them, be careful to eat them with a spoon and not puncture them! My other fave dish of the night was the Taiwanese style chao nian gao (rice cake), if you like the flavor of stir fry dishes, I would recommend this dish. Another lighter (by comparison) dish was the Fu Zhuo style mei fen (rice noodle), which is a nice supplement to pair with other dishes, than a stand alone dish. We also got the black pepper beef, which was good, but definitely would have been better if you ordered a side of white rice to go with it. Unfortunately, one of my standby Taiwanese dishes, the beef noodle soup, was a bit lackluster for me. The dishes came out lightning fast, though the server seemed even more brusque than usual for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)
R W.
The secret to good food at Dumpling House is not to have any of the dumplings. We made that rookie mistake and had the different dumplings and the shanghai dumplings. All were poorly made, freezer burned, and lacked the right al dente flour consistency one would expect of a dumpling house. Seafood dumplings were processed scrap meat and lots of flour The traditional fried dumplings were limp, almost microavaed XLB's lacked flavor, too much MSG, and the skin was wrong. That being said, the other dishes were decent. They really should change their name. Way too much MSG R
(1)
Scott H.
Soup inside the dumplings?? Yes, Please! This place is amazing. I's never had Taiwanese food before but my sister is a big fan of this place so she took me here on a recent trip home. Great call! We ordered far more food than 3 people should eat, And all were delicious, but the dumplings were indeed the star of the show. Heres what we ordered: Dumplings: There is a special way to eat these. Use the tongs to grab the dumpling from the top and place it on your soup spoon. poke a hole in the bottom of the dumpling to let the broth seep out into your spoon. Surp the broth all up and then devour the dumpling. Every stage of this will bring a smile to your face and happiness to your heart. Noodles with minced pork and black bean sauce: mmmmmm, so simple, yet so delicious. Beef with string beans: Huge beans and nicely cooked beef in a soy/garlic sauce. mmmm Scallion pancakes: These were incredible! Again, so simple yet so delectable. I see many reviews grumble about the service. It is what it is. Normal for most Asian restaurants. They make there money on high turnovers. They deal with rushes and yes, they are curt, but I wouldn't call them rude. The food is wonderful, the service quick and the cost is pretty cheap. I shall return.
(4)
Nick N.
Food is cold and salty. Servers on cell phone speaking Chinese loudly and stare at you. Very unpleasant experience.
(2)
Amelia C.
Delicious, and everything you want in a Chinatown eatery - efficient service, fresh and tasty dishes, and a wide-ranging, yet still true-to-the-cuisine selection. The soup dumplings were perfect - filled with soup and wrapped in a shell that doesn't break easily but also isn't chewy/thick. I would highly recommend the Szechuan flounder - the fish is lightly fried in batter, and served in a spicy broth over flames. The broth is not so spicy that it is inedible - and delicious if you pour a little bit of it over the rice. At $12.95 this dish is a real bargain. The stir-fried baby pea sprouts (dou-miao) were tender and sweet, as expected.
(5)
Skye G.
The dumplings were outstanding. The greens were crisp and cooked to perfection. The hot and sour was a med spice...not crying hot but not mild either. The mini black bean clams were sweet and def on the list to reorder the next time.
(4)
Thomas S.
This review is for soup dumplings only. We order both the pork and pork/crab versions for lunch. Both were really tasty, love the broth. We though that the soup dumplings were as good Joe's Shanghai in NYC if not better. My wife is thinking about getting some more for dinner.
(4)
Norina N.
I've never impressed with Taiwanese food, but would give this place a try to see what the raves all about. here are what we had: Pork & crabmeat soup dumpling: tasty & flavorful, but the broth was salty. Pork chop with rice: crispy & lighty sweet. One thing I've noticed the difference between the chinese and taiwanese when they cooked the pork chop was: Chinese people made it salty & spicy, which I like, while Taiwanese made it sweet. Herbal ox tail soup: very small portion to go with the cost, oh yes, I was surpirsed when they brought it out, obviously just enough to feed one person. But the soup was good. Mince pork meat w/ shanghai noodle: honesty, when looking at the picture up here, I thought It would be very good and couldnt wait to try it. Turned out it's so disappointed, the noodle itself was alright, but the meat sauce they put on top smelled awfully strong, very weird smell that my bf and I couldnt stand it. We both tried 2 spoons and gave up. Service was efficient. I must say this place is no extraordinary compare to other Taiwanese restaurants.
(3)
Alex S.
I don't come to Chinatown often. But when I do, I prefer Dumpling Cafe. You can't come to Dumpling Cafe an not order soup dumplings. Very flavorful and just the right amount of soup. For the main course, we decided to try two new dishes that sounded appealing. The first one was pork with shredded potato. We weren't sure how this would look/taste but we were very glad we ordered it. Even though the dish was pretty simple, it packed a lot of flavor. The green chili's were spicy but not too hot and added a unique element to the dish. I would definitely order this again. Next was the beef with cabbage. The beef tasted like pot-roast which is not what I was expecting but the flavors were all there. Overall, it was a pretty tasty meal and we were satisfied with our choices. This place is usually packed but if you go during the week you won't have to wait for a table. The service is what you would expect from any asian restaurant. Quick and straight to the point. For my complete review, check out my blog! thesuchef.org/2014/02/23…
(4)
Katy K.
well 1 star is the lowest I can rate. The service is by far the worst ever. Never going back here. If you want to experience some rude service and be belittled this is the perfect place for it. The food isn't worth making up for their absolute shitty service.
(1)
Mad I.
Let down by Bean Towns C town.... my second attempt brought me here, highly reviewed on yelp.. Had the shrimp scallion noodles, that was okay...for a noodle... Shrimp rolls, meh.... shumai, errrr.....icky Fried pork buns, stick to your gums and kinda good actually. So nowhere in this town are there hand drawn noodles?? Soo weird to me...
(3)
Wei W.
Pros: - Closest to authentic xiao long bao in Boston's Chinatown. - Decent prices. - They take reservations (rare for these smaller restaurants to do so). - They dimmed the lights and played "Happy birthday" (Chinese-style) as the finale for our friend's birthday. - 10% off coupon on their website. Cons: - Crowded serving space (even the servers were having a hard time moving from table to table). - Confusion by the servers on which dishes belonged to whom. - Delays on water and tea refills. - Not the best food in the city (exception is their xiao long bao). - Long wait if you don't have a reservation. I might come back here for a pick-me-up after 5 hours at a nightclub, but other than that, you'll find me elsewhere for Taiwanese food.
(2)
Kim Y.
The soup dumplings here are amazing! If you can only try one thing here then it has to be the juicy pork buns! Can be long waits though, but I take that as a good sign since they're always so busy. I recommend this place!
(4)
Peter V.
Super tasty, nice service and eclectic menu! Traditional Chinese food in the heart of china town!
(5)
Less H.
The dumplings were really soup filled and tasty. The other food we had was great as well. It was pretty cheap. Service was not great but wasn't horrifying either. Seating is a little odd and in some spots you'll share part of a long table with people you don't know. The smell coming out of the kitchen was strongly meat odored... Overall it was pretty clean. I'll be back.
(4)
Saumil P.
This place suck!!! People are so rude here, I will never ever go again or recommend this place to anyone, and side note they charge you 18% service fee automatically even if you are alone. So they give you shitty service no matter and charge you 18% service fee( which is illegal in MA). Definitely writting a letter to Division of health inspections
(1)
A. G.
Yummy soup dumplings.
(4)
Coast To Coas T.
Great dumplings. Quite juicy so careful not to burn yourself. If you like xiao long bao this place will not disappoint. Maybe 2nd to Ding Tai Feng that I've tried. Really not a bad place considering it's in Boston where Asian food overall sucks compared to California. Don't be a noob like the 4 Spanish tourists who came in and all ordered orange chicken... It's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason. Order their dumplings.
(4)
Adrienne R.
My favorite XLB in Boston! They have a thick skin (my fave) and are packed with flavor (and not too much ginger). The veggie noodle soup is excellent (noodles were al dente and the broth was tasty). I've had a better scallion pancake at Taiwan Cafe but the pickled cucumbers are tasty (not too much tang). Come here if you don't want the long waits of TC or GDH! Better atmosphere, too.
(5)
jane x.
The place is always crowded which usually is a sign for tasty food with reasonable price. I've been there a few times, and the dishes have been consistently good-authentic! The food came out fast!! I have never seen the restaurant empty and it usually have people waiting at the door. The wait staff are usually under pressure thus the services isn't great but they did get the orders correctly and brought hot food promptly and it took no time to get the food wrapped and get the check. I would definitely go back.
(4)
James R.
I usually give customer service people the benefit of the doubt, but this was the worst I have ever experienced. We were a party of 5 and they automatically charged 18% tip, and when I put 0.00 on top of the 18%, they complained. Also when they returned the slip, my card wasn't on the little tray. When I went up to the counter to ask for my card back, all 4 of the women fumbled around looking for it like I had never given them a card. They eventually found it wedged between the menu pile. THAT IS SKETCHY - It definitely felt like they were trying to rip me off. The food was good, but I would not want to deal with the service again.
(1)
Diane H.
I've passed by this place a couple of times, and i've heard it was good from a couple of people...and decided today that we would come here to try, since my friend has been here twice and really liked the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). As a xiao long bao fanatic, i was up for trying so we went during dinner time, maybe 7pm? on a Saturday. It was packed! We waited about 5 mins for seats, for the four of us. We ordered two xiao long baos and each comes with 6. It was about 5.95$ per a order. The xiao long baos were pretty good for boston. I think it may be one of the best i've had in boston, as the skin was not too thick and it didn't rip like crazy when i went to eat it. They give you a, um, i think you can call this a clamp thing, so you can pick the dumpling up and put it on your spoon. Also, we got the taiwan style sauteed rice cake with veggies. i absolutely loveee ricecakes, so i had to try it here. It was very delicious! It's different than other rice cakes i've tried, mostly the flavour. But it's unique and I think that's good, since who wants to go to a place where it all tastes the same! It was $6.25. The next thing we got was the sauteed julienned beef with asparagus in sa-cha sauce $10.95. This dish was very good, maybe because i loveeee asparagus, there was a generous portion of asparagus and the beef was very flavourful and tasty/juicy and there was lots of sauce. We got two more dishes, but i can't remember what they're called. Both were spicy, one was chicken with eggplant, so maybe it was the braised chicken with eggplant? Im not a big fan of egg plant, so ehh, but the chicken was okay, a bit spicy. The other was pork and something with lots of those little circle peppers. The pork was good, and kinda spicy. Also we ordered a bowl of rice each. Overall, the experience was alright, i guess we shouldn't have ordered so much food, even with 3 guys, we had lots of leftovers. After tipping it was about 16$ or so each per a person. I think next time i come i'll js stick to the xiao long baos and some apps. But this place is great for family style as they have many different items on the menu. I think i like it more than the gourmet dumpling house.
(4)
Kimmy U.
-There's usually a long line that I don't think is worth it =\ -I would probably only come back here for the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) Don't get me wrong, it's a decent Chinese restaurant, but I think I'd rather try other places, especially if I didn
(2)
David L.
It was good but I think if I had gone with a Taiwanese person I know I would have gotten more out of the menu. I know there were hidden gems in the menu but as a non-Asian, I felt like I was whistling in the dark. I had the the Sauteed Shanghai Noodles (D15), picked at random. It was a delish thick Udon noodle with brown gravy with pork, I believe, and mushrooms. Chopsticks only. No ice water. They automatically bring you hot tea. Very traditional Asian style restaurant. I would have given them 4 stars but the refills of my hot tea were slow in coming. I had to wave them down for that refill. I have an idea! How about my own pot of tea at my table?
(3)
Hana K.
Best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) in all Boston! Though their dumpling menu is not extensive, the soup dumplings are so good you won't need to order anything else! They come in a set of 6 and very affordable! Better to come for lunch than dinner.
(5)
Mengjia L.
Worst chinese restaurant ever. The service is very very rude, and the food tastes awful. Everything tastes like eating refrigerator. When i ate the noodle, i found some hair in the noodle, which is the worst part. And the server even said it was my hair. They didnt even make our order free. The BaoZi contains some really bad quality meat. After eating here, i just wanna to throw up, no exaggeration.
(1)
Wanlu Q.
Hair found in the fish hot pot; The service was badï¼›
(1)
Connie C.
I absolutely LOVED this place! It was packed when we got there but we were seated within 5 minutes of waiting. I had xiao long bao for the first time here and it was amazing. My boyfriend regrettably ordered the spring rolls and they weren't anything special. They also have a $20 minimum for credit card purchases which we were never told and they didn't even have any signs for it. There aren't any ATMs around either, so you're out of luck. We spent around $10 but they ended up running the card anyway because we had no other form of payment.
(4)
Laura J.
This place would have gotten a higher rating if they weren't so blatantly racist. An African American man came in around 2am and wanted to buy a soda. They told him, "no we are closed." He pleaded all he wanted was a soda and they would NOT sell it to him. A lighter skinned woman came in and they said they were closed and she asked to buy a water and they said, "yep, one dollar"...... Food was good, service sucked. Do not recommend to anyone with dignity...
(1)
Harvard P.
One of my favorite places to go to in Chinatown. The best soup dumplings that I can find in Boston. They're not the small ones that I love from Din Tai Fung, but they are quite juicy and delicious nonetheless.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Mason M.
The staff is rude. The dumplings were tasty but with the service being bad I would go elsewhere. They have a minimum charge to put on credit cards which is not clearly displayed anywhere.
(2)R. M.
The xaio long bao are good... not significantly better or worse than any other restaurant in Chinatown. The service here is terrible: rude and unfriendly. I will not return. Anyone looking for good Taiwanese food should just go to Taiwan Cafe.
(2)K C.
Average Chinese food. Indifferent wait staff that seems more bothered you are asking about the food than happy they have patronage. Excellent juicy pork dumplings! Everything else was bland. The beef itch hot sauce was watery and the General Gau chicken had a thick, pasty sauce on it. The shanghai noodles were pretty good. With so many options of delicious restaurants in this city, I wouldn't waste my time with this average food.
(3)Cobra K.
What do you do your first night in Boston? Eat Taiwanese Dumplings! Rolled off the Orange Line and jumped into Chinatown...Dumpling Cafe was the first place we hit up. We compared menus between here and next door Penang and decided to come here instead. Two orders of soup dumplings, Yang Chow Fried Rice and Chicken Chow Fun later, we were satisfied...all for about 25 bucks too.
(4)Roni E.
Hands down the closest I have come to Xiao Long Bao like they make back at home. Home meaning the place I go to in Flushing, NY (They have THE BEST XLB where they have the ladies behind the glass making them fresh by hand, mixing up the dough for the skin, packing the dumplings up with the meat, and steaming them right before your very eyes! And I won't tell you where that is since the line is already long enough!) However, I digress. I'd say Dumpling Cafe has gotten this down to about 97% match to what I grew up eating every weekend and what I crave whenever I go home. The dough consistency and flavor are right on par. My only 3% complaint is that the size can be increased a smidge to allow a bit more soupy goodness on the inside. While the XLB were fantastic, the service is definitely sub par. Somehow my table became the dumping ground for their tea pots whenever they walked by. And I literally sat at my table for a good 20 min. before someone acknowledged me despite them dumping teapots every 2 sec. on my table but not looking at me or seeing that I'm trying to get their attention. The best part was that since I knew I was going to be having XLB, I had ordered it as soon as they acknowledged me 'cause who knew when the next time I would get any attention, as I waited for my friend to arrive. Much to say the least, another 15 min. went by after my friend arrived, did they take our order. After about another 30 min, we ended up receiving all the other food ordered but still no sign of XLB, mind you it was the first thing ordered and it was the last thing on the table, over an hour after it was ordered. Guess the good thing is that, least I know it's freshly made! So basically what this boils down to is that if you want great service, go elsewhere, but if you want the best XLB around these parts, come here and expect to wait awhile. You better order something else while you wait if you're hungry!
(4)Helen L.
If I knew their soup dumplings were great, I would've came here instead of the other place down the block! The soup dumplings were moist and filled with soup. The skin was thin but held the soup very well. They even provided a top for the bamboo container to keep your dumplings warm. Very important! There's nothing worse than a cold soup dumplings.
(4)Alisha T.
I was here a few time because of a recommendation from a friend. Anyways, I loved trying the dumpling. The soup dumpling is the best here , and when you eat it, there's actual soup, it's warm and the wrap isn't too thick or thin so they inside didn't fall out. Also, there's a lunch special which gives you like 3 combination for around 20 bucks and its a great deal and the food is tasty. Next, the service is pretty good. The fact that the place is crowded often, the servers still pay attention to you and come out with your request and order pretty quickly. So I recommend you to try this place. It's a tasty and affordable place.
(5)Kelsey C.
The word "restaurant" usually indicates a place where food served to customers. Dumpling Cafe is the first restaurant where we sat down at a table, ordered food, sat for ONE HOUR and got only one of the three dishes we ordered. 2 orders of dumplings and one scallion pancake. I can make these things. They don't take that long. To be fair, the table next to us fared much better than we did. They received their food within minutes even though they sat down and ordered 10 minutes after us. It's just a pity they didn't get silverware until their food had gotten cold 15 minutes later. After I became too frustrated to be polite, I was so generously offered the option of cancelling our other orders while still having to pay for the one dish we received. And it wasn't even good. Nothing could make me come here again. I will wait any amount of time in any weather for Gourmet Dumpling House. At least I know I'll get food there.
(1)Jennifer W.
So...I guess there ARE pretty authentic xiao long baos in Boston. I always thought dumpling cafe and gourmet dumpling house were owned by the same people and had the same food, but oh was I wrong! The baos at Dumpling Care were SO much better, and is pretty similar to the real deal. The only downside was the crab ones really didn't have much crab meat in it, but for 50 cents more than the pork ones I guess you can't really expect much. We also got the spicy fish and that was really good too, a good amount of fish filet and spicy enough. You can't ever expect service in Chinatown to be friendly, but our food came out quick, they were decently friendly for Chinatown standards. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Michael D.
SO this wasn't my first choice to go to yesterday night, but at 1:55am after a night of drunken shenanigans, i didn't want to walk far and this place had a flashing open sign. I was sold. Here's what we got: $5.95 xiao long bao (dumplings with soup inside of em- yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) SO i can't be a solid judge of these just yet cause I haven't had too many of em in my life. BUT, I personally thought these were pretty good. The dumplings were steamed to the point they seemed to the point of almost being wontons, but the filling and the soup inside were tastyyy. I'm a fan. Now I just need to go over to Gourmet Dumps to compare... $6.95 Seafood Fried Rice ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) which surprisingly wasn't covered in soy sauce. It was light and seasoned with salt. OH and it was the first fried rice I've ever had that had calamari in em.. interesting. $6.95 Beef Roll aka Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) This wasn't anything special. I've had much better versions of it at other places. Roast beef was bland, and the scallion pancakes were standard. Not bad, but not good either. OVERALL, I'd come here if you're wasted, got the munchies, and are RIGHT next to it, but other than that, I probably wouldn't make the trek over here. There are so many better options in chinatown!
(3)Bruce L.
One of the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston! Have quite a bit of varieties and at affordable price! I cannot imagine anywhere else in Boston you can get better service and food than this!
(5)Danny F.
Dumpling Cafe is my default go-to in Chinatown. Period. The juicy dumplings here are indeed very fine, although not the best in town - that honor goes to Shanghai Gate in Allston. Regardless, they are the best in Chinatown, and everything else that comes out of the kitchen reminds me of home, i.e. Taiwan. In addition to the dumplings, I almost always end up ordering the pork chop over rice (amazeballs) and a green veggie. There's another restaurant in Chinatown that pretends to be Taiwanese, but Dumpling Cafe is the real deal.
(4)Jerry K.
great food I always get the Taiwan style chicken strips with basil and mini juicy buns with pork (soup dumplings).
(5)Josephine L.
All right, Bostonians: FORGET Gourmet Dumpling House. Seriously. The emperor has no clothes. Or in this case, the xiao long baos have no soup. Don't get sucked into the hype and wait 30 min in the freezing cold to eat at GDH. I don't care if they're related, owned by the same people or lifelong rivals fighting to the bitter end. Just go to Dumpling Cafe instead. It's closer to the T and so much better. Why: Bigger, cleaner, friendlier. Nicer interior, more organized staff, no disgusting earwigs/other bugs crawling around. Oh, and food is superior. The XLBs are much juicier (soupier?) and they hold back on the scallions/ginger enough to let the pork and crab flavor really shine through. The Asparagus with Beef in Sa-Cha (Satay) Sauce is delicious. Though it's really just stiry-fry, they manage to make the beef so incredibly tender. The beef noodle soup still isn't my ideal (a strange sweet aftertaste that I chalk up to too much sugar in the red roast), but it's still better than GDH's. It's of the more healthy, broth-like beef noodle soup variety rather than the greasy, thick, spicy kind. The unconventional item to get for those of you who want to be different is the spicy beef with longhorn peppers noodle soup. This also comes as a stir-fry dish, which I've also had, but I strongly recommend the noodle soup version. On a cold, chilly day, there is literally nothing else on the menu that will warm you up faster than this piquant bowl of hot, delicious broth, thick noodles, tender beef strips and abundant pepper shoots. In conclusion: Come here!
(5)Sean M.
Among my work compatriots that hail from Mainland China, this is pretty much their #1 Chinatown restaurant. It is possible to order badly here, and if you have an American Chinese food bias go to PF Changs or that disaster on route 1N. If you are a Cantonese, fan, there are plenty of fine choices but this may disappoint. The name is not what this about, and as mentioned the Chinese name doesn't mean that see prior post. Still try the Taiwanese (mini-rolled soft taco-shaped) dumplings. They also have the best Xiao Long Bao in Chinatown. * chitlins/offal, mustard greens, this is what this place is about. * casseroles/clay pot stews, soups. * go early, with at least 3 people and get the 3 entree deal.
(5)Cornelia M.
I've been here a couple of times and I can honestly say that they have pretty good food here. I love the soup dumplings they are just so tasty! From what I understand though this is the more touristy place and there's another place that everyone goes to that is better. I don't know the name of that place but I can say come here and get a beer with some soup dumplings! You can't go wrong!
(4)Lynn C.
The little sister of Gourmet Dumpling House also seems to have smaller portions. The same dish we would get at Gourmet Dumpling would be approximately the same price, but at GD it's a gigantic Chinese plate, while at Dumpling Cafe, it's a little tiny rectangular western plate. The food quality...I think I prefer Gourmet Dumpling too. Perhaps it has to do with the older Wok or the atmosphere, but for some reasons I find Dumpling Cafe to lack in the same aromatic and flavourfulness in its dishes. Don't get me wrong, the food at Dumpling Cafe is good, just not AS good. In the end, it's really about what you're looking for. The Dumpling Cafe is cleaner, prettier, bigger, a lot more westernized, but I think I prefer to eat in a greasier, aromatic cramped restaurant like the original gourmet dumpling house.
(4)Carol W.
I came back here with family last week and enjoyed a nice late lunch. We ordered the scallion pie, crab and pork soup dumplings, salt and pepper soft shell crab, Sichuan spicy fish, and seafood udon noodles cooked in sacha sauce. I was impressed with the presentation of the Sichuan spicy fish as it came out with it's own flame plate to keep the dish hot. The only thing that I really didn't care for was the scallion pie as it was really thick and had very little scallion in it! What surprised me the most about this place was the very attentive service. At most Chinatown establishments, the service is mediocre, but on that afternoon, our waitress was on top of everything and even the owner took notice of us in helping to set up the table for our two babies. I made sure to leave a nice tip which the owner noticed as well.
(3)Dyan K.
Great, cheap, Chinatown food. The Xiao long bao are the best I've had in Chinatown, better than gourmet dumpling house. The soup is tasty, even bordering on too salty, and the skin is thick, but they are delicious. I've also had braised fish here, which for around $16 I think was a great deal for a whole big fish. The fried rice cakes, nian gao, were good and cheap. I wasn't wild about the fried beef dumplings. They were good, but the other things I've had are much better. I definitely recommend coming here for a quick Chinese food fix. It's pretty clean, the service is passable, but the food tastes like home!
(4)River L.
The food is OK but the service is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After we sat down and made our orders to a waiter, another waitress came by and asked us to change seats very impolitely. So we moved to another table per her request. However, she asked us to order again. We thought it was ridiculous and refused to order again. Then she appeared very angry and rolled her eyes. Come on. We didn't do anything wrong, OK?
(1)Mark K.
This place is totally sucks. Noodles are tasteless and waitresses are just so rude. They would boldly and loudly talking about tips when you are done with meals. I'd recommend to stay away from this place
(1)Nicole R.
While walking through China Town we stumbled upon the Dumpling cafe. The food is just ok, and the services is pretty lack luster. We sat at a table for four (only two in our party) then they sat a couple we didn't know next to us shortly after we were seated. A little odd. Staff is unfriendly and a bit abrasive. With the amount of restaurants around i'll be sure to keep on moving next time.
(2)Doris K.
Really great dumplings with average main dishes. We had almost every dumpling that we could get our hands on in this place - from the pork and leak to the xiao long bao. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more variety of dumplings but what they did have was good. I really liked the thin skin of all the dumplings and the meaty insides. We also ordered the Szechuan fish stew which lacked flavor - Gourmet's is better. There was also an order of pan fried noodles with vegetables which I didn't care for...I wasn't the one who ordered it either (^_^). At around $6 for 6 dumplings the price seems a little steep but it's better than having to make these things at home by myself.
(4)Loren S.
I read about Dumpling Cafe from a food blog called SeriousEats.com and had to give it a try on my recent trip to Boston. Here in Austin we don't have many dumpling houses so I was excited to get some chopsticks around a warms savory vegetable dumpling. My boyfriend and I also ordered the scallion pancake and a tofu and vegetable stir fry. All three dished were really good and hit the spot after a long day of sight seeing around Boston.
(3)KoreanSoup S.
Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are good here. 4 stars Shui Jiao not so good. They taste like they came from my freezer. 2 1/2 stars. Overall 3 stars. but very happy to have another xiao long bao in the city!
(3)Harry H.
Stopped in for dinner on a fall weekend and we were quoted a 10-minute wait, which quickly grew to nearly a half-hour as we waited outside amidst an Elizabeth Warren rally. We were seated and asked on three separate, not-far-apart occasions if we were ready to order - we still weren't, and the constant interruptions didn't help. We came here on the recommendation of a Chinatown resident so I don't knew it the tip was skewed White, but I tried to right that ship with an order of a few apps (preserved egg & chilled tofu, chilled jelly fish, grilled anchovies Taiwanese style), salt & pepper calamari, and some seafood dumplings. Received no preserved egg with my chilled tofu though the dish I did get was pretty good, albeit aggressively seasoned to the point of overpowering the dish. Liked the dumplings dipped in the sauce but to a level nowhere near approaching the point of them being eponymous. The rest of the apps were solid, though enjoyed without tea since the first refill a minute after we sat down. Service on the whole was brusque at best as we sat at the table abutting the fish tank and we were rushed out the door to turn the table. A pretty substantial amount of satisfying food, but not sure the addictive and nicely peppered calamari dish can really warrant the $79.13 pre-tax for three.
(3)Katrina W.
Simply the Bomb!! Best whole in the wall noodle/dumplings cafes I've been to, which says a lot cuz I'm Asian.
(5)K T.
Their Mini Juicy Bun with Pork is the best in town! If you don't mind of your fat in take, their gill chicken skin Teriyaki is also surprisingly tasty. Their lunch special is a great deal too, include a course, rice and soup. What more can you ask for!
(3)Ida C.
I didn't try Dumpling Cafe for the longest time after it opened because the giant photos of the food decorating the wall outside made it look kind of like a cheap diner. Also having memories of when that area was part of the Combat Zone didn't help either. However, after walking in, I realized it's actually quite nice inside and wouldn't mind having a birthday or graduation dinner party there. Since Dumpling Cafe is a Taiwanese restaurant, I generally try order typical Taiwan-style dishes. While I've only made my way through a small sampling of their menu so far, I have tried and really liked C4 Roast beef with Scallion Pancake (a "Chinese burrito" as my friend calls it), M8 Taiwan Style Eggplant, and A3 Fried Stinky Tofu which is possibly the best stinky tofu in Boston. The picked vegetables and the sauce they serve with it make the whole dish more than the sum of its gloriously vinegary, sweet, salty, and stinky parts. But the real star of the menu has to be the Mini Juicy Buns aka "xiaolongbao" (C12 or C11 for versions with and without crab meat). Thin wrappers that don't break spill the delicious juicy porky innards!--a hallmark of a great xiaolongbao and definitely the best I've ever tried in the Boston area. Every time I go to Dumpling Cafe, I see each and every table order a basket or two or six (not kidding at all!) of these. They provide metal tongs to pick up the xiaolongbao, but don't try to grab the buns by the base or middle because the "teeth" on the tongs will pierce through the skin there. Instead, grab it by the thick topknot--trust me, it will support the entire weight and the buns will not break. It's kind of like magic sometimes. While the xiaolongbao are enough of a reason for me to go--and I can't imagining not ordering them while there--there have been a few misses in the menu. A4 Chilled Chicken with Chinese Herbal and Wine Sauce tastes and smells strongly of wine and little else. B10 Grilled duck tongues (we were curious, darnit!) was mostly flavorless bony meat with a little bit of bottled teriyaki sauce brushed on top. I've also tried N15 Szechuan Style Flounder which is a direct competitor to the popular dish from Gourmet Dumpling House. Dumpling Cafe's version is larger and currently a dollar cheaper and also comes served in a dramatically bubbling cauldron over a tiny Sterno flame. But I still think Gourmet Dumpling House's version tastes better a bit better. However, Dumpling Cafe's xiaolongbao beats the ones from Gourmet Dumpling House by a large margin. I'm really so glad I tried this restaurant and can't wait to see if I can uncover any more gems in their menu.
(4)Ann G.
A great, affordable meal every time with fresh ingredients. I love that they are open until 2am. For an excellent meal, order the mini juicy buns with pork, the pork and leek dumplings, and the Szechuan style flounder.
(4)Steve N.
went here yesterday around 3pm. the space is nice, new and clean. i understood what some people were saying about the slant to the floor but we were seated in the back half so it wasn't even noticeable. we started with the grilled duck tongues, chicken skin and chicken meatballs. the chicken skin while having a good flavor was pretty flabby with no discernible char, ask for this one to be Well Done. the duck tongues were OK but rather small. Taiwan Cafe's duck tongues are much larger and plumper making for a greater meat to cartilage/bone ratio. the meatballs were decent but would of benefited from some type of dipping sauce. for dumplings we got the juicy pork with crab, the beef with chive and the pork. all were very good but the juicy dumplings (aka XLB) arrived with most already being punctured which is one reason why i like my XLB with a thicker skin than most, i think Taiwan Cafe's are Spot-On. we also got the beef with long horn peppers and while packing a bit more heat than Taiwan Cafe's didn't have the level of flavor. an order of watercress with garlic was just OK. the greens went dull green rather quickly and the whole dish could of used a shot of vinegar or at least some salt. the rice was serviceable. we'll definitely be back to explore the menu a bit as it's pretty large.
(3)Amit A.
This place is open till 2AM, we got in around 12, I think haha..We ordered a noodle plate with tofu and vegetable dumplings. If you are vegetarian you'll have a few options to choose from. Nothing more to say about this place, its ok, nothing great
(2)Juan S.
The decor is nice and not overwhelming, it doesn't try to distract you from your food or the people you are eating with. As my friends and I looked at the menu and went around suggesting to each other what to get my friends realized that I had never EVER had soup dumplings. SO we ordered them. We did order other things, and to be perfectly honest with you I have no idea what they were, I ate them and I enjoyed every last dish. But I have no recollection as to what they were. Once I tried the soup dumplings everything else was meaningless. to me. Don't get me wrong the other dishes were great too, but man these soup dumplings were delicious enough to run off with the whole dish for yourself and not share. The "shell" or the dumpling part, is nice and soft. and once you open the dumpling up and put in some ginger and sauce, you suck the juices out of it before you hog down that mouth watering dumpling. The filling is obviously soupy, with a sweet and sour taste. The sauce that you add is a bit vinegry(probably because it is vinegar),but not overwhelming. After this day I went on a spree of trying out other soup dumplings. I have only tried a couple more, and I have to say I keep coming back to this place, Dumpling Cafe, to eat them here.
(5)Annie C.
Meh. I've had better. ...And better is about 2 blocks away. (Go here: Gourmet Dumpling House). FOOD: If you're going to a place called Dumpling Cafe, I would assume that you want some dumplings. While this place has a small assortment of dumplings, none are particularly stellar. The shaolin bao are too heavy (even when they are freshly made) and the skin tastes slightly off (too chewy or maybe too dry?). SERVICE: The service is slightly better (i.e. friendlier) than what you'd expect in Chinatown but it's slow ... which makes the mediocre execution of the food inexcusable.
(2)Ray A.
Like others I excited to see a new place near me in Chinatown so decided to give it a try. However, I was very underwhelmed with the food -- not sure if it's stuff they'll work out or not, but given the other amazing places I'm unlikely to try again (i.e., I don't think there's any comparison between this and Dumpling House, which has been consistently good the 20-30 times I've eaten there). Of course maybe it was what I chose to order. Had a craving for General Gao's chicken -- the sauce was overly sweet and almost tasted synthetic. Could barely get through it (my favourite chinatown general gao's is chau chau city). Also had sauteed noodles with mixed vegetables. Noodles were overcooked and totally lacked flavor. They had also told me they have broccoli in them but instead had spinach. I thought maybe this would be a creative twist I might like, but it didn't work at all. I also ordered the shrimp skewers and prefer to peel off the skin, legs, etc, but they were almost stuck on making that a cumbersome experience (once done though the shrimp was decent). I actually think it's a one-star but will give it a little benefit of the doubt for being brand new.
(2)Al A.
Tasty dumplings! Good location. Meh service. Relatively cheap.
(4)Busy L.
Came here with my Mom for an early lunch after getting back to town at Logan. This is a newer Taiwanese style restaurant in Chinatown and a nice addition. Very similar in style to Taiwan Cafe. Food was very good. My mom loves dumplings and says the steamed dumpling with the soup inside (forgot what they're called) are the best in Boston and better than the ones she's had in NYC or China.
(4)Helen S.
We LOVE Dumpling Cafe...and even that might be an understatement. The food is extremly affordable and always delicious, especially the juicy pork buns, which they are known for especially (and the beef teriyaki skewers are fantastic!!) There is usually a wait, but it moves fast and it 100% worth it, and the waitstaff is also very nice and accomodating, considering how busy they are. We have been there many times, and have no complaints!
(5)Rob E.
Came here for the first time for takeout. They only give 6 dumplings and they were only ok. The hot and sour soup was only ok as well. Also, the girl gave me the wrong dish in my takeout bag. I think the dumplings and hot and sour soup are better at gourmet dumpling house.
(2)Lala L.
I really like their steamed dumplings....too bad the service is horrible. It's about one of the better place to get the xiao lung baos in Boston. Yummy steamy dumplings with pork filling wrapped with wicked thin dough, bursting with the broth when you bite into it. yum-O. (try not to burn yourself).
(3)Sweet T.
This review is strictly for their soup dumplings. After a late night and obviously unfruitful search for char siu bao, we came here and ordered some dumplings to go. Waiting for the T at Boylston and too hungry to wait, my boyfriend and I dug in and immediately regretted not buying more! These things are delicious, filled with a tasty broth and a small but satisfying meatball. Will be back for more.
(5)Jordana S.
I lived in Taiwan a few years back and really missed xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. The xiao long bao are the real deal, and the guotie (half fried, half steamed dumplings) and tsong you bing (scallion pancake) are also excellent, and very authentic. We tried to order our favorite chicken dish, la tze ji din (pan fried spicy cubed chicken with dried hot peppers), which was not on the menu but when we asked the waitress assured they had, but what ended up on our table was in fact gong pao ji din (kung pao chicken). That said, it was still very good, as was the yangzhou fried rice, which is white and fluffy and not brown and greasy like you usually get at Chinese restaurants. But really, order the xiao long bao, they're amazing.
(5)Tim W.
This place is just okay. The dumplings are average. Compared to other soup dumplings, Dumpling Cafe's were extremely fatty. Actually all the food we had was extremely fatty. The noodle soup we ordered literally congealed after sitting there for a couple of minutes. The soup dumplings had balls of fat drip out if they were not eaten immediately. However, it did have good flavors. Like I said, this place is just okay. Nothing to wait in line for though. Worth a trip but not a return.
(3)H T.
Food is equivalently good to Gourmet Dumpling House on Beach St in Chinatown. If you're looking for a bit more of an authentic taste of Chinese food, you'd come here. The space is very small. The general services provided by the waiters and waitresses are not very good and it's very typical in most Asian restaurants. This restaurant is not very creative in terms of their business name as well as the dishes they served (including the dish name on the menus). All the dishes I can get at their place is all available at Gourmet Dumpling House. Regardless, the food tastes good for those who like to experience more authentic Chinese dishes.
(3)Courtney T.
This place gets some serious points in my book because we stumbled in past closing time (after 2am on Thursday), but the place was still full and we were graciously seated. I got the seafood dumplings which were ok (I think I prefer pork ones) but my bf got the flat noodles with beef and it was SOOO GOOD. The beef was cooked really nicely, a little on the rare side, tossed with scallions, bean sprouts, and those amazing flat noodles that are so good for soaking up booze. Super cheap too. Thumbs up.
(4)Dave O.
Really good chinese in Boston's Chinatown. Try the stir fried beef with Chinese Long peppers. The juicy mini pork dumplings were fabulous. Service is slow as expected in Chinatown. Reasonab;y priced and a fun atmosphere. I would recommend over many other Chinatown spots.
(4)Katherine D.
This is your typical Chinatown restaurant in that the service is essentially horrible. You'll be asked what you want, maybe you'll get water, maybe you'll get courses one by one, or all together, maybe you'll get the check while you're eating, and maybe you won't get it until 15 minutes after you've been done with your food. That being said this place is worth a trip. The food far outweighs the minor annoyance of inconsistent service. The mini juicy pork buns are outstanding. The noodle soups are so outrageously priced it is ridiculous. For $5-$7 you can get an enormous amount of food. The lunch rush is busy, but you'll be in and out quickly enough. I also appreciate that the tea is served in a nice big mug instead of the common tiny little thimbles you get other places.
(4)Mk E.
I'm a huge Dumpling Cafe fan. We always seem to arrive just before a big rush, so we've never had to wait for a table (knock wood). Service is curt but very prompt, and the food is incredibly delicious, comes out quickly, and won't break the bank. Perfect pre-movie dinner spot. We recommend the roasted duck buns and the stir fried pork with mustard greens noodle dish. Spring rolls come out hotter than hades. In general, we recommend fried over steamed if you have the choice on dumplings; the steamed ones are a little limp. Oh, and use your spoon to eat the mini juicy pork dumplings--don't waste that delicious broth!
(4)Yuan W.
From the outside, Dumpling Cafe isn't much to look at, but it's one of those hole-in-the-wall places that I'd consider a gem in the Boston Taiwanese/Chinese food scene. In the context of Chinese food in Boston, which is pretty mediocre, I'd give this place 5 stars. Here's why: -Soup dumplings are authentic and delicious. The dumpling skin is delicate and thin, the meat is seasoned nicely and the soup is plentiful and flavorful. They offer pork and pork + crab meat. I prefer the pork on its own. -Pork intestine hot pot. If you're an adventurous diner, try this item from their specials menu. It's chewy and flavorful, and also quite authentic. Don't be intimidated by the main ingredient, it's a tasty dish! -Steamed flounder. I love Chinese steamed fish. You don't get steamed fish often (or at all) in Western restaurants. It's lighter and can be less greasy, yet has bolder flavors. -Taiwanese lu rou fan (minced pork rice) is pretty authentic, although I'd say it's better at JoJo Taipei. -Great service. The waiters came by frequently to refill our teacups and make sure we didn't need anything. That's rare in Chinese places! I like this place better than JoJo Taipei. It has a similar selection of dishes but is MUCH less greasy and has better service. Don't be intimidated if you see a line, the wait is actually pretty short. Go there!
(5)Tara Z.
Soooo I have spent many an evening at Gourmet Dumpling House, and I certainly don't regret it.....but I think that Dumpling Cafe takes the cake for me as far as Chinatown restaurants go. It is nicer inside than GDH, you can make a reservation which is a nice luxury, they serve food until 1am, and the staff doesn't rush you out (Taiwan cafe anyone??) As everyone else has stated, I will agree that their soup dumplings are the best by far. The pan-fried pork and leek are amazing as well. Definitely don't skip the Szechwan flounder. Beef with longhorn peppers are a staple with my order. And the fresh oranges at the end are just a bonus! I am reluctant to share this secret, considering I have never had to wait for a table - unlike at GDH with a line out the door - but I think Dumpling Cafe is a total upgrade!
(5)Brian D.
I was introduced to this place by a coworker a few months ago and I have NEVER looked back... I've been the Xian, China where the dumpling was INVENTED and the soup dumplings here are legitimately on that same caliber. Most everything here on the menu is quite good, and respectable as a Taiwanese restaurant. Lots of hot and spicy items to also get your hands on as well, including the beef and long horn pepper, another great staple. I'm looking forward to the next time I pop in this place and/or convince my buds to head down to chinatown for some grub. Dumplings here, although not as in variety, are much better in my opinion than Gourmet Dumpling House over on Beach St.
(5)King A.
Our go-to place for soup dumplings ... we've ordered a few other dishes, but mostly we just order their soup dumplings. Lots and lots of soup dumplings. The other stuff we can get elsewhere, but we drive here specifically to get soup dumplings, and they are good. Right up there with Joes' Shanghai in NY (prefer the one in Flushing but the one in Chinatown NYC is good too).
(5)YNOT S.
Went there for lunch today and it was horrible, both the food and the service - I ordered the Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style as appetizer and the Taiwan Style Rice Cake w. Veggies & Pork. Well, the fish took forever to arrive after the rice cake arrived first. And one bite, it's so salty as if the chef knocked over the salt jar into the dish - I told the waitress but she kept explaining that it's the dish's style, supposed to be salty! Yeah right! What am I gonna do when I was in a hurry? So I thought maybe I should just ask for a bowl of rice and use that rice cake as a side dish? Then the fish came in, and only two, it's not BBQed, nor baked - prob deep fried - but that's fine, right? Then I opened the fish, wow, the fish's internal stuff all there! Never cleaned? luckily I can cut the meat part off the fish. Hardly any flavor - but I am ready to leave, so I asked the check. Oh, they even charge me for the bowl of hard chew rice I asked - when I told the lady about the salty dish and why I asked the rice, she started to blame on the waitress saying that "she can't just give you a bowl of rice, if the dish is salty, you should say so and get it re-cooked!" Actually I thought about that but I was afraid to ask to be "recooked". How? Running under the faucet to remove the salt? Or mix some dirt since I am asking for less salty? Did I say I was in a hurry? I feel bad for the waitress because it sounds like she might be in trouble later as well. So I guess I will let it go and leave $0 for tip - and now you know... and it comes up to $18. I am sure my dinner ill be much better. Of course, never this place ever again.
(1)Erin C.
Not everything here is a good but this is our go to place in Chinatown because Gourmet Dumpling House is usually absurdly crowded and the soup dumplings here are just as good. We usually order: - Hot and Sour soup (the best, most-well-balanced in Chinatown) - Soup dumplings - Stir-fried peapod stems - Three cup chicken (classic dish! chicken with bones and skin-on stir fried with tons of leeks, covered in a delicious sauce of oil, soy sauce, and chinese cooking wine. it's super simple but they do a good job here) - Sometimes we get the pot stickers or eggplant in garlic sauce I can't vouch for dishes not on this list so if you decide to strike out and order something different, don't blame me if it's a one star dish! Warning: the food here is actually very greasy but the bountiful amount of peanut oil also makes it tasty!
(4)Adam E.
When I found myself in need of an appetizer-sized meal in the Theater District, I hoofed it over to Dumpling Cafe for a good, cheap snack. Knowing that when you go to a place named after a certain dish you have to eat that dish, I somehow managed to pass on my desire to order one of the other apps. This was tough, since I was hankering equally for some Chilled Jellyfish with Garlic, Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines and Fried Stinky Tofu (with pickle). So I got the Taiwan-style dumplings, which were just what I hoped they'd be. Pan fried pork dumplings that were juicy, with a perfect wrapper to meat ratio. The dipping sauce didn't blow my mind, but the dumplings were fantastic even without the sauce. I didn't stay to dine in, I just ate these dumplings while I walked, like an animal. So I can't comment on the service or ambiance, but I can certainly tell you that I'd eat these dumplings every day if I could. Like an animal.
(4)Sarah D.
I like this place so much that it has made me pretty lazy. If I'm anywhere in the area without solid dinner plans, I get all "Yup. Dumpling Cafe. Let's do this." True to their name, they sling some excellent dumplings. Pork juicy buns or whatever they want to call them. I mean I can never say "no" to juicy buns, so there's no reason to start now. That shoot is delicious. I've tried so many things at this point and have tried them when I was so many drunk that I have a hard time remembering specifics, but I do know for sure that the Szechuan White Fish or whatever it's called on the menu is just the right kind of spicy and is super delicious. The frog with chives is full of bones but is also really chivey and awesome. The General Gau's Tofu is, like, shockingly good (don't be hatin'; I didn't order it. But I did like it.) While we're sharing, I will admit that I wasn't too keen on the duck tongues, but I think that's mostly because duck tongues were not expressly created to be eaten by me. Lesson learned. I think this Yelp listing might still say they don't serve beer, but that is false. I have definitely ordered and received beer in this establishment. I may also have harassed some Northeastern students in the waiting area about "nose replacement surgery" a few months ago with the help* of my younger brother. Sorry, guys. Anyway. Eat here. Really. *not very helpful, it turns out
(5)constantconsumer c.
We got here on a Wednesday morning at 11:30 for lunch and surprise surprise, it had plenty of tables. The next rime, we got here at 12:45 on a Tuesday afternoon and also plenty of tables. I noticed that they try to pack the tables in as close as possible and since the last time I was here, I noticed that 4 tables are now pushed together so that you are dining with another group right next to you. The sauteed watercress was delicious, the yeung chow fried rice was good with the exception of the very very very chewy squid which tjey should have just omitted. The crab and pork xiao long baos were very thin skinned, on a scale of 1-5, i would give it a 4.5 it was thinner than the first time i was here. The taste was great too, i give it a 4 (Joe Shanghai happens to top my list). The soupiness (amount of liquid inside the dumpling) is a 5. It was perfect! The texture of the meat (tender vs chewy or had) is a 4.5. The only thing i didn't like was the dipping sauce which is more bitter than most.
(4)Eric F.
Looks like I have a new Xiao Long Bao source in Boston. The meat's very juicy and tender with a thin yet surprisingly durable skin. It has some added texture to it too that I haven't seen in other XLBs that's more than welcome. I'd also recommend the Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines - very light despite the frying and a great balance of crispiness and chewiness. As for the staple Pork & Leek Dumplings, they were nicely done with thin skins and fresh, tender meat. A big step up from the junk at GDH that tastes exactly like it from the frozen section at C-mart. Service? It's a Chinese restaurant...speaks for itself XD Don't expect much and you'll be okay. Quality XLB + dumplings + spacious, clean interior = Win.
(4)Tammy K.
This place gets four stars for: 1. Being open late and conveniently located near the T 2. Not kicking out my rowdy group of friends 3. Having delicious soup dumplings 4. Never having a wait (unlike a similarly named dumpling place in C-Town). 4.5. Having super fast take-out (food is out within 5-10 minutes of ordering)
(4)Mary S.
The juicy buns with pork and the roasted duck buns are the greatest! But I gave them 5 stars to counteract the reviewers who complained about the service. Those people obviously went to the Dumpling Cafe in an alternate universe- not the one i've been to at least 50 times!!! I live hours away, but come to Boston often on business, and ALWAYS go there for either lunch or dinner. After I'd been going there for a while, several of the servers began to recognize me, remembered I'm vegetarian; and if I missed a week would say "Hey...where you been?" A number of times, they've sent special instructions to the kitchen for me. Even the servers whose english isn't great are happy to try to explain unusual ingredients to me. I don't speak Chinese, and I'm not a huge tipper....these folks are just NICE! Don't pay attention to the cranky reviews. Go. Eat juicy buns. Smile. You'll love it!
(5)David C.
I don't usually give five star reviews, but thinking about lunch here today, I can't realistically think of a way it could have been better. Two families of three, came more or less on a whim, the place was basically packed but we were seated right away at a round table. We ordered the mini juicy dumplings, pork and leek dumplings, vegetable dumplings, Gen Tso's tofu, scallion pancakes, I think that's it. Oh, and people had egg drop and hot-and-sour soups. Service was friendly and fast. Everything was tasty and fresh; the tofu in particular was the perfect degree of silky softness inside with a nice crunchy skin. All the various kinds of dumplings were good, and our vegetarian was happy with the veggie things. The bill was very reasonable, and the server had no trouble splitting it across two credit cards. Five stars, hope to eat at again soon. :)
(5)Samuel F.
Heck yeah dumplings! Juicy buns (soup-filled dumplings), scallion pancake, bitter mellon with garlic, huge bowls of spicy noodle soup! Bubble tea, too! Nothing that fancy, but it's just good stuff. I love the food at this place enough that I'd probably give it five stars regardless of spotty service. But the service, in my experience, has been fine. Great place to go after a movie at the Boston Common AMC.
(5)Chris C.
Thick and tough soup dumplings (called "small juicy dumplings" here) and ok food otherwise. Nothing special though our server was sweet and efficient, we were really annoyed to have been asked to give up our table only moments after paying because other customers were waiting..
(2)Sherry T.
the dumpling is greatï¼but the service is "ok" not warm at all,feel want to finish the food quickly.
(4)R M.
The dumplings were good, the rest of the food was fine, but service was TERRIBLE!
(2)Vivian C.
I was eager to try Dumpling Cafe's version of the iconic Chinese dumpling - mini steamed buns with pork ($5.95 for 6), also known as XLB or xiao long bao or soup dumplings. Fortunately my lunch buddy was up for it. I've ordered this before at Taiwan Cafe and at Gourmet Dumpling House (and outside of Chinatown, Jo Jo TaiPei), but had read on Yelp that Dumpling Cafe's was thinner skinned and so much better... and it was indeed! Thinner dumpling skin (although a little pudgy where the skin was gathered on top) with tender juicy meat inside... it was very good! Taiwan Style Sauteed Rice Cake w/Veggies $6.25 had rice cakes with a nice chew and a tasty sauce. The mentioned veggies were sort of disappointing however, consisting solely of bean sprouts and green onions. On a previous visit, I had tried their Roast Beef Scallion Pancake $6.95 (tough to make a BAD version of this; theirs was tasty, but not as good as Jo Jo's), Beef Stew Noodle Soup with Spinach $5.95 (okay), and Sautee Scallop with Mango $15.95 (spicy, even though it wasn't marked spicy), and wasn't impressed. This second visit was much better. Can be slippery in the single person bathrooms off to the side from the kitchen, so be careful. (The gratis peanuts disappeared after my first visit.) *** 2/2012 visit *** It was quite busy here for lunch on a Friday, so of course I was willing to sit at the long table down the middle of the room with a bunch of other parties. Everything my friend selected for us was quite tasty and made for a satisfying meal for 2: . Mini Juicy Buns with Pork (6) $6.25 (take out menu lists $5.95) . Taiwan Style Grilled Chicken Leg $5.95 . Pan Fried Noodles with Mixed Vegetables $6.95 (take out menu lists $6.50) *** 12/2012 visit *** The rice cake dish was a bit too salty this time around, and the soup dumplings were still yummy, but I really liked the salt & pepper fried chicken (was that the Crispy Chicken Strips Taiwan Style $5.95 from the Appetizer section?... yes, someone else ordered for the table...) with its fried julienned chicken bits with the fried basil leaves. *** 7/2013 visit *** On this visit, I favored the Sa Cha Beef Vegetable Noodle $7.25. *** 5/2014 visit *** Tried the stewed pork over rice $3.95 which came with a soy egg - good filler to go with the appetizers we ordered. We didn't want too thick a noodle, so we opted for the Taiwanese noodles in the Braised Beef Brisket Noodles Soup with Spinach $6.95 which one DC claims is the best noodle option for the noodle soup. *** 10/2014 visit *** We vegged out on a set of Combination of Three special combinations for $21.95 (normally $7.75 each) which came with rice and soup - #48 Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable, #53 Chinese Zucchini with Garlic, and #57 Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant. Each was great. And #53 was my formal introduction to the vegetable Luffa which I had curiously read on menus in the past but had never recognized it as Chinese Zucchini, or as a vegetable that my mom's prepared before. It was crisp, yet silky, and the simple garlic sauce was more than the sum of its parts. Then arrived our meaty appetizers - the Mini Juicy Buns with Pork $6.95 and the Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake $7.25. Yup, an enjoyable meal. Only thing was their refusal to honor the 10% off coupon I had snipped out of my Boston Metro because we had ordered off the special combination menu which had scored us a $1.30 discount. No where on the coupon did it state any restrictions outside of a minimum $25 purchase. But I did not put up a fuss - it was Chinatown after all, and a local, non-chain business. *** 11/2014 visit *** An order of their soup dumplings $6.95 (sadly just wet rather than soupy on this visit) and the Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable $7.75 from the Special Combination menu (so it came with rice and soup) was plenty for our two appetites at lunch.
(3)Rod H.
I love, love the various dumplings in all their iterations! The won ton soup is solid, but a bit bland. The bottomless cups of tea are a hit in my tummy. Stay away from the chilled pig's ear. It is not a tasty dish. Pigs ear is great when it is hot and fried, but is nearly indigestible when it is chilled. I would give this place 5 stars if the servers were a bit more friendly. It is quite hit or miss service wise. On some days they are great, attentive, and prompt. Other days they leave you by yourself forever requiring you to stand up and wave like you are flagging down a bus to get attention.
(4)Victor W.
We're placed at a set of tables right beside a few strangers. They could have separated our table by a crack to give us a bit of space, but oh well, no real complaints so far. Waitress comes over. "What do you want?" "Do you have any suggestions or specialties?" "You just pick from the menu." I don't expect much service from anything in Chinatown so not a huge deal at this point. They still have the potential for 4 stars. -1 star Our newly laid out chopsticks had some sticky residue on them so I asked for a replacement. No apology, not a word, the waitress just took them. Fine. But then she comes back with a couple of disposable chopsticks. We weren't here for take out. -1 star My tea cup was empty for the entire last 2/3 of our meal, at least half an hour with nobody coming around to refill. -1 star Got the bill. Counted out some cash, half of it in change (hey I have a lot of coins to use up anyway -- let's see what happens). As we stack up the coins in nice piles, the waitress comes by and swaps out bill out with a new one that includes an 18% mandatory gratuity. Hmm, kind of sketchy, but sure, I was going to leave a tip anyway, despite the terrible service, because we had a lot of change that probably would have taken the waitress about 60 seconds to count. Then she says she will not accept the change. I reply that it's legal tender, but I don't think she understands what that means. She leaves and comes back after probably talking with the manager, who I'm guessing ordered the mandatory tip. She says she wants us to count the change in front of her eyes before we leave. Not a very customer-friendly request since cash is cash but I oblige, takes less than a minute anyway. By that point there were 3 waitresses + the manager standing around our table. We left a 15% tip anyway, but there goes.... -2 stars The food was just dandy though. So they get +1, for a total of 1.
(1)J R.
Food is great and delicious but taiwnese waitresses are the meanest in all of chinatown!!!!! I am not sure if it is because I brought my black friends the resturant. Never gave me a menu. They poured drinks all over the table. They threw the napkins on dishes. And gave the fakest smile when we thanked them. Give taiwainese people such a bad name!!
(1)Y M.
They made way better dumpling and buns than gourmet dumpling house with thinner dough and very fresh stuffing. I also tried Clams with basil and stir fried pea pod stem with garlic and I found that Clams were fresher here, but the pea pod dish were on the same level as Gourmet which was excellent. I meant to give them 4.5 stars just because their spicy sliced fish Szechuan Style was not as good as Gourmet dumpling house. They offer better value because it has no line, less expensive, a little bit cleaner and not too crowded.
(5)Jason A.
I understand that when you set foot inside of a restaurant like this, that service is secondary to the product. In other words, I know that the service is going to sh***y and I am okay with that. Even with these low standards, I was impressed by how low they could go at Dumpling Cafe. Boston, be warned, you may actually pop that blood vessel in your head as a result of your dinner here. I think the experience begins and ends with the waiter who, after noticing I left the "Gratuity" portion of my credit card slip blank, looked at me and asked me if I was planning on completing it for him. I'm not sure whether this made me feel more violated than that time that I was bending over on a crowded T and... well that's a story for another day. I let him know that I would be paying the tip with cash. As I left the restaurant with my party, he came running up to the table to count the cash that was left for tip. Couldn't even wait until we were out of sight. He must be saving up for those etiquette classes he enrolled in. Oh, and the food? After reading all of these positive reviews, I figured they would be amazing. I was let down. There are better dumping houses within walking distance, which are much much cheaper.
(1)Pete J.
I'm going to let you into a Yelp secret. When deciding on any Asian restaurant, every good Yelper is going to read the reviews, that's a given. I want you to go one step further and look for the reviews written by Ambrose C. yelp.com/user_details?us… I have had the good fortune to meet Ambrose a few times at Yelp events, and boy does he know his stuff. Case in point - Dumpling Cafe. I too ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is what everyone here raves about, the soup dumplings. They were excellent. Read the reviews here on how to eat them, that will save you a scalding mouth. Six dumplings served steaming hot! I also ordered Tai Shi Kong Rou, the Taiwanese pork belly, and that had so much flavour. I can't wait to go back for the three entree deal!
(4)VuAnh N.
They have really good xiao long bao (mini soup dumplings); they're super juicy and the flavor is just right. Oftentimes I've had them at other places in Chinatown, only to be disappointed by the lack of soup or saltiness, but not here! Service isn't that great, but you don't expect much when you come to these kinds of restaurants.
(3)Theodore Y.
Soup Dumplings = delicious. The skin was a bit thin so they popped even with delicate care. But who cares, i slurped that juice uppp. Taiwan style eggplant = delciousness. Get it. Taiwanese style tofu was ok. Not it's usual bomb-diggitiness. Beef with long-horn pepper. = yummy in the tummy. Sitting next to strangers cuz the restaurant is packed = Elbow wars (i won).
(4)Jeff H.
This restaurant has excellent, fresh lunch specials 7 days a week. Over 50 items available with rice and soup, and they are really fresh and delicious. These are not just the American Chinese warhorses, but rather a nice selection of authentic Taiwanese dishes. Excellent fresh flavors!
(5)Eric S.
This place does well since they pretty much ripped off the other place's name in Chinese. I generally come here since the other place is always cramped and crowded. The food here is a mix of different areas of Chinese cuisine, so don't come here looking for anything authentic. Don't get me wrong, the food is decent, but if you're looking for Chinese food from a specific area, go elsewhere.
(3)Kimmy T.
Went here a few times already, kept on forgetting to leave a review. Mini Juicy Buns : Delish, juicy, bursting of flavor (literally)! be very careful when you get these! The broth inside is extremely hot so do not dive in or else you'll burn your tongue! I like to drown my spoon with the vinegar soy sauce with a little bit of ginger first and plop those bad ass dumplings on top of it. I'd nibble the tip of the dumpling first ( looking like a rabbit of course ^_^ ) , then i'll blow in the tiny hole to cool it down ( get your mind out of the gutter you peerrrvs LOL !) . Cripsy Chicken : crunchy , thin strips of chicken and basil chips? The first thing i went for was the Thai basil, which was deep fried into a chip!!! I like the concept of it! The chicken was pretty good, though i'd prefer it a little be more chunky. It's missing something.. It's a bit too dry all my tongue can taste is the batter.. but not the meat. At one point i was eating a chunk of deep fried yummios batter straight up , like a Bosssss! Which was not cool. Wonton Noodle Soup: Hot water , bland, Uncooked noodles and wontons. Sorry but this was the worst thing i ate today, no flavor what so ever. It taste like something mama dukes would do when she's lazy to cook. Throw in some water let it boil and toss everything in it and SERVE! Yup that's how it tasted like. At least use chicken broth for the soup or something?! Thank you, but i'd go back for the mini juicy buns.
(3)Myrna C.
After trying out nearby Gourmet Dumpling House, I realized how much more amazing Dumpling Cafe is. Still hands down the best Xiao Long Bao ever (a little on the pricier side but so worth it). We also got the wonton again and the twin lobsters. $19.99 for very fresh lobster cooked with ginger and scallion. Yum yum yum. The shrimp with tofu was also quite delicious. The table next to us ordered this fish dish that looked amazing. We were going to go back the next day to try that but then decided to go somewhere else. Sigh, next time. The service was quite good and my dad also said that they had one of the cleanest bathrooms he had ever seen at a Chinese restaurant (though maybe he was slightly biased having just come back from China). Either way, I highly recommend this place! :)
(5)Matthew A.
We wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House, but it was hot, and the long was LONG. We took a walk and found Dumpling Cafe. It was cleaner and nicer inside than GDH, but.......... Started with pork and leek dumplings (steamed) so good and fresh. Tea and water was brought out. Never refilled. We got a spicy chicken dish, and a noodle dish, both were good and solid. But the service was borderline rude. The woman that brought the food did not even look at me or responded to me. No eye contact, no come back to say how are things, and no WATER. Sorry but no excuse. There are so many other 3 star or worse restaurants in China Town that have better service that this. Food 4 stars. Atmasphere: 3 Service: 1
(3)Shang S.
This is not so much a review but more a bookmark - I go here often when Gourmet Dumpling House's line gets too crazy. Soup dumplings here are excellent
(4)X. K.
My favourite was the braided fish, which arrived after our watercress with satay sauce, mapo tofu, tofu with shrimp, long beans and edamame+ beancurd strips (we love our tofu). We only paid $11/person for a party of 4. Amazing. They gave us green tea and a choice of fried/white rice, and we got an extra bowl of white rice for, I think, no extra charge. Great location too.
(5)Paulina B.
I've been here a few times with my boyfriend and we absolutely love the soup dumplings! Little pillows of warm goodness. They come in a little bamboo steamer and taste delicious. We order them every single time. This time, we also ordered the mango chicken which was sweet, spicy and flavorful. The mango was ripe and the sauce was well seasoned. All the food they seem to bring out of the kitchen looks good so I'm excited to try new things every time we go. As for the restaurant, I've been here when it is extremely busy and felt really rushed. We got approached by four different waitresses asking if we were ready to order before we even really got settled. The second time we came here, it was much quieter and slow and we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves. The food is tasty and cheap, and who can complain about that?! Looking forward to going back!
(5)Alexandra S.
fast service, great price, delicious food. I read a lot of reviews on here complaining about the service, but seriously? what do you expect? they want you in and out as fast as possible to make as much money as possible and honestly, it doesn't seem like they'd miss you much if you didn't come back again because the line was out the door so obviously they're doing something right! capitalism at its finest. maybe take the first date somewhere else and come back here when you're not trying to impress. now that I've said that, moving on. I ordered spring rolls, pork and leek dumplings, general gau's chicken, and pork fried rice. it could be concerning how quickly they brought the food out but upon digging in, I knew immediately it was very fresh. The pork fried rice was really good. It seemed like they maybe used less oil than other places do so it wasn't as sticky but delicious nonetheless - some might think it is a little too salty but I can't get enough salt so I was happy. The dumplings were also delicious. Brought out later than the rest of the good and very fresh. I really enjoyed the general gau's chicken. Sometimes I shy away from fried chicken because if it sits it can get hard and hard to chew but this was perfectly done. Happily heading home with plenty of leftovers.
(4)Stella W.
I am not sure what the hype is all about. I was here once for lunch and once for dinner. The lunch specials are great and probably more worth it than dinner. The food is ok, nothing too spectacular. The green onion pancake is not crispy enough and the sauté string beans is too oily and not cooked well. The only dish I would recommend there is probably the fried flounder with ginger and green scallions. The service wasn't that great and since we went on a Sunday night for dinner, we felt like we were rushed all the time. They automatically add 18% gratuity to your bill. Tip: everyone in your party has to be there before they will seat you.
(3)Mr F G And Ms M S.
Don't order the noodle soup here. It's horrible! It's so bland! We had to add so much hot sauce & other condiments to make it decent to eat. If we have to write a review based on our noodle soup alone, we would've given a 1 or 2 stars. It's 3 stars because of our family who was also with us for dinner says their dishes were pretty good. Everyone was enjoying their meal here except us. If we ever come back here again, we would definitely stay away from their noodle soup. The service here is decent. We definitely can't complain. The place is small & it was busy when we were there.
(3)Natalie P.
Came here to try to XLBs. Disappointed. After one or two, they actually taste kind of gross. The dumpling shell is thick and sticky. Not delicate like I prefer my XLBs to be. If you've had great XLB from Asia or din tai fung you know what I mean. The pork inside was questionable. Not very soupy. Not even sure if it was cooked through either. 2 stars at best. Probably only really gets a 1 in my opinion.
(2)Daniel C.
I came here for a late dinner (7pm) after doing some research on Yelp. I never been to Boston's Chinatown and was pleased to find that it was an easy walk from my hotel. Upon finding this place I was surprised it was packed, and even more surprised to be seated immediately, across another customer getting ready to leave. Tables were not yet cleared which was awkward. In terms of food, the entrees I ordered are 5-stars in quality. Mini Pork Buns (Xiao Long Bao) were a misnomer - they should be called Da Long Bao since they were enormous! Easily double the size from Din Tai Fung and other places in SF Bay Area, but with the same excellent rich broth and juicy pork. I also ordered Beef Brisket Noodles with Spinach - excellent broth, very tender and juicy brisket, and good use of spinach and pickled greens. Noodles were chewy, which is how I like them. Minor quips is that the tea was a bit bland. I ordered a coconut boba tea (to go as a dessert) that was pretty good, except pearls were a bit bland. Service was decent but I can't help but feel its a bit erratic with seating folks and moving chairs and tea pots from table to table.
(4)Erica K.
More popular than any bar in Boston, this place is out of this world. All joking aside, drunk Chinese food is the way to go. We ordered beef with pepper, soup dumplings, pork chops and I got rice noodle soup. The broth was so good, it's a little salty, but I love salt. The pork chops were incredible, crispy and had a nice ginger taste, and the beef with peppers was good and spicy. Service is kinda terrible but it was 1 in the morning, the line was out the door and I had a happy tummy.
(5)Clara L.
Communication fail on this visit. After I ordered my delicious dinner and spent the prerequisite $20 to make a credit card payment, they brought the bill and when I showed the plastic, they told me cash only. Machine broken, no heads up, no signs on the door saying cash only, nada. Womp womp. Because I'm a jerk, I only had $15 in cash on me and I had to run out to get cash, which was super annoying. Delicious food still, but always be prepared to pay cash here is the lesson I'm taking from this visit
(2)Edward W.
Food was good, but not amazing. My only gripe with this place was the service. Now don't get me wrong, I know that Asian restaurants are known for their quick efficiency so I'm not expecting 5 star service. But I had to wave down the waitress 5 times to get 2 cups of water, which is sort of ridiculous considering the place wasn't even packed when I went. Also most watery tea ever. Now for the food: Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) - easily best thing ordered. Very juicy and authentic. Taiwan Style Eggplant - aka with garlic, basil, and black bean sauce. Pretty good, but liked the one at Taiwan Cafe better as I think they overdid the sauce a bit and I could only taste sauce. Beef and Chicken with Basil - Good, but again not amazing. I don't know if it's because the eggplant was so saucy, but I thought this was a bit bland. Portion though was generous. I'll consider coming back and trying other dishes, but at least for this time, the only dish I found worth re-ordering was the xiao long bao.
(3)Arlyn S.
The mini juicy buns are amazing. I like the pork and crabmeat and the plain pork buns. The juice pours out and can burn your chin if you are not careful. We went three days in a row after discovering it walking late night in Chinatown. The lunch specials are a good value. If you buy the appetizer combo. Choose three appetizers instead of getting fried rice. This will leave more room for dumplings. The braised short rib soup with spinach and noodles has a great sweet and salty taste to it. The wonton soup was ok. Get the short rib soup instead. It's flavor profile is worth the time.
(4)Hung C.
The food was ok. The server and owner, didn't seem to care much about the customers who were dining. Or even came over to help, sat there for a good 15 min before we had to asked someone to help us. During the dining, all the servers and owners where talking so loud you can't even hear all the other customers in the place. The owners was just sitting at a table near the register eating peanuts and talking very loud. Don't suggest anyone to go here!
(2)Rick M.
Xaio Long Bao... or soup buns... or mini juicy buns... or pork "soup" dumplings. So many names for one delicious little dumpling! Try to pop an entire dumpling into your mouth and it bursts with flavor and well... soup! This place does a good job on their dumplings. And the Roast Duck Buns are wicked pissa good too. Service was standard for a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Next time I come in I'll try a few other dishes but definitely can't go wrong with any of the dumplings and buns here!
(4)Clare Z.
The dumpling and bun in this cafe are really good. I like the Mini Juicy Bun's taste and various kinds of soup.
(4)Vincent H.
Came here for dinner the tonight and thought that it wasn't too bad. Probably lucked out cause there was no wait with the rain. Seafood Fried Rice and Beef Pan Fried noodles came out really fast. Adequate portion and hit the spot. Xiao Long Bao on the other hand was definitely something different for me. Felt like XL Xiao Long Bao's. Also would it hurt if they gave out more than one sauce plate? I'd like to toss some chili on mines and I know some of my friends don't like spicy foods. Lastly what's up with them not leaving a teapot work us? Also there's a $20 minimum for card.
(4)BostonBestEats X.
Having only recently moved back to Boston, this was my first visit to what is apparently a one of the better restaurants in Chinatown according to those in the know. I first discovered Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings or "mini juicy buns" as Dumpling Cafe more evocatively calls them) at the legendary Din Tai Fung in Taipei, and it's pretty much been all downhill since as far as dumplings go. Maybe the Shanghainese invented soup dumplings, but the Taiwanese perfected them. But as for XLB in Boston, Dumpling Cafe's renditions are probably as good as it gets. However, the real reason to go to Dumpling Cafe appears to be the rest of the menu, which is some of the best Chinese (or more accurately, Taiwanese) cuisine I've enjoyed in Boston. Our Saturday Lunch group of Chowhounds enjoyed: 1) Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ($7.75) ~Whether this is a specifically Taiwanese version of the ubuiquitous pancakes most Chinese restaurants serve, I couldn't say. But it would make a delicious lunch sandwich, with the crispy fried pancake wrapped around tender, thinly sliced beef, raw green onions and hoisin sauce. Not as standout as some of the other dishes, but well worth ordering again. 2) Twice Cooked Preserved Pork, house-made ($11.85) ~My favorite course, the tender slivers of pork belly are pickled in-house, and stir-fried with leeks. Not only delicious, it was actually a beautiful looking dish as well. 3) 3 Essence (aka, 3 Cup) Duck Tongue in Clay Pot ($18.85) ~3 Cup Chicken is classic Taiwanese, and something I love. But with duck tongues??? I will try almost anything once, but for some reason duck tongue is something that has always scared me. However, I had heard this was a must-try dish at DC, and I'm so glad I finally overcame my timidity...this was DELICIOUS! Admittedly, a little complicated, even annoying to eat, because there is a cartilaginous bone in the center of each tender little tongue. But I eventually worked out a trick for stripping the meat off using my tongue and teeth. Maybe I should make a YouTube video? Maybe not. But once you figure out the trick, they are no longer so annoying to eat, and actually quite addictive. 4) Braised Chicken Meat Balls ($11.45) ~A dish I would have never ordered if it didn't come recommended, this turned out to be another lovely dish. The meatballs are light and almost airy in texture, but with a nice slightly crispy sear on the outside. Framed with baby bok choy, this is also a beautiful dish. 5) Mini Juicy Buns with Pork ($7.75) ~An ancient example of molecular gastronomy (just try to guess how they get the soup inside!), as I mentioned these are decent enough examples, with fairly thin yet strong skins and a flavorful broth. Do read up on how to eat them, or you will end up with soup on your shirt or a burnt tongue, or both. Much better than the thick-skinned monstrosities that are served at what is otherwise the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston, nearby Taiwan Cafe. 6) Taiwan Style Pan Fried Dumplings ($7.75) ~A Taiwanese acquaintence makes what are the best dumplings I've ever tasted, with the distinctive open ends allowing the meat stuffing to peak out. These are not in that league, but tasty, and the favorite dish of at least one of our number. Afterwards we went to nearby Xinh Xinh for an excellent avocado boba shake (a Taiwanese invention, although XX is Vietnamese).
(4)Kim S.
The restaurant was typical of an eatery in Chinatown. Tables and seating were cramped in the small area and guests are quickly seated with strangers to minimize wait. We were seated next to a couple that was obviously on a date. It was kinda weird at first to overhear their conversation and menu selections but I quickly got over it. To my surprise, the diners consisted mostly of western clientele ordering Chinese delicacies such as intestines and tripe. Kudos to them... I don't even eat that! We were served tea in a large clay pot in large cups. That was pretty handy because I hate having to refill the typical small cups. Although we placed orders for apps and dumplings to start, everything came out at once at "Chinatown" speed. Staff is always in a rush but gets you what you need if asked. I don't mind it so much because it means a shorter wait time for a table, food and for your bill. For starters, we got the steamed duck bun, mini pork bun and fried crispy chicken strips, Taiwanese style. It seemed like everyone else ordered the scallion pancakes but we opted not to. The duck bun was very flavorful and there was plenty of meat filling inside the warm bun. I liked that it was lightly grilled on the bottom for a nice crispy texture. I made the mistake of NOT letting the Mini Pork buns cool down and the piping juices exploded in my mouth. The large pieces were a bit bigger than "bite size" it was more like two bite size, if there's such a thing. The Taiwan style crispy chicken strips reminded me of fried catfish with a cornmeal batter. It was addictive. Although I saw fried red basil on the dish, I couldn't taste it on the chicken. For dinner, we went the family style route and split a few dishes. I wished I referred Yelp before our visit. I was overwhelmed with the extensive menu that had appetizers, grilled dishes, dumplings and buns, noodles, braised soup, beef/chicken/pork/seafood/vegetable specials, Chef;s specials and lots of other authentic Chinese food that I've never heard of but wanted to try. This menu was NOT for the faint of stomach, after all there were dishes that had blood pudding, pork intestine, pork blood, duck tongue and frogs, just to name a few. The salty fish chicken fried rice was very good and affordable at only $ 7.25. We wanted a side vegetable dish and was bummed to hear they ran out of pea pod stems. The waiter suggested Chinese broccoli so we went with that. It was good but I think the price was a bit steep at $ 11.35. The pork belly was reminiscent of Cambodian/Vietnamese 5 spiced braised pork belly stew made from thick soy sauce and sugar. The consistency was the same just that it didn't have the strong anise and black pepper seasonings. I was thrown off by the chicken with garlic sauce. I imagined a chicken breast stir fry in an oyster and garlic sauce. Instead there were strips of chicken, scallion, dried wood ear mushroom and bamboo. It was quite different and on the sweet side. Dinner was very good and I definitely want to be back to try the other 200+ menu offerings. I definitely want to try some of the casserole dishes as well as the hot pot items.Our bill total was $68.64 Crispy Chicken Strips Mini Pork Buns Chinese Broccoli Shredded chicken in garlic sauce Salted Fish Chicken Fried Rice Special Duck Bun Pork Belly Taiwanese Style 2 diet cokes It fed four of us and there were plenty of leftovers...until Next time! **NOTE I'd try to go between 11 AM-4PM next time when they offer a combination special. You can get 3 dishes for 21.95 and there are 59 choices to choose from. Great deal! For food pics mami-eggroll.com/2014/09…
(4)Nancy C.
Went here again for lunch with a lot of friends; we ordered mainly off the lunch special. There were 7-8 of us so we ordered 2 xiao long bao orders, beef with long horn peppers, string beans, watercress with garlic, pork belly, flounder with ginger and scallion, ma po tofu, fish fillets, twice cooked pork, general gao's chicken, egg with shrimp and tomato, and various other dishes I don't remember. Typically I'm not a huge fan of lunch specials because they tend to be very Americanized. I did try the flounder, watercress, beef with peppers, and the pork belly - I have to say all of those were pretty authentic and some even tasted similar to my mom's cooking. The best dish was the beef with longhorn peppers. I'm a huge fan of spicy food and have a high spice tolerance, and this was actually pretty spicy. It wasn't too greasy either, which I appreciated. Coming in a close second was the pork belly. Tender and flavorful and drenched in a delicious sauce, both this dish and the previous one are similar to what my mom and aunt cook for holidays. The flounder was a smaller portion than most of the other dishes but was decent - it was flavorful without being too salty and the fish was pretty fresh. Egg with tomato is a dish my dad often cooks but I was disappointed to see that this dish was too sweet (they must've added a lot of sugar). The watercress was very oily but also very tasty. Same goes with the green beans, though the watercress is far more authentic and probably healthier. As always, the xiao long bao are a must try, though they seemed to be not as good as the last time I had them. I liked the soup the lunch specials came with - it's not your typical egg drop or sweet and sour soup. Instead, it's a simple soup made with pork broth and has chunks of daikon (if you're lucky). The lunch special also comes with rice, thank god. Overall, all of this food only cost is $15 per person after time. Honestly, where else but Chinatown could you find such a good deal? Personally, I'd come here again for dinner because as good as some of these dishes are, I wouldn't order them again. I'm mostly a fan of the huge steamed fish. But if you want a very cheap lunch that is good and will fill you up (and a lunch special menu that had something beyond your typical Americanized Chinese food), Dumpling Cafe is the place to go.
(4)Khunravin H.
I've been here many times. Every time I go service is always great. It gets packed quickly here. Seating is very limited. So limited that sometimes you have to share a table with other patrons. So why would one come here? For the mini pork soup dumplings of course! I mean they have other food too, but it's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason.. If you need help learning how to properly eat a soup dumpling, there's plenty of help on blogs and on YouTube. I'm not particularly good with handling chopsticks, but a girl I was seeing taught me how to hold the dumpling for consumption. Anyway, do stop by here, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Raymond W.
The soup dumplings were okay, skin was too thick and dried out too quickly. Service was fast. So fast that the waitress kept taking away our tea pot and did not return with a fresh pot. They were also quick to put on an automatic tipping charge of 18%. Ouch.
(3)Cheeba C.
Yummy delicious. Waitresse can be pushy, but you're in Chinatown. Soup dumplings are great and general gau's chicken was crunchy....yeah!!!
(4)Shani T.
Really a 3.5 star rating. So let's start by saying I love efficiency at restaurants, and Dumpling Cafe totally nailed that aspect. All our dishes came out quickly and that definitely deserved my nod of approval. Now, I don't go to places in Chinatown expecting great service, but I expect, I don't know, some sort of politeness at least? My boyfriend and I walked in for an early Sunday dinner. We got seated quickly with our menus with little talking, which was fine. I opened my menu and began browsing, and after a couple minutes I motioned at our cups when I made eye contact with a waitress and she came by to pour us tea. She definitely didn't care much for how she was pouring the tea--it was super sloppy and she overfilled my boyfriend's cup before proceeding to overfill mine and spilling the tea on the table and somehow, on my foot (I had my legs crossed so my left foot was slightly out from under the table I guess). The waitress disappeared quickly to grab napkins without us asking which was good at least, but when she came back she threw down the pile of napkins on top of my menu. Um. Okay. I was kinda reading that. Anyway, we end up ordering two orders of xiao long bao (soup dumplings), an order of Chinese watercress, and an order of salt and pepper pork chops. All of this done with barely any acknowledgement from the waitress. 1) XLB--these were actually super awesome. I would even say better than a lot of places in NYC. Definitely the largest XLB that I've received at a Chinese restaurant. Each order comes with 6 and man, and I almost regretted the fact my boyfriend and I ordered two orders (not that we didn't finish them, they were really good!). The skin is doughy, but still soft and easy to bite into. The broth is quite good and seriously, I can't get over the sheer size of these. 5 stars for sure 2) Chinese watercress--I was really in the mood for a good vegetable dish and I love kong xin cai so I decided why the hell not, let me pay $12 for this. It definitely satisfied my craving. The garlic was cooked perfectly to season the watercress and the veggies weren't too salty. Still, $12 for this is a reaaaaally steep markup... It also takes like literally 2 minutes to cook. 4 stars, due to the price 3) Salt and pepper pork chops--also a very large portion. Not too salty, not too peppery. A bit thick on the breading, which I could taste a little more of the pork. Overall though, not bad. 4 stars If I had to judge Dumpling Cafe strictly based on quality of food, I would give a 4 star rating. The service though was just so subpar to the point of bothersome. At some point I asked for two glasses of cold water and the waitress turned around and walked away before I even finished my sentence. Yeah, she knew what I wanted and got it for me, but it's kind of just common courtesy to, I don't know, let me finish talking? I did all of the ordering in Chinese too. Anyway, I guess I would come back here for the food. Kind of reminds me of Shanghai Asian Manor back in NYC, just not as friendly.
(3)Miriam S.
We got the beef and long horn pepper - delicious! And the mini juicy pork dumplings - amazing! We ordered the seafood fried rice that was really mediocre and asked the waiter for a spicy chicken dish, he recommended mango chicken. It was a way too sweet mess. Do not get the mango chicken. The service here isn't great either haha. Just order what they are famous for and enjoy!
(4)Theodore T.
I've gotten food here twice now, both times for dinner, takeout. Most recent visit I tried the egg fried rice, Taiwan eggplant, spicy pork chop, and soup dumplings. No complaints, food has always been hot, tastes good, and service is fine. Seems busy for dine-in usually.
(4)Thomas L.
The first warning sign was no boneless spareribs. But ok, I found several other items on the menu that seemed appetizing. - pork fried rice - pork/leak steamed dumplings - spring rolls - chicken wings - crispy chicken strips The pork in the pork fried rice was very soft and chewy; not quite the consistency I was looking for. The rice was flavorful, as were the peas. The sauce on side was helpful for that added bit of flavor. The pork/leak steamed dumplings were the highlight of the meal. Very tasty pork/leak combo, juicy, and hot. The dumpling dough was good. The spring rolls were very pedestrian and nothing at all to write home about. Nothing really jumped out at me here. The chicken wings weren't good at all. I'm not even sure they were cooked all the way through, although they were extremely hot on the outside. I couldn't quite pinpoint the sauce that they were garnished in. Doesn't matter, it didn't make them any better. The crispy chicken strips were decent but overall not that crispy. They were a mix of white and dark meat, which was nice. But, they were lacking. We left half of them on the plate. We arrived right before a lunch rush, but service was still subpar. We had to ask for water and tea refills. My plate was dirty, although it might have been a water stain from the dishwasher.
(2)Sarah C.
Food is great. Customer service is still awful. Will I go back? Unfortunately yes because they do make the best soup dumplings. We pointed out to the manager that we found 2 ant like bugs in our wonton noodle soup. He quickly removed the plate and told us that the vegetables were probably not rinsed thorough enough. That was it. He was scared that will make a commotion and other customers will find out. Geez
(1)Anita L.
Within the 3 times I came to this restaurant, my first experience was okay. They got me my food everything was an in and out experience however the last two times was absolutely terrible. The same waitress that served my party was rude, didn't know her menu and got our order wrong. And when we explained to her kindly that theres a mistake she took the plate away and started talking trash about us thinking that we couldn't understand. What also threw me off was the fact that on the check that they printed out it already included the tip. So when they print out your receipt for the card she told me to write the tip in the tip part of the receipt. So she practically forced me to tip her for the bad service.
(1)Myan T.
We usually come here for lunch. Overall meals are pretty good. Dumplings and steam buns are pretty fresh and enjoyable. They have an inexpensive daily lunch special from 11-4 for $7.50 or $7.95 a plate that includes rice and soup. Service is prompt and they always make sure the table are kept clean. There are a few downsides. One being that this place is pretty compact and you occasionally have to squeeze your way out. Secondly that if it's packed there is a good amount of wait time. They also serve beer and wine until 1AM!
(4)Al G.
Make sure the lobster is cooked. It was jelly like...we asked for it to be cooked some more...then got attitude from the head guy and reheated (still jelly clear) lobster. The biggest issue was the overall filthyness overall. Try other options first.
(1)Karen W.
My friends and I must have come on a bad day. Or maybe things are usually like this. Communication problem: We ordered 2 steamed pork buns, salted fish and chicken fried rice, and Taiwanese style noodles. They gave us the rice and noodle dishes, but instead of the pork buns they gave us pork dumpling. (I remembered we said steamed pork buns because we joking about buns as we ordered.) The waitress who gave us the dumplings saw our confused expressions, but walked away. So we told another waitress and she took it away. No apologies, but that's okay because we got our buns in the end. Food: Everything was okay except for the Taiwanese noodles. There was an excessive amount of vinegar and salt/sauce in it. I can't tell if this taste is Taiwanese style or not, but it was extremely salty and weird. Social grouping: I am not sure if this is normal, but the workers were always in a group socializing either at the counter or near the bathrooms. It was hard to grab their attention when we needed something. The tea: Our tea was not refilled unless we asked for more tea. After getting one of the workers' attention and letting her know we wanted more tea, she gave us a teapot of hot water. When we wanted to tell her or another worker we wanted tea and not water, everyone was in their social group again. Incense: We sat near the incense holder. A worker lit the incense. I personally do not like the smell of incense, but I had to suffer since we were already eating. We smelled like incense afterwards. I thought if they were to have incense in the restaurant, they should at least light it before the restaurant was opened. Instead, they lit it when everyone was eating. We were there around noontime. Maybe it was supposed to be some common sense knowing that they have incense in some consistent manner, but I never got the memo. The bill: They included tips in the bill. 18% gratuity. I ate with three other people... Overall, I did not feel comfortable eating here. I cannot tell you if I would recommend this place or not since you may like that specific taste of Taiwanese style food, hot water, and/or the smell of that specific incense, but just keep in mind of things that may happen such as what happened to me today.
(1)Dan R.
So first off, my friends and I went here two nights in a row - so think about that. The szechuan style flounder is AMAZING. It is served in a simmering bowl of spicy goodness and cabbage over a flame. It's super hot so don't burn your mouth on it at first! There is something in there that finds its way to my bites sometimes that's weirdly numbing/bitter with an almost concentrated anise flavor? If you know what that is, hit me up, I don't like it. We think it may be the pieces of pepper? Scallion pancakes are too thick/doughy but I'm ok with it because I just get some of their other magical treats like Juice Buns (DIVINE), proc dumplings, and pea pods. My friends and I love to come here after a late night working in our restaurant and fill the table with food and over eat, all for like $20 per person including a fat tip. I like it and will continue to come here for tasty food! Servers are pretty indifferent but we have had the same one a few times now and she has grown to like us which is fun.
(4)Christine T.
Daughter enjoyed the Mini Juicy Pork Buns...visiting from LA and we ended up going here three times during our 8 day stay...will come back if we're ever in Boston...plus they're open late...the noodle soups are pretty decent too
(4)Celin W.
3.5 stars. Tried two dishes here. The shanghai soup dumplings (xiao long bao) which was very good! Rich, juicy, the skin wasn't too thick, and very flavorful. Tasted very legtimate and I was impressed. A 4 star kind of soup dumpling. I think it's slightly (very marginally) better than dumpling house and Taiwan's cafe soup dumplings, BUT so slight that I'm good with eating at the other two places too. Also had the shui zu yu (hot sauce fish / szechuan fish). While it came in an impressive metal bowl with a small fire at the bottom, it really was not that tasty. Here I can firmly say that dumpling house (cambridge)'s fish is much better. Gourmet dumpling's fish is also better. The fish here wasn't bad by any means, decent, though overcooked (too soft), just lacking in the szechuan punch. Hence reducing the rating to 3.5 instead of 4. For those who know Han Dynasty, Han's fish is definitely way better. Again, Dumpling Cafe is very decent, service efficient , menu extensive, and looked very popular on Friday night. Not sure I would go back for anything else other than the xiao long bao.
(3)Jake L.
4 stars for the soup dumplings alone (they'd surely be 5, but the rest of the experience just didn't quite deserve it)! Those were amazing, and we will definitely come back just for those. The rest of the food was average - I've had much better Chinese food (though I've had worse as well). I'd recommend coming for the dumplings though, I could definitely have made a meal out of them, and forgot about the Vegetable Lo Mein, Stir Fry Beef Noodles, Scallion Pancakes and Chicken Peking Style. None were bad by any means, but no stand-outs either. Also have to give props for taking my friend's severe peanut allergy into account. They were very accommodating.
(4)Lester L.
The location is very convenient, but there are definitely reasons why this restaurant only had a handful of people during a weekday lunch hour: the food is mediocre, the ambience is questionable, and the service is horrible. The scallion pancakes had the texture of cardboard. The soup dumplings were below average, at best. The menu is uninspired and doesn't have anything interesting or new to offset the mediocre quality. The staff was, for some reason, compelled to blast teenie bopper hits at a volume a tad too loud to ignore. Finally, the waitstaff never returned after dropping off my food: the small cup of tea I was given went by too quickly, and I could have easily used 2-3 refills during the course of the meal. I will not return to this place and would not recommend it.
(1)Lauren H.
(I think?) this is the only place in downtown Boston where you can get Xiao Long Bao. They're very tasty, most likely can rival New York's Chinatown dumplings. It's a small cramped space, but the table turnaround is quick so you're not waiting for long if it's crowded. In addition to having their Xiao Long Bao, I also had their Ox Tail soup which was great! Nice and collageny, just the way I like it. My S.O. at the time had their egg drop soup which he enjoyed, not much to note about anything else since we only came here for a quick snack. Well worth it though.
(5)Emily A.
I'd been here once before when the line at GDH was too long. Got the soup dumplings and fried pork and leek dumplings and they were great-on par with anything else in Chinatown. And I was with my friends, having a great time, so in our good humor we kinda laughed off the bad service. Even when the waitress spilled water on me and my friends when refilling our glasses, and refused to speak to us or look us in the eye, we let it go. Didn't seem that bad. I couldn't really ignore the terrible service today. The food I had this time around was not good at all. Don't get the mango chicken. It's artificial tasting, too sweet, and doused with sauce. Also the bubble tea is icy. Obviously their specialty is the dumplings, so I don't hold it against them that my entree was subpar. Especially considering the size of their menu-it's hard to make 9 pages' worth of excellent, invariably delicious meals. Once again, the waitstaff was aloof, cold, and blatantly uninterested in common courtesy. I've never been the type to get mad at unfriendly waitresses. I don't expect them to crap rainbows or radiate warmth. But actual eye contact and verbal communication would be swell, so I know that they've heard me. TL;DR If you're gonna go, go in a good mood with a big group. And stick to the dishes they're famous for.
(2)Sunny C.
Soup dumplings are okay, but really doughy. Something didn't quite taste fresh about them; it tasted a bit sour. Water spinach stir fry in sa cha sauce was really tasty. Service could be better in terms of friendliness. Servers and hostess gave off the impression it was such a chore to be there.
(2)Christine J.
wow are they going downhill!!! im so sad to say the quality of food/service is no longer as good, WHY??? the XLB looked funny, something went wrong with the dough it looks like. and the spicy fish lunch plate was so damn salty, it tasted like preserved fish. :( and to make it worse, the server dumped all the leftover dishes (totally diff tastes- 3 cup chicken and spicy chilli fish) TOGETHER IN ONE BOX. that is it. they need a heads up on what they're doing before they lose all the customers they've accrued over the last few years.
(2)Alexandra M.
This place is kind of insane. You better get everything you want to order in right away because they won't be back and they have a million other things to do before stopping for you. I got the scallion pancake which was quite dry, even when I smothered it in soy sauce. I also got Taiwan style eggplant which means garlic and basil (we had to look it up). The basil was left in and impossible to eat--so avoid it!
(3)Katy M.
I heard rave reviews of this place, but I got takeout and must say I was disappointed. The food was good, but not great. I got the roast beef wrapped in scallion pancake and the mini juicy pork buns. While the roast beef was delicious, the scallion pancake wasn't very flavorful (it did make for a good sandwich though). The mini juicy buns, while savory, were a little too soggy at the bottom, making them difficult to eat without making a mess (I know there is a special way to eat them, but it didn't work for me here). Not bad, but there are better places in Chinatown.
(3)Lee B.
We went here and asked about the ingredients of an item on the menu, to ensure that it was free of shellfish or prepared separately from shellfish, as my wife has a very severe allergy. The waitress assured us that there was no problem, and they could accommodate. We wound up in the emergency room that evening because our "vegetarian" dish had NOT been clear of shellfish. AVOID this place if you have an allergy.
(1)Gigi L.
I've been to a few Xaio long bao places in Boston and this has to be one of the better restaurants serving this dish. The skin is still thicker than the proper version, but not too shabby since it holds the soup inside of them. Also tried the beef chow fun which was just average at best. I ordered what sounded amazing--the fried oyster pancake, but it was disgusting. DO NOT ORDER THAT! Trust me!! Prices are average, service is average.
(3)Zachary D.
I'm addicted to their Shanghai noodles with chicken and mustard greens. They also have best soup dumplings I've ever had hands down! Can't beat the prices either. Don't bother going anywhere else in china town for dumplings or noodles!
(5)King Y.
Sadly disappointed the last time we went. We were really looking forward to lunch here. There are a few problems First the xiao long bao was too salty. It doesn't really hit you at first, but after a few, it becomes clearer. I don't know if they changed their recipe, or maybe we just got a bad batch. Still a disappointment. Second the service is not appealing at all. They are happy to put you at tables with other guests. I understand I have a choice, and this is doable and understandable when it is crowded and there's a wait. However, they clearly set up their tables so that they can put multiple parties together. This tells me they care more about revenue than they care about customer satisfaction. I really don't want to hear my neighbors' conversations or have them hear mine. And all at the same time trying to pretend we can't hear each other Third and not last complaint is the wait staff are rude especially to non-mandarin speakers. Sad to see Food is 3.5 stars Service is 1 star.
(2)Steve X.
THis place is your classic Chinatown service. Horrible service. Good thing is they open late so if you are in Boston, stop on in and get your fix of dank chinese food. But don't expect much. I didn't. Their dumplings are of such small portions, as are their other dishes. So if you are not sober, this is your place. If you are sober, try something else.
(2)Dean B.
I'm sure it is a difficult thing to successfully run a high volume, late night Chinese restaurant in the middle of Chinatown. Well, this place has got that process down to an art. Their soup dumplings, of course, are to die for. The teriyaki duck tongues are a winner in my book. So is the combination pan fried noodles and scallion pancakes! Wash all that down with some Tsingtao beer or two, pay the very affordable bill, and you can tuck yourself in for a good night sleep!! If you're craving late night soup dumplings in Boston, this is the place to be!!
(5)Young P.
Don't wait in line to go to Gourmet Dumpling House. Just come here. It's owned by the same guy and they make everything the same (well except for the spicy flounder soup which I will explain more in detail) Soup dumplings - Yes. They taste exactly the same. Why? Because it's made by the same people. Don't get me wrong. If you are visiting Boston, then dining at Gourmet Dumpling House is a must experience. However, if you live in Boston and you've been there many times, don't wait in line to eat there. It's a waste of time because down the block you can come here and eat the same food at the same price and the best part is there is no line because everybody is waiting to get into Dumping House!!!! More about the flounder soup... I will admit, dumpling house's fish soup is much thicker and delicious. Here, it's still pretty good but it doesn't have that deep, thick taste which is a bummer....so if you really like the soup, just go to dumpling house. But for everything else, just come here. I highly recommend pork belly Taiwanese style. this junk is delicious. its so fatty and juicy and comes with vegetable at the bottom and really well complements the fat. oh and the sauce that they use to cook the meat is out of this world.
(4)Rufio R.
Great spot for authentic Chinese food. I ordered beef fried rice, soup dumplings, and scallion pancakes - everything was delicious! Based on eating soup dumplings at many other places, I can say that this place had one of my favorites because of texture, temperature, and taste. Highly recommended and great for groups!
(4)Abhishek C.
Excellent mini pork buns. Very good and fresh rice cakes with pork. I particularly enjoyed the green tea bubble tea milkshake. The fried calamari were average. Price was very reasonable and ambience was above average. Will definitely visit again especially for the soupy, thin shelled mini pork buns....
(4)Leo C.
Last time when I went there with my son, this place Suprised me. I can't believe how terrible the servers was. When we walk in they just ignore us and playing there phone till we ask them for a table.The food was pretty good and it's reasonable. But the way they served was disrespectful, instead of put the food they throw the food on the table. And after we asking for our bill, the server just stand there. I thought she was trying to have conversation with us, but she just stood there until we put on our money on the bill!!! WTF? This's the first time also the last we eat in here!!
(1)Jorge C.
Terrible customer service. I stood around for 10 minutes before they even acknowledged me. Both the door person and the waitress were unfriendly. I've been there twice and have had the same experience both times.
(1)Gabriella L.
Worst customer service ever! Came in here to order takeout. We were sitting down in one of the empty tables to look at the menu to see what to order and everyone was rude. They told us we cant sit down on an EMPTY table just for us to figure out what to order. We just left. Not worth the time or money.
(1)Rich L.
Nice try, Dumpling Café. Your establishment is very quaint, servers were nice, and service was good. But the food was "A-OK" at best. Soup dumplings were on par with what I expected. But the pork chop noodle soup, jellyfish, spicy noodles and other dishes we ordered lacked some flavor. I come from New York where we order this kind of food regularly. And I'm sorry to say that New York wins out on this food battle.
(3)A H.
Let's get the ambience and experience out of the way first... It's a small (maybe 40 seats), mostly run down place. It reminded me of the type of lunch joint that factory workers may have gone to 50 years ago. The wait staff hovers to get you to hurry up and order, and when finished eating, hovers to get you out. I suppose it's understandable... they want to turn tables, which are shared with strangers. Now the food... The dumplings were excellent a 10 for sure. Scallion pancakes about a 7. Crispy chicken at least an 8. I would hope to go back with a group of 4 or 6 so that we may experience many other choices from a menu that doesn't stop.
(4)Amanda W.
Racist towards African American women and Italian men. The biggest issue, the bill included 18% gratuities for a dinner for 2. This wasn't an option, it was in the bill, but not for our white and and asian friends sitting at the next table!! When asked why? There was no explanation. Along with no attention and pieces of our meal missing . So we outsmarted them which wasn't hard! We asked for a separated check without the gratuities and that we would put it in. They got no tip! #racistsshouldgooutofbusiness
(1)Paul T.
Authentic Taiwanese. The stinky tofu, potstickers and Taichung steamed meat ball made me shed a tear. Smell, texture, taste "to the land" or as if you were there as the Chinese idiom says. It even came with some sappy mandarin pop songs for accompaniment. Jin ho jia. Gai ho. If you don't know what that means, you must eat here and find out.
(4)Heesun P.
I ate Kung Pao chicken. It was good. But there was kinda trouble when I paid! I should have to paid back my change but clerks didn't make right calculations even their attitude was so rude. That was a horrible service :(
(2)Minju K.
Ironically the McDonald's across the street is closed and this place is open till 2am (Thank youuu) Their xiao long bao (soup dumpling was so good) also their sweet and sour soup was amazing I would totally come here again for late night food
(5)Juan C.
Food wasn't that great. Wish they would speak English. Very hard time understanding.
(2)Samantha A.
Awesome soup dumplings!!!!! Best I've had outside of NYC!! Although I do wish they were a bit cheaper or you got more than 6. Best bubble tea I've found so far, too!
(5)Jennifer G.
Decided to try this place out since I was in the area. Looked like it was pretty busy, so couldn't imagine the food to be terrible. I probably wouldn't come here again. I ordered a wonton noodle soup and wasn't very impressed. It was pretty bland and left me feeling really indifferent. Service also wasn't great, servers can be rude.
(3)Victoria S.
I went here for lunch with a few friends and was expecting a typical lunch that you would get in Chinatown, but that was not the case. We were seated at a table and the first thing I noticed was the dirty, stained plate right in front of me. I switched it with a plate from the next table over so that solved the problem. We ordered a salty fish and chicken fried rice, Taiwanese udon noodles, and steamed pork buns. Somehow, they managed to mess up our order and gave us regular dumplings, so we told them we didn't order that and they took it off our table without saying anything. Not even a sorry for messing up our order? The rice dish came out first and was decent, not great, but also not horrible. We then received the udon noodles, which had a horrible sauce that was too vinegary and salty. When we finally got the steamed pork buns and were halfway through out meal, the staff decides it would be a great time to light incense. I understand it's an important aspect of Chinese culture, but WHY DO IT RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO EAT LUNCH??? The smell of the incense ruined my appetite and made not only the food taste worse, but also leaves you smelling for the rest of the day. This place doesn't open until 11am, so why not do light it before people come into your restaurant? The service of the staff was inattentive as they were all just standing around the cashier chatting up a storm. We asked for more tea, but instead received a pot of hot water. They include 18% gratitude on the bill, which I did not think they deserved, so instead we tipped a tad bit less. I will not be returning here again. There are PLENTY of better places in the area to get better quality food and service.
(1)Joanna Y.
If this were a review on their soup dumplings only, this place would receive 5 stars. I like that the consistency of the wrap is the perfect amount of thickness. The soup inside is flavorful. All 3 orders of our xlb came out in one piece, no leaking soup dumplings here. Whenever I go to gourmet dumpling, at least one xlb is popped. Although the soup dumplings are great, I need other dishes during my meal for the variety. We ordered the following dishes as well, but was not nearly as impressed. - schezuan flounder soup: At gourmet dumpling, I like ordering the schezuan fish soup. It complements the dumplings very well. Unfortunately, the schezuan flounder soup here is quite bland. Not spicy or rich enough for my taste. - pan fried noodles: crispy and tasty noodles. Not a bad choice. - taiwanese pork belly: juicy and good sauce. Very fatty if you like that stuff All in all, not a bad place!
(4)Rachel K.
The dumplings are still fantastic, but service this past weekend was horrid. I had to ask for waters twice, and the check three times. Additionally, we ordered two sets of dumplings and they only came out with one. We were in a rush to be somewhere and didn't have time to order another by the time we could flag our waitress down. We left hungry and were disappointed.
(2)Steffi L.
One of the most disappointing Chinese restaurants I have been to in Boston. As someone born to Shanghainese parents who made regular trips to Joe's Shanghai in NYC, these soup dumplings were barely passable as "restaurant quality." The only worse soup dumplings I have had were frozen ones. They were also far too expensive. The prices are also absurd for Chinese food - my boyfriend and I were charged almost $15 for a simple vegetable dish, which would normally go for $8 in NYC. Overall, I would not come back, as it does not provide great value for the price they charge.
(2)Melissa O.
Food was good but don't order the fried rice, you will definitely be pissed when a plate of white rice comes out and you're charged $7 for something that comes free at most places.
(3)Nandanie S.
Chinatown, you've struck again. My first visit at Dumpling Cafe was on a warm Sunday afternoon after a day of shopping and the movies. I was hungry and wanted a nibble. This nibble turned into an all out smörgåsbord of all things yummy, courtesy of the Dumpling Cafe. We ordered beef and scallions, scallion pancakes with roast beef, and then dumplings. Oh dumplings. I CANNOT believe that I've never had a Chinese dumpling before... I've had Thai dumplings and they're just not the same. I'm a clumsy eater...let's just say that I'm clumsy in general. I even told my husband this when we first met just to get that out of the way. Eating dumplings was a whole 'nother type of clumsy. To me, it was an art form. I watched Annie C, and followed suit. These dumplings were soupy, tasty, and just damn delicious. I was a little upset when they were gone... Not to downplay the other dishes... the beef and scallions dish was rustic, well prepared, and full of flavor. The scallion pancake with roast beef was crispy, tasty as well, and something I'd order time and time again (and we did...). The orders are huge and great to enjoy family style with friends for lunch/dinner. So the second visit was after a BollyX demo on the esplanade. I said... "What could I possibly want to eat after BollyX-ing it all day? Dumpling Cafe. And so we got the scallion pancake with roast beef again, chicken with eggplant (deeeelicious), and 2 orders of dumplings. One order had crabmeat and the other was the original recipe. Both were superb, but I prefer the original much more than the crabmeat ones. I think that after this visit, I was a pro at eating dumplings (at least I thought so haha). I loved the chicken with eggplant...the basil that topped it off made it so good. Service was quick and attentive. I got a laugh out of the girls when I said that I walked into the kitchen instead of the bathroom. The cook found it funny too. See?? I'm clumsy. Told ya...
(5)Deb E.
Not amazing but not bad. Used to my shanghai style fix in nyc but this was ok for Boston. Kept it simple with two orders if xlb(crab & pork) and an order of pan fried noodles with beef thought about scallion pancakes but way over priced at $5.95. Xlb was hot - no lettuce on base of steamers so challenging to remove without ripping the soup dumplings. Broth was flavorful but not as unctuously porky as the ones at shanghai cafe in nyc. Pan fried noodles: skimpy on the noodles for the price - ok flavor - I'd call these average. Bonus points for hot tea, friendly service and no line on a Saturday at noon.
(3)Daniel L.
I don't know why they only got 3 1/2 stars review. I stumbled on this place by accident. Their dishes are really good. I tried the xiao-long bao, duck bun and beef noodles. The price is reasonable too.
(5)Ivy T.
Interesting when we had to share the table. The dumplings were slightly too big. We got the pork and crab along with pork and mushroom. Both pretty good, but hard to eat due to the size. Dipping sauce was really good and loved how they out in slivers in fresh ginger. We ordered winter melon stir fry which was light to eat and pretty good.
(4)Ale P.
Small little joint in Chinatown where you can get some pretty good eats. Stopped here for lunch twice recently when I was visiting family in Boston and was quite impressed. I do recommend ordering the XLB, or xiao long bao, also known as soup dumplings! They were flavorful and tasty on both occasions. Though I think the wrapper could've been a little thinner. We also got the Taiwanese style spicy eggplant. First time: amazing! Second time: wayyyy too sweet. So they might have a little consistency issue there. Which is a shame since I would've given this place 5 stars... We also ordered some salt and pepper squid, which was really good. And the Taiwanese noodles stir fried with seafood was very tasty. I would definitely stop by whenever I visit Boston again!
(4)Amy L.
I don't like to post negative reviews but the way this place handled my order made me. I was looking for some Asian dinner takeout when I walked around the area the other day. A first timer to the place, I read their menu and asked the guy at the counter about a couple of dishes and told him the names of a couple of dishes I was interested in. When I reached the end of the menu, I asked the guy how many dishes were already on his list and whether he could repeat the names of the dishes so that I could place my order. Instead of going over the list of the dishes, this guy printed out a credit card charge slip and said, "sign it and I will tell you what you have ordered." What?! I told him that I had not decided yet and need to know what is on his list. He insisted that I must sign the slip to pay him before telling me what is on my list. Then another woman said that all of the items had been sent to the kitchen as I spoke with the guy early on and nothing could be cancelled at that moment. She also said that if the take out order was placed over the phone, they will repeat the order to the customer but since I was at the store, they did not have to. I was tired and did not want to pick up an unnecessary argument. So I signed the slip, which was almost $50 for a single take-out dinner. Now coming to the food part: They are mediocre to the most if not totally disappointment. I can make better dishes or at least use the right ingredient to make the Fuqi Feipian. To sum up, the food would get a 3 star and the service and attitude get them a 2 star deduction. Conclusion: Try the Malaysian place next door, Penang. Much better food for the price and no coercive sale tactics.
(1)Karan R M.
Oh, Dumpling cafe how I've missed you these past few months. This was my go to chinese place when I worked in Downtown Boston. I remember being here during graduate school but I was reintroduced to the place by a colleague. The best thing about this place is their ability to customize your food. I gave them specific instructions on how I want my food cooked and it was presented to me exactly the way I wanted. Also, their ability to multi-task even in a huge customer crowd is awesome. I'd recommend this place highly.
(4)Elica I.
My husband & I love their soup dumplings & yeung chow fried rice! I do like some of their other dishes, too, but these two dishes are always good. Service is like any other Chinese restaurant. Definitely not a 5-star service. I only gave 4 stars as they changed their jelly-fish & garlic dish ... not sure what happened, but I was really sad when this particular dish was no longer palatable.
(4)Lillian C.
Came here with a group of friends on a Thursday. It was pretty full, but we didn't have to wait too long for a seat. I like ordering family style and sharing so I can try different dishes and that's what we did. We ordered: XLB: very big, hot, and juicy. I liked the flavor, but thought the dough was a little too thick. Flounder hot pot: very flavorful. Not too spicy, went well with the rice Stir fried string beans: lacking flavor and was just OK Mushroom and bok choy: very fresh vegetables and I liked the gravy on the vegetables Spicy intestine and pig blood hot pot: A little disappointed in this dish... was lacking in flavor, items, and the sauce just way too thick A pork dish: This was a tangy pork chop dish... one of the best things I ate that night. Pork was very well cooked and the sauce was so tasty. For the price and quality and quantity you get for this place I'm definitely a fan! I'm already counting the days until I can go back...
(4)Harsha G.
The service was horrible. The waitress even asked for a higher tip when we were leaving.
(1)Gigi H.
Our usual favorite Gourmet Dumpling House had way too long of a wait tonight so we thought we would give DC a try, that wasn't a good idea. It's not that the food was gross or anything, just not as good as our favorite. We ordered the exact same food here as we do there just to compare. The two restaurants are supposed to be owned by the same people that own GDH but the chefs are definitely different. First we ordered Taiwanese Hot and Sour. The soup was a miss. It had too much cornstarch and resembled snot and had too much salt and not enough vinegar. I also like my hot and sour to have a bit of black pepper and/or white pepper but this soup was seriously lacking. I was able to have a couple of sips after adding half a cup of hot tea to it. The next dish was pork with bamboo tips; again, too much cornstarch. The meat wasn't finely shredded like I prefer. I make a much better version of this dish at home. Finally our order of pork and leek pan-fried dumpling came out. While I did enjoy seeing large pieces of leek on the inside, the dumpling itself was not crispy at all, only a small area of it was actually fried and the rest was soggy. The dipping sauce did not have shreds of ginger like GDH and could use more seasoning considering how bland the filling was. We also ordered some scallion pancakes. I like that they weren't as greasy as GDH BUT they were really lacking in flavor and the dipping sauce that accompanied them did nothing to make them taste better. In fact, it was the same dipping sauce as the dumpling sauce. They are supposed to be different. At GDH, the sauce that is served with the dumplings as lots of ginger in it but the sauce for the pancakes has lots of coriander, which gives a fresh flavor to the oily pancakes. We won't be eating here again.
(2)Dandan L.
The service was bad as expected. The soup dumpling was decent, although the waitress forgot about our order and insisted that I never ordered after I checked with her 4 times. All the other dishes we ordered were def below average, especially the beef noodle soup. It was bland. All the noodles clumped together and some of them were half cooked. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed all the Taiwanese food restaurants have at least decent beef noodle soup. I'm still willing to give another try though. I didn't get to taste all their "Classic Taiwanese dishes". It could be I was just being unlucky and picked all their less popular dishes.
(2)Iaroslav M.
just had lunch here. Food is good,but service is horrible. I work in the industry and i expect the service to be good no matter how cheap or expensive the food is.After the waitress took my order and brought my food -She didn't said a word bringing my soup (ok,ill take it),then bringing my main meal she just put the plate on the table and walked away. How rude!im your customer, not an animal. Even if your English is sucked just say basic"enjoy" or "here you are".I didn't expect her to check on my meal of course (not existing thing in 99% of Asian restaurants ).On the top of her performance she brings me my bill while im still in the middle of eating without saying anything. I don't know who would tip her on the service like that. Doesn't she realize that tips are her income?Ill stop by for take out only.Maybe.
(2)Eric C.
I was eager to introduce the SO to something different within the Chinese restaurant world but didn't really know where to start within the Boston Chinatown. We found this place called the dumpling cafe so we figured we would try it out. For those of you who do speak Chinese and are looking for a place to go they speak Mandarin. As per my norm, I quite frankly ordered way to too much but I really just wanted him to try everything! We got the Xiao Long Baos that surprisingly still had the soup in them. They were piping hot but once sufficiently cooled were a burst of flavor in each mouth. Do you know how to eat these? you should first carefully pick them up with your chopsticks to prevent them from bursting. Bite off the top so they can cool and pour some of the vinegar and ginger sauce inside and eat it. You'll think you've died and gone to Shanghai. The next dish was the salt and pepper pork. Easily a favorite for anyone coming in. They have west lake beef soup as well but unfortunately the SO hates cilantro because of the weird genetic issue making it taste like soap. This was followed by a giant clay pot with mifun and lobster... more of a soup than what I was expecting but delicious nonetheless. This is a solid 4 stars. Not OMG I gotta have it but definitely a solid place to introduce a friend to real-er Chinese food. Parking across the street in the garage =)
(4)Wen-fai F.
This is my go-to place for soup dumplings (xiao lung bao) in Boston. The skin is incredibly thin, soup incredibly flavorful, and the meat is well-seasoned. I take my Chinese friends and family who are out of town to Dumpling Cafe and it never disappoints. Their pan-fried dumplings are also terrific. I've tried many other dishes here, noodles, oyster pancakes, vegetables, tofu dishes. Everything is decent but nothing I've had is a real stand-out other than the dumplings. One thing I really liked was the oyster pancake with gravy. Prepare to share this though, as it is pretty oily! I like that Dumpling Cafe never has an absurdly long wait; the longest I've had to wait is 30 minutes, and that was with a party of 8 people on a Saturday night. As far as service, it is a little difficult to get the attention of the wait staff during peak hours. I've had to go up to the register to pay the bill before because it took so long for someone to come to our table. I really don't mind that though.
(4)Jimmy B.
When I'm drunk, I think of this heavenly oasis in the middle of the night. Absolutely delicious when flat-out drunk, although to be fair, I've been here when I was "fairly" sober at the end of the night, and the food was STILL amazing. As all the other, numerous reviews have said, you MUST get their xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Any will do - go with crab, pork, hell, just go crazy and order two of each. For beginners not understanding the craze of soup buns - they are basically bigger dumplings with delicious broth inside. You bite off the top, drink the soup (careful, it's scorching hot!) and then add some black vinegar and ginger and munch away to your heart's delight. Absolutely amazing! As a side note, their flat noodles w/ beef is also very good! A nice complement to the soupy buns, so it's worth a try. And a side side note - don't expect great service. The service staff have limited english and care only about bringing you food, getting your money, and clearing your table all within 5 minutes if they could. Which, in most cases, isn't bad, but don't expect any memorable drunk conversations with the staff. At the very least, there's plenty of other drunk patrons that can fill up that void if need be (these conversations make great stories, trust me).
(5)Victoria H.
I've been to a couple of Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, and some of them are spot on. While others are on of a kind. But when I went to Dumpling Café. I knew it was going to be one of a kind. I tried their famous soup dumpling. It was heaven in a dumpling. Then I tried their friend squid with peppers. it was nice and crispy, but not too crispy. It was nice and the squid was soft and dissolve in my mouth. Then after I had those two dishes, I tried the scallion pancakes. It was nice and airy. I had it with a side of soy sauce! it was great. The service was very polite and was quick to deliver my order. I was very please. this is one of the places that college kids and people on a budget can go to ! this is the coolest place to hang out on a weekday or weekend, I will totally come back to this place!
(5)Matt O.
The dumplings are superlative. Service doesn't matter when the food is this good; heck, they could demand that I serve myself from the kitchen and they'd still earn five stars. (Though service is spotty and tea refills are hard to come by.) Between the dumplings and the roast duck buns, this place is on another level.
(5)Bob S.
Been here a few times; haven't made it to the other dumpling place - the line there is always too long for us - so sorry, no comparisons. This place holds its own with the other good places to eat in Chinatown. The XLB (which they call mini juicy bun?) are quite good - we order them every time we go; both crab and pork. Broccoli with garlic, string beans with dried prawns and spinach with garlic are fine renditions. The Taiwanese eggplant is very good; a bit unusual, slightly sweet. Kung Pao and General Tso's chicken are good; the Szechuan Flounder is very good (although I wonder if it is really flounder). It's small and pretty crowded. Don't be surprised if your neighbor is really really close. Ask him what he's eating. Service it a bit harried; they really need an additional server.
(4)Ariana Z.
Came here because the Gourmet Dumpling house was much more crowded than this place. The wait was only 15 minutes, which is good for these two places considering how popular they are. I had the Taiwan style wonton soup, which was very similar to Dumpling House's wonton soup. I really loved it, the soup was a good size, flavorful and light. I also ordered the scallion pancakes as a complimentary side dish and they are the best I have ever had. They are more crispy and not limpy like others I have had. Service was great, we ordered right away, and everything went smoothly. The cashier older woman, was very kind and kept coming out to reassure our group that she had our name down and our table status.
(5)Alexander L.
A lot of the food was saltier than I am normally comfortable with. This included the xiao long bao and the taiwanese style pork. otherwise, the food was cooked well and nothing was dry.
(3)Joanne G.
Fast service even when ordering streaming hot dumplings. Lots of seating and swimming fish to choose from. Everything we got was wonderful Ma Pa Tofu Spinach with garlic Taiwanese fried dumplings Pork and leek steamed dumplings Papaya Bubble drink
(4)Anne W.
This place is definitely more spacious than the Gourmet Dumpling House. Somehow there is a trend that Bostonians enjoy eating dumplings.. both places are packed. I think the shao long bao are much better than Gourmet Dumpling House. They do not give you red vinegar but the black vinegar instead. I think it still could improve like Din Tai Fung but let's be honest.. it probably won't happen in Boston anytime soon. The other things were hit or miss... veggies were good but something that could be gotten at any Cantonese restaurant. The Taiwanese pork chop noodles were not that great either. I was hoping something pretty amazing since the waitress was like.. yes, those are good. The noodles are typical, fresh spinach, and some friend pieces of pork chop. It was okay.. tender but not really a must-have. I saw more people here getting lobster here than anything else. That's not very Northern Chinese or dumpling like.
(3)Kelly C.
xiaolongbao - Thats what I came for and thats what I got. (To GO) I quite enjoyed them. They definitely would have been better had I eaten them there, but they held up surprisingly well on my 5 min walk back to the office. Full of soupy goodness, and the dipping sauce goes perfectly. I think I need to drag some coworkers for lunch there! Shouldn't be hard.
(4)Paul H.
Ok...so I read the reviews I bought into the "forget GDH" remarks... but I gotta say I am just not buying it. Now I will concede that with our party of 6, we had a hell of an easier time ( and a bit more elbow room) here... but what we made up for in room and a lesser wait we paid for in taste. The xiao long bao were good...not great...the veggie dumplings were rather dry on this particular visit . My wife ordered the sesame chicken and we may have well been in the suburbs. I had some seafood lo mein and it was average... not your standard msg laden dark burb noodles mind you..but nothing to write home about either. Everything at the table besides the pork and crab buns seemed like pretty average chinese fare. I would be thrilled if we had a place like this on the Cape... but to make the trip up... well not so much.
(3)Winnie M.
This place has only been open for 2 days only. I give it 2.5 stars only based on this initial experience. For a Tuesday night, it was quite busy, but I think it had more to do with it being a new place. The general layout of the place is overcrowded and not the greatest layout for a restaurant of this size. It might do them better to just lose a table or two for more comfort not just for the guests, but also for servers. The food: The scallion pancake was undercooked, not doughy, just undercooked...don't be fooled by the char marks on the outside. I ordered the Taiwan style Wonton Noodle Soup, which was mediocre. I'm not sure if its what the Taiwan-style is supposed to taste like, but the soup was very bland. Adding a bit of vinegar salvaged it a bit but not much. Not a fan of this dish, as the wontons were ok-sized, but it came with flat rice noodles, not the usual yellow egg noodles. That might just be the Taiwan-style, but I'm not a fan of flat rice noodles when it comes to Wonton Noodle soup. My boyfriend ordered the Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Shanghai noodles. It was a decent dish, but had too much beans and tofu for his taste (was not indicated on menu it would have such) and the pork seemed almost nonexistent in the dish. As for service, I can't say that it was a great experience, but it wasn't bad either. The food came rather quickly. There were no condiments of any sort at the tables, so you have to ask for them (like soy sauce, vinegar, etc). As I stated earlier that the layout was bad, we got seated at the table right next to the door. It did not help when there's a table next to us, then the 2-person table behind us. At one point, I got annoyed because during mid-bite of my food, I had to get up so that a waiter could get past me to the table next to us. I don't mind moving to make room, but at least wait until I don't have food in my mouth! Thankfully it was our waiter. The rest of the waitstaff as well as the hostess were extremely nice and seemed on their toes. Overall, it was a decent experience, but I'll give it a month or two before I attempt to try them again, maybe it will be a better experience.
(2)Terry B.
B I just ordered the xiao long bao here. Just to try out some Boston xiao long bao. It didn't disappoint! Slightly on the greasy side but tasty soup and meat. The service was kinda slow although it was only like 11AM. No customer service .. I don't expect much from Chinese places but still ... no smiles or anything haha
(3)Tempe T.
We just dined here last night and... yum. Just loved it. I was in the mood for some dim sum so we got the vegetable and the seafood dumplings. Vegetable dumplings were good, the seafood ones were better, and best of all were the spring rolls. What. They put cinnamon in there, folks. CINNAMON! Try them! They come with two different dipping sauces, one of which must've been the sweet and sour though it had a hint of apple taste to it. Fogettabouttit. As an entree we split the shrimp asparagus with the sa-cha sauce which, if I had to try to describe, I'd say it was a roasted garlic-butter sauce with something in it that looked like brown sugar but was milder than that. At any rate, I recommend the place highly. The ambiance is charming, the tea flows freely, the service was super-attentive, and the food was deLISH.
(5)Joanie L.
My 2nd time here was a private party but even then, the food was excellent. Great leek dumplings and soup dumplings, veg fried rice was tasty, decent teriyaki stick and noodles, good scallion pancakes.
(4)Carl T.
OMG OMG OMG OMG soup dumplings.. they bring a whole new level and meaning to the phrase "sex in your mouth" I swear its like an asian pillowy gusher. While I recommend you place the first round of dumplings on your soup spoon and pop the skin to ooze the soup out for it to cool, there really isn't anything funner or more daring than poppin those suckers in your mouth and go on the ride of tasty goodness! Lets be cereal for a minute and talk about everything else. While we tried other dishes that I cannot recollect due to the drunkenness, I remember those dishes being extremely well prepared and delicious. Those dam soup dumplings really just stole the show! The flavor of the meat in side the dumpling was perfect and seasoning of the broth was as perfect. The skin, to the filling to the soup all flavors really complimented each other. I do have one complaint and it is towards the old man bus boy who I hope doesn't get one cent of any tip given to any of the tables. What a huge douche! I don't care if youre old or hate your job or life for that matter. But cmon... first off when we paid the bill we gave a generous tip being that we had a very good experience the problem came when he came up to our table as we were about to leave and joyously asked if we liked the food, and of course how could we lie!! And this muther effer goes "then why you not give better tip, you like food you give better tip." And we all looked at each other and were like wtf... old man, you just single handedly ruined our house of dumplings experience to the max to the point where that old man bus boy alone is the cause of taking away 4 stars! As far as business, I don't care who you are, you never say that to a customer. doesn't matter if that is how Asians are when they're old or what not that's just not how you treat customers especially when we gave you a 30% tip. Sorry house of dumplings this review would have been 20 stars, your food is great and wait staff awesome but your bus boy really ruined the experience and our night.. quietest walk and drive home ever thanks to you, you old fart...!
(1)Amir K.
Everything is flavorful and the portions are enough for two. Sesame chicken is 10x better than the average take out.
(4)Oiyan P.
These soup dumplings are not the best I've ever had, but they are the best in Boston. For all you fans of Gourmet Dumpling House, you are all suckas! The dumpling skin here is fresh, smooth, and thin. The soup and dumpling size are ample! The other food is pretty decent too. The service is so so, but what do you expect? It's Chinatown! There's usually not much of a wait, unlike at GDH.
(4)Emmi Z.
I've eaten here a few times and the food is a) timely and b) very, very yummy! Their Chilli Beef Stir Fry is the spiciest I've had in Boston and their noodles are very good. Ironically, they lose a star because I wasn't impressed with their dumplings - everything else I've tried on their menu is DELICIOUS though! (Greasy, but Delicious.)
(4)Sandy H.
The xiao long baos here are so much better than the ones at the Gourmet Dumpling House. The dumpling skins are thinner so it makes for an all around tastier bao. The meat inside was really juicy, meaty, and flavored well. We also ordered the fried flat noodles with beef, but I would have to say that the other dumpling house made that dish better. I will definitely come back here for the xiao long baos.
(4)Tim D.
This place is said to have the best XLB in town (see all the other reviews about this), but I am going to review the rest of the menu instead. Everything about this restaurant says "awesome"... except the food, which is usually in the "pretty decent" range or slightly below. I'll walk you through some menu items I've tried and the grade they've received once wiggling down my gizzard. (Note: earplugs can't hurt if you're going at off-peak hours: they often play deafening, frantic K-Pop to ensure quickened eating, indigestion and feelings of helplessness.) Overall Grade: B- (pretty decent or slightly below) Braised Yellow Fish with Brown Sauce Grade: D I see this scrawny creature in my dreams and wet the bed. Simmered Crab with Silk Noodles Hot Pot Grade: B+ One of their better efforts: crab parts lazing on some mild, brown-flavored silk noodles with minced garlic and veg. Roast Marinated Bean Curd Grade: C+ "Roast" in what sense? This is simply that tofurkey loaf from the fridge section at the C-Mart across the street, sliced and garnished with green onions. Grilled Shrimp Skewers Grade: B+ A pleasant impaled-prawn appetizer Sauteed Noodles with Seafood Grade: C Overcooked linguini with too much pepper. For shame! Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style Grade: B+ My favorite appetizer there; three slender grilled fish. Very nice! Seafood Noodles Soup Grade: B- A good amount of fresh seafood, but too much pepper in the broth! They've committed this same indecency twice on this dish, so I can no longer extend my mercy. Steamed Dumpling with Vegetables Grade: B Serviceable pouches of green stuff. Ma Po Tofu Grade: B+ Surprisingly good. No pork, just wiggly, slightly numbing tofu. Oyster Tofu Soup Grade: B Oysters, green onions and tofu cubes in an unsalted broth; long forgotten before I even finished it, but pleasant enough (lots of oysters, at least!). Hot and Sour Fish Soup Grade: C+ Not even remotely hot, or sour (save for the single tomato chunk bobbing awkwardly against some squid scraps). Maybe they just didn't think I could handle the "real" thing, whatever it is? Pah! My parents were calling me "Hot and Sour" before... wait, I lost my train of thought. Sauteed Squid with Pickled Mustard Greens Grade: B+ A respectable version of this pungent, bilious favorite. Flounder with Sweet and Sour Sauce Grade: D+ Breading with take-out-packet sauce. Szechuan Style Steamed Flounder Grade: A- The best thing I've had there, though it pales next to the same dish at the place up the street (hint: its blessed name rhymes with Caiwan Tafe).
(2)Duke C.
Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) lived up to their name. Lots of soup in the dumpling although the rest of the filling was a bit mushy. The Taiwanese pork chop noodle soup was a bit disappointing. The pork chop was mostly fat and too salty.
(2)Chris H.
Very good. Got dumplings and scallion pancakes. Didn't blow my mind though. Service was OK, but I felt rushed.
(4)Tiff L.
The food offered here is pretty much the same as the Dumping House. I'm actually glad they opened another restaurant because it was always impossible to find a seat in the Dumpling House.
(3)Cari L.
I continue to be confused, perplexed, and utterly appalled that Gourmet Dumpling House is more highly rated than my beloved Dumpling Cafe, the restaurant that clearly makes the best food in Chinatown. First off, when you walk in, you immediately smell how delicious everything is. You do not smell grease - you smell all the wonderful dishes crammed onto the other patrons' tables. Although the staff is not super-friendly, they are accommodating and will bring you the things you ask for relatively quickly. Second, food I know to be tasty (I will address the soup dumplings in their own section shortly): Scallion pancakes - crispety crunchety, reheat well for a midnight snack. Pork and leek dumpling - for when you want a more gyoza-type experience than soup dumplings. Sauteed flat noodles with beef (aka Chow Fun) - something about the way Chinatown restaurants make this will always be better than your open-till-2am local joint - better texture, better beef, better flavor, more consistently-cooked noodles. Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Udon Noodles - the noodles were also perfectly spongily cooked; the black bean sauce was tasty... my only complaint would be that the minced pork was REALLY minced - like miniscule. THE SOUP DUMPLINGS. Now, full disclosure, the best soup dumplings I've ever had in my life are at Shanghai Cafe on Mott St in New York. These are the dumplings against which I judge all other xiao long bao. Things I value in a soup dumpling: flavorful, non-fatty broth; flavorful, non-fatty ball of meat; thin but unbreakable skin; a top-knot that isn't too hard or unpleasant to bite off. Dumpling Cafe consistently hits all of these points on each visit. The weakest element of their dumplings is probably either that sometimes the top knot gets a little thick and dry, or that sometimes the pork just doesn't taste as good as the broth. Though not exquisite, they are great and the best I have found in Boston. --------- Finally, a rant against Gourmet Dumpling House, for comparative purposes: Gourmet Dumpling House's dumplings consistently fall apart in addition to relying more heavily on fat for flavor. Nothing worse than lifting up the dumplings only to have the bottom fall out of EACH AND EVERY ONE. That is the true travesty of GDH's xiao long bao, and it has happened to me every time a friend has dragged me there under duress. Don't sacrifice your time, money, or happiness at GDH - DUMPLING CAFE FOR LIFE!
(5)Liz Z.
I've been eating here constantly during my trip to Boston. Scallion pancakes are my favorite ever. Delicious, with the perfect texture and amount of scallions. Doesn't get much better than this where I'm concerned. Pork & leek dumplings, beef & cabbage dumplings, fried wontons, sausage fried rice, spring rolls, wonton soup, miso soup- all super tasty. The dumplings are particularly great. I've always had friendly service, with dine-in or takeout. Everything has come out quickly, middle of the afternoon or during the dinner rush. My one negative about Dumpling Cafe is how you need to hit a $15 minimum to use a card- not a fan.
(4)Jesse N.
I dropped by the other night for a bit after the Russell Peters show. This was my second time here...The first time around was okay. This time around was really awful. From the beginning... My girlfriend and I were seated at a 2-top table. After about 10 minutes of sipping tea and figuring out what we wanted to order, a waitress came over and told us we had to move because a table for 11 just came in and they all wanted to sit together. Way to give me the bait and switch! At least give me an appetizer or something for making me get up and move all my stuff to another table. Strike one. We ordered a few things: Scallion pancake, Kung Pao Shrimp, and Salt and Pepper Duck Tongue. The scallion pancake came out and it was okay, nothing special. The Kung Pao Shrimp was extremely disappointing - completely bland, and the celery was under-cooked. Also, I found a hair in my dish (strike 2). Luckily for them, that stuff doesn't bother me too much but I'm sure it does for other folks. The thing that got me the most was the duck tongue. At about $17 for the dish, I was expecting it to be phenomenal. It sucked! Something was off...I LOVE water fowl, but the tongue was so gamy, enough that I could only try one piece and had to stop. This is coming from someone who has once before eaten puffin, mink whale, and all kinds of funky "organs" without any hesitation. That's saying a lot! I told the waiter I wanted to return it and have it stricken from the bill. My family owns a restaurant and I know this is standard procedure if a customer is really disappointed with the dish and barely touches it. They said they could charge half-price. I admit, I was a bit taken aback, especially considering that this was the first time in my LIFE that I've ever returned a dish for being so offensive to my palette. Strike 3. I was still hungry so after they took away the duck tongue dish I ordered some udon noodles in black bean sauce. I also ordered a sprite because well, unless you're one of the lucky tables, you don't get a big pot of tea, and once your tapped out it's very unlikely that a waiter there will stop by to fill you up. Did I mention I bit into a chili pepper by accident? The waiter forgot my sprite, and I had to ask for it again, in addition to a tea refill. I mean, seriously, I've been around the block enough to know not to expect much in the way of customer service in Chinatown, but I got the sense the wait staff was annoyed with me because I turned away the duck. Ugh. I got the udon noodles finally, hoping that this would be one redeeming dish, but it was equally disappointing. The sauce tasted like sweet gravy and I could barely taste anything reminiscent of black bean sauce. If anything, it tasted like that "lobster sauce" crap that most Americans are familiar with. At this point, I just wanted to get my check, admit that the night was a failure, and get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Eventually I did, but the story doesn't end there. In spite of how crappy the udon noodles in black bean sauce were, I don't like wasting food so I packed them up and brought them in to work for "breakfast" the next day. As I was eating them, I noticed another hair on one of my noodles. Seriously? It's like this place wanted to give me one more F-U for turning away their duck tongue. I suppose this is my punishment for not braving the cold a bit longer to get to Peach Farm or Taiwan Cafe. Dumpling Cafe, never again.
(1)Jonathan A.
If you're not Asian they hate you for going there, but you just can't beat the soup dumplings so you just have to suffer through asking for a glass of water and having someone literally sneer at you.
(4)Stephanie Y.
Cute little bustling place. My friends and I came here after church on Sunday morning and waited for about 20 minutes for a table. When there's a window looking into the dining area, you get very hungry and you start salivating at everyone's food. I took this time to observe what others ordered and tried to find it on the menu. Of course we had to start with the xiao long bao!!! The dumplings were juicy and piping hot! Unfortunately for a few of the dumplings, since they used parchment paper instead of lettuce, it stuck and ripped the poor thing. Juice and everything came spilling out. It was quite a sad moment. We also ordered the pork and mustard green rice cake, which is a traditional Taiwanese dish. I also ordered a beef noodle soup to share with shanghai noodles. Gotta love asian food. It's cheap and very filling.
(4)Thy L.
You need to know what to order here. Some stuff is really good and some stuff is not so good :( THE BAD: Xiao Long Bao - no no. The skin is too thick and rough. The soup is okay and the filling is okay. Not too spectacular. But maybe I'm snobby, I think there are no good places for Xiao Long Bao in Boston. I always have to go to Joe Shanghai in New York. Hot & Sour Soup - Four words: Stay away from it. Salt & Pepper Pork Chops - MEH. Just go to a Cantonese restaurant instead to get this THE GOOD: Fried Wontons - VERY GOOD. Get it. You'll understand. A bit oily, but delicious. Noodle dishes - excellent. The noodles are hand-made. You can tell by the inconsistency in sizes, which would not happen if a machine did it. The shanghai fried noodles and beef noodle soup were both good. Braised Tofu - not bad at all. Very appetizing gravy/sauce. I will definitely come back to try some of their more special dishes like the "hot pot" style stuff looks good.
(4)David A.
Well, let's start with the obvious: it's much better than panda express. In fact, it is much better than most standard chinese-american restaurants (yes, I realize it's taiwanese). It is also of a slightly higher tier than many Boston C-town institutions, like China Pearl. I've only ordered take out here for lunch during the weekday. based on what I've seen from table-diners, it may be even better for those that stick around. The flavors of most of the entrees are best described as "fragrant". Portions are med-large and totally sufficient, even for a big oinker like myself (metaphorically speaking, i'm not that big...) Of course the xiaolongbao is a must. After that, there is a little noodle dish called Fuzhou tucked away on the menu that is exceptional and very much unlike a typical chinese noodle dish - a fact most likely chalked up to it's being specifically taiwanese. The dumplings are all quality. I have yet to explore the menu extensively, but am working on it. Somewhere in my Dumpling Cafe future is the sauteed pig's blood. The fact these guys put this on the menu, should tip you off to the restaurant's above average authenticity. Check it out!
(5)Corona W.
Unlike other restaurants in Chinatown, the seafood dumplings here are actually just that - seafood dumplings. Many dimsum places/ restaurants in Boston use pork as an ingredient in almost every dish. While many of you may not mind, it's problematic when you are a pescatarian like me. Don't even bother asking the ladies who push around the carts because they'll tell you its seafood only when it's not. Anyways, the dumplings here are delicious and the skin tastes home made. My friends have also raved about the meat dumplings and xiao long baos. The basil eggplant dish at Dumpling Cafe is far inferior to the basil eggplant served at Taiwan Cafe. Other dishes here are likewise, just ok. Bottom line - go here for the dumplings and go somewhere else for food.
(3)Renee R.
Soup dumplings are amazing- and the Taiwan hot and sour soup is one of the best I've had! Our service was great and our server even offered suggestions- just ask them what they recommend! Our bill was $30 for 2 - cant beat that! Will definitely be back
(4)Misha T.
It's been a while since I had some bomb xlb and the ones are dumpling cafe are pretty solid. We also had the skewered and bbq'd duck tongues which is one of my favorite dishes in general. They make it pretty well but i think they over charge. Our scallion pancakes were w/e but that's one of those things that's so easy to make I rarely order it unless I've got a mad craving.
(4)Twee V.
I have been searching for a dumpling place in Boston. So far, I haven't found any good dumpling place yet. This place is ok. Their dumplings are not bad compared to other places in Chinatown. The pork dumplings are a little bit salty.
(3)Denise T.
A great source of late night eats in Boston. We arrived close to midnight and staying at a hotel near the Boston Common so we walked over, a short 10 minutes. Amazing soup dumpling!! (Pork filling and pork & crab filling were both yummy.) Thin skin, perfectly delicate filling, juicy soup!! Much better than those I've had in NYC. We also ordered seafood pan fried noodles with fresh shrimp, squid, snow peas, broccoli, mushroom and bamboo shoots over thin crispy noodles. Staff was efficient if not overly friendly and the place was clean! (No food on the wall!)
(4)C C.
Terrible customer service. The two of us were in line when three more people walked in. They were the hostess's friends and were seated immediately when a table opened up. When questioned about why they got seated instead of us, the hostess got defensive and confrontational. Not only did she start arguing with us, she also wouldn't shut up after we turned around to ignore her. Standing behind the counter, she kept on making comments when we clearly can hear her. Do not go if you want to be treated with respect.
(1)Allie H.
We came with one thing in mind: XLB. Xiaolongbao here is excellent. The soft, delicate dough parcels, nestled in a bamboo steamer, are precious little bites. Eating them takes practice and care. Delicately pluck them from the steamer with chopsticks, careful not to tear the skin and lose the flavorful broth inside. Balance on the shallow soup spoon and bring to your lips. You can already smell the beef inside, wafting up in little puffs of steam. Take a bite, simultaneously gripping the dumpling with your lips and slurping out the scalding, deeply-seasoned broth. This is exactly what you came for. Just order them directly, without browsing through the menu for their name (sometimes hidden as "juicy pork dumplings). Also worth trying are the scallion pancakes, where thick slivers of roast beef are wrapped inside the slightly crisp pancake and seasoned with warm sesame oil. An order of pork fried rice (my boyfriend has a weakness for rice that simply must be sated) was also good; notably, the pork is fresh and brown, not the typical pink cubes of cured meat you'll get at lesser places. We were seated by the window at lunchtime, watching the patrons come in waves. The Dumpling Cafe is buzzing, clearly with regulars and tourists alike. If you have to wait for a table, be sure you do. It's worth it.
(5)Mike D.
I went here late night on a Sunday night. The food was great and very cheap! Everything tasted pretty fresh and savory. The service was a bit slow but it may have been the time of night so I wont take it away from them. I will be back to try more dishes!
(4)Winnie L.
Get the soup dumpling!!
(5)James C.
First time here and ordered the same few things we had at Gourmet Dumpling House a couple weeks ago. I would give Gourmet the slight edge on the dumplings. Scallion pancakes and Spicy Szechuan Fish were better at Gourmet as well. That being said Cafe is perfectly acceptable and has a nicer and larger dining room if that is something you are worried about. But I give Gourmet the slight edge for the food.
(3)Marc W.
It was our last night in Boston so we chanced it and tried something without really researching it. The service was kind of awkward and uncoordinated. It was like 2 or 3 different servers were randomly trying to take care of us but not really knowing what was going on! Our table was positioned on a very lopsided floor which made for some uncomfortable dining. Anyway, let's talk about the food. It was less than aight. My wife had their version of Gyoza, she said it was o.k., but it looked undercooked. I tried a piece of it and wasn't too impressed. I had the twice cooked pork meal. The pork had a sort of rubber like consistency, almost like shark cartilage. Overall we weren't too impressed with our meals but maybe we just ordered the wrong sfuff. Perhaps some of their other dishes are much better?
(1)Michelle w.
loved it!
(5)Phoebe H.
The best Soup Dumplings in Boston! Customer service is what you would expect for an Asian restaurant in C-Town.....sucky. But hell the food is good and that's what you go for.
(4)Jay M.
I came into this place mistakenly thinking that it was the Gourmet Dumpling House on the other side of the block. Oh well, I was pleasantly surprised because it turned out to be a good mistake. I haven't had food at GDH so this is not a comparison of the two. My partner and I came on a Saturday night after hours of walking the city. It was cold so I wasn't thinking when I walked into this place thinking that it was the GDH that we had walked by earlier during our lunch in Chinatown. Although the dining room was packed, we were promptly seated at a six-top with another couple that had already been seated and served. No biggie. We looked at the menu and decided on appetizers to share. Pork and leek dumplings, no brainer. Teriyaki chicken meatballs, awesome and a great value at less than $1 per stick. I always order something adventurous so that my partner can try new foods that he'd otherwise never order for himself so I added a plate of crispy fried pork intestines-- BEST that I've ever had in Chinatown! I mean, Penang makes a mean plate too, but these were fantastic! The dipping sauce, however, could have been less salty. Reminiscent of great peking duck if you're afraid to try these out, but enjoy duck. Seriously! Apps would have done the job, but he ordered pan fried udon with beef and I got Peking style pork chops for good measure. My chops were awesome! Crispy and crunchy without being over-sauced. The sauce wasn't one note like most sweet and sour dishes in such establishments. Well done! The udon was good, but I'm partial to mine so yeah...just good. The service was nice here. Tea and water glasses were full and the waitress was always readily at hand. She forgot my bowl of rice at first, but it took nothing other than a nod from across the room for her to remember and she quickly brought it over. I'd come here again, but not by accident. This place is worthy of it's own following much like that other dumpling place around the block.
(4)Betsy A.
I seriously wish Yelp would allow zero stars, because this would be the place I would first apply it to... Let me start by saying this, no one is more sympathetic to the struggles servers go through every day to provide folks with good service; however nothing, and I mean nothing called for the awful service we received recently from this place. I understand the late night crowd can be annoying (heck! they were annoying me!), but my friend and I were nothing but polite to the servers only to be treated with disregard, and down right rudeness. I was left speechless and (as some of my yelp reviews should show you) that is very difficult to do... Is it worth it to list out everything they did to warrant the 1 star, and for you not to grace them with your business? Not sure I want to relive the experience, what I must say is, there are places in Chinatown with far better tasting food, to put yourself through the rudeness this people exhibit. You've been warned...
(1)Patrick G.
Tried Dumpling Cafe the other day, so I could truly compare it to other places in Chinatown, and because many people rave about it. The XLB was pretty good, but I definitely think Gourmet's are better. There were a few missteps with service, and some uncooked beef dumplings, but, I think, even at their best, they play second fiddle to Gourmet Dumpling House right aroudn the corner.
(3)Alicia J.
Three of us showed up to Dumpling Cafe, put down $60, and still had enough for breakfast the next day. Typical of Chinatown restaurants, you can get a lot for not _so_ much money. Dumpling cafe also shares the typical problem of Chinatown restaurants, that the menu is too big, and clearly some things are not going to be so good. Order carefully. We stuck to dishes that should either be good everywhere or were dumplings. The result was pretty good as the four stars indicate. We ordered the hot and sour soup, mapo tofu, a full braised fish, braised eggplants, wontons, juicy buns, and dumplings. This is a lot to review, but suffice to say that everything was pretty spectacular. For the price, it was 4.5 star food. The best was the fish. While I am a sucker for whole fish, it was well cooked and taken fresh out of the tank next to our table. The juicy buns were so great that I ended up squirting hot soup down my throat, but I didn't even complain. I also thought that the hot and sour soup was better than average, but I am hard pressed to explain why. The reason this establishment gets four stars is the relatively poor service. It was tough to get tea refills, and we never got water at all despite asking for it. Still, despite all that, I'd go back.
(4)Allie C.
This is the first Chinese restaurant that I have tried in Boston. The soup dumplings were a lot better than the ones I have had in NYC. Lunch special dishes weren't bad either. Would go back if I were in Boston again.
(5)Winnie C.
Quality: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Taste: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Portion: 4 out 5 (enough) Price: 5 out of 5 (very good) Service: 4 out of 5 (goof) This is the at least the fourth or fifth time I've eaten here, and I am definitely returning again and again. They have a lot of types of dumplings, all of which are delicious. The food comes out fairly quickly, the servers are average, but at least not rude like other Chinese restaurants around. I definitely will come back for their dumplings though!!! A lot of variety and are made so that the dumplings don't pop that easily....
(4)Julia C.
The hostess and the proprietor were extremely friendly and sweet, but the waitstaff seemed very confused about what they were doing. Plenty of tea refills though, which was nice for a cold day. Watercress with garlic was bland and rather un-delicious, like Steve N. mentioned. It indeed needs some salt or soy sauce or something. Xiao long baos were tasty enough, and I did appreciate the thinner dumpling skin. But the dumpling skin was unpleasantly hard and dried out on the top, and I do agree with the reviewer who said that the insides were like meatballs. I like Dumpling Gourmet House's XLB better. Had a bite of my friend's stir-fried rice cakes. It was very tasty, but the menu read "Taiwan Style Rice Cake with Veggies," making no mention of meat. However, the dish came with a plentiful serving of shredded beef, and a few sad pieces of Chinese chives. It was fortunate that my friend just felt like getting her servings of veggies in and wasn't actually vegetarian. But those who are might want to double-check with their servers about the contents of their dish. I'd be willing to come back here and try out more dishes.
(3)Allison B.
Get the xiao long bao. You will NOT regret it. They are phenomenal. If I could come here multiple times a week, I would, just to drink the delicious and savory (but also somehow sweet!) nectar that spills out of those soup dumplings. GO. NOW. And so cheap.
(5)Michelle T.
The Chicken with preserved vegetable noodles I ordered tasted fresh, delicious, and definitely home made. Noodles from the north are meant to be a little bit chewy and these were good! The chicken broth was a little bit oily, but nonetheless, tasty and reasonable at $7. The Xiao long baos (little juicy buns filled with pork) had really thin skin, just like it's supposed to be and definitely on the juicy side. The fried noodle portion was smaller than most of the other entrees we ordered, but flavor-wise quite delicious. The cuisine here is a mish-mash of Taiwanese, Cantonese, Shanghainese, and random other Chinese dishes. Good menu variety! Taste: 3.5/5 Plating: 3/5 Originality: 3.5/5 Value: 3.5/5 (depends on what you order...I thought the dumplings were a little expensive for the number you get) Service: 3/5 (No complaints. Fast, efficient...all that) I would go back, but nothin' special here.
(3)Aashish B.
Excellent...different and comparable to gourmet dumpling house. Their shechuan fish, grilled anchovies, and soup dumplings were awesome. And an excellent and artfully simple egg fried rice to go with it!!
(5)Mabel N.
If you look at the lunch special price on the menu it saids $5.95 but they charge you 7.95 (another price) if you don't tell them you want the$ 5.95 version. FYI - You're getting the same amount of food for paying $7.95. Convo with the host - it was my responsibility to tell her I want a lunch special $5.95 verison. It's not even the lousy $2 dollars that I am concern with. She can't even look into my eyes when she told me she has to charge me $4 dollars extra for the 2 lunch special I order. It doesn't make any sense to me to have 2 different prices for lunch special. Slow service on the weekend - I called for the takeout orders and they said it will take 10 minutes. I ended up waiting for almost 30 minutes. While I was waiting next to one of the table the waitress (short hair lady) was cleaning...She was annoyed she YELL "EXCUSE ME" and stared at me because I was in her way!!! She was SO RUDE!!!!!!!!!! Food was ok. Not so friendly host and waitress. Taiwan Cafe and dumpling house doesn't pull crap like this. Wait staff are more friendly there.
(1)Kit A.
Wow this place is delicious! The soup dumplings were perfect and the mini pancakes were so good. I didn't know what to expect when I came in, but I'm sure glad I tried it out!!! Unfortunately the service was not so good. They never ended up bringing water or more tea so I was extremely thirsty (especially after having salty food). I also had to ask a few times for our check. The sitting is a little cramped, but overally I'd definitely go again!
(3)Sophie P.
Love the pancakes here! Food is more than decent every time I visit.
(4)Chris W.
Dropped in on a Monday night for dinner, before heading over to see Blue Man Group. Had the soup dumplings and pork with leek (pan fried). My daughter also ordered Beef w/ Broccoli and Chicken Lo Mein. I'd say the dumplings were better and I probably wasn't eating the soup dumplings correctly but it's a place I'd go back. Service was 'OK', not warm and fuzzy but courteous. By the time we left (6:45) it was filling up w/ locals.
(4)Naveed J.
Deceivingly cheap for the high quality of food..
(4)Skennenrahawi-Phil C.
Dumpling Cafe - Chinatown Boston MA USA dumplingcafe.com The service was excellent, fast and efficient. Dumpling Cafe is on the edge of Chinatown across from Tufts and the Floating Hospital for Children at New England Medical Center. I tried Dumpling Cafe without any prior research or referral from a friend. The menu was quite extensive and there's a wide variety of flavors and food available. I ordered take out for myself and a friend who's Taiwanese. I ordered the Crab Rangoon, Taiwan style grilled sausages, Taiwan style pan fried dumplings, Pork Fried Rice, Beef with black pepper and the Sesame Chicken. My Asian friend requested "Beef Lomein" which wasn't actually on the menu. The hostess was happy to make a variation on the lomein dishes which were available. I was surprised at how fast the food preparation was- even with our dish substitution - I waited less than fifteen minutes - on a busy night. The food was excellent - perfectly prepared, no MSG and delivered with a smile. I would definitely recommend Dumpling Cafe and plan to go again the next time I'm in Boston's Chinatown.
(4)Anna I.
Since 2010, Dumpling Cafe joined the Chinatown food scene (695 Washington Street, Boston). A faux terra cotta warrior at the entrance with a red scarf welcomes you. Everyone from the hostess to the waitstaff is very helpful and efficient. Perusing the whole dining room, a bamboo steamer is seen on every table. A must have dish is none other than the mini buns juicy with pork and crabmeat filling ($6.50 for 6) or xiaolong bao aka soup dumplings. To the novice, you must carefully lift the plump dumpling with your spoon without puncturing it. Then carefully nip the top before gingerly slurping the hot, rich, delicious and flavorful broth that doesn't need the accompanying dipping sauce. Finish by eating the lovely crab and pork contents left in the dumpling. By far, this is the best xiaolong bao around and the secret is out. Next comes the oyster pancake with gravy ($5.95), which is a delicious egg and starch pancake studded with a generous portion of oysters and slathered with a slightly sweet red sauce atop some greens. Another interesting Taiwanese street food for the adventurous eater is the grilled duck tongues Taiwanese Style ($5.95). Four skewers holding four marinated duck tongues each. Obviously there is not much to eat here, so it is more for bragging rights. But be careful of the small cartilage. It is fun to also try the Grilled Chicken Skin ($2.95), which is rarely seen in Boston. Finally the Taiwan style braised eggplant ($9.95) is a perfect blend of slightly spicy sweet sauce with pleasantly soft eggplant, a great combination with plain white rice. Dumpling Cafe is definitely worth a visit, eager to serve all customers and even late night snackers until 2am.
(3)Mitchell L.
NEVER GO HERE! I ate here and the service was horrible. I got food poisioning, don't go here unless you want to get sick. I thought this place would be better but I think ill stick with the REAL dumpling house down the road.
(1)LuluandDaquan B.
We love this place after dining here for the 3rd time last night!!! It was hard for us to like to this place since we felt a loyalty to Dumpling House, but this place has seriously won us over with the food. 1. Cafe is newer and so much nicer, House is just grimy and over-crowded. This really makes for a different experience. I think atmosphere is pretty important though so that depends on the person. 2. Food is as good if not better than Dumpling House. We are obsessed with Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and have eaten them numerous times but I think they taste a lot better at Cafe. The skin is thinner, the soup is tastier, and so was the meat filling. Other dishes were great at cafe too. 3. Slightly better service at Cafe. So yes, Cafe wins in our opinion, and we will be coming here for our dumpling cravings in the future!
(5)Barbara L.
Tonight was my fifth visit I believe to the Dumpling Cafe and it's official I love it! The food is delicious. Some of my favorites include the scallion pancakes, the pan fried seafood noodles, the final and most important thing is the juicy mini buns, it is basically a dumpling with a really awesome soup inside. Hand downs the best thing on the menu. Last weekend I was in there with my friend and we ordered pork buns and our order got messed up and we got served these instead so amazingly good, that I had to come back for them a mere five days later. The only issue with this place is that the service is inconsistent. Sometimes we go and it is awesome service other times it takes forever for the tea or water to get top off, or like the other night when our order got royal screwed and I would have been highly annoyed had I not been stuffing my face with the mini juicy bums at the time. I think part of the issue is there is this one guy that works mostly alone at night and since it's open late there are quite a lot of customers and he mans the tables alone for whatever reason. While the service is sub par I will be coming back for more just because the food is so awesome.
(4)Victoria C.
The food is great! The soupy dumplings are definitely delicious. BUT, their service deserves only one star. I have been there multiple times with okay service (always SLOW) but in my latest visit, the owner made me so angry I had to walk out. It was lunch time and the crowd started coming in. I agreed to sit at a table which the owner left her own lunch there. I was alone so didn't really mind. Then with the owner's lunch still on the table, they sat another woman down. We smiled at each other politely and understood the situation. But then, the owner wanted to sit two more guests down at this table. Both of us politely declined and felt it would be too awkward to have three parties at this tiny table. The owner then said, "the RULE is each seat can have one person!" (or something similar) I was hungry and not in the mood to argue so I stood up and walked out. I love good food and can put up with bad service for it. But, if they continue to treat customers rudely then they don't deserve any business.
(2)Rebecca P.
My husband and I were visiting from Houston, TX and stumbled across this gem as a late night find. Being a couple who seek out new, GOOD food we were wary, but very pleasantly surprised! Based on the reviews here, I was not expecting much and was shocked to find that most were absolutely wrong! What we ate: Beef, Pork, Seafood, and Veggie dumplings (steamed) Pros: Very quickly seated (although it was about midnight). Open until 2am (most of Boston shuts down by 11/12 - which is terrible if you're looking for a night life!). The servers were VERY attentive. The BEEF and PORK dumplings were the best I have ever had. My husband (a "foody" would say they were easily some of the best he's had) Seasoned VERY well and the sesame soy sauce they pair them with is divine and really accents the dishes in an extraordinary way. Cons: It was difficult to find someone who spoke enough English to answer a few of our questions. We live in Houston and frequent the "China Town" here and are used to foreign languages/different ethnicity's, but it was difficult to order and ask about the menu. The only reason I did not give this restaurant a 5 star rating is because everyone has room for improvement, but I would mail order these dumplings if I could!!
(4)Callan C.
I've been to dumpling cafe twice and have had generally the same experience both times. The menu is extensive. The friends I have been with are obsessed with the mini juicy buns with pork. They are little dough packets with a kind of pork broth inside. They are alright, but I haven't found myself craving them all the time. Worth a try, however, you may love them! Service isn't very good. The food comes out fast but once the food is out you have to fend for yourself. No refills of the tiny water glasses. It can get bad when you've finished your sodium-packed meal and are trying to siphon out the few drops of water you have left in your cup. Bring a water bottle! Also, be prepared if you are with a group - they only take two credit cards per bill! Prices are reasonable, environment and food are standard. Enjoy!
(3)Jenny C.
What does it mean to be a wannabe? Oh yes, to be a less cool version of something that already exists. If one can't already see the resemblance between Dumpling Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House, then she'll see it on the menu, where both restaurants devote a small section for dumplings (despite being named for dumplings). So, let's start with the positives. The waitress wasn't too attentive, but she was really funny. We had to ask her several times for water, but hey, can't really expect much. It's Chinatown But the good things end there. No matter how excellent the service is, one goes to a restaurant for food, and the food was just not good. We got the Xiao Long Bao, and the filling was really mushy. The taste was off, and the dumplings were overcooked so the skins had holes =no soup inside =sadness. The frozen Prime Food ones are better. We also got the stinky tofu, and it was a very funny experience, but I can't really judge it because my gag reflex refused to let me try it. I wanted to, but I just couldn't..... Then came the $21 three entree special. We got the pork chops (overcooked and too salty) , a spicy fish dish (that was okay, but was loaded with MSG and too salty as well), and watercess with garlic (which was the best dish of all of them). Overall, Dumpling Cafe seems like the failed child of Gourmet Dumpling House and Cafe de Lulu, trying to copy the good aspects of both and achieving none.
(2)Julie T.
I must say, I'm a little shocked I didn't feel the same way as everyone else. Like many others, I too compared my experience with Gourmet Dumpling House and personally? I actually still like the House better than the Cafe. The flavors are lacking here and although it's a lot more spacious and clean, I just feel like something's missing. Maybe it's because I go to the House so often that they know my name and I feel more comfortable because of it. Shrug. The menus look almost exactly the same, but the tastes are so different. Example: I like starches so I like the very doughy texture of the soup dumplings. The service was eh. We sat there for a while before anyone came to take our order. It wasn't super packed either. And it was a while before the food came out, but in any case, I've made up my mind. This is just not the place for me.
(1)Ashley L.
I got there around nine with two of my friends and they seated us after saying they were closing in an hour and were very distant while we ate. Other the that the food was great and cheap. I would definitely go back when I have more time to eat.
(3)Hubert H.
I actually like this place very much. We had the fish soup stew Sichuan style, very spicy, very flavorful, carries a 'punch' and the portions were decent. We also had a mustard green with dried tofu dish, which was interesting, because it also came with edamame, which I thought was a little disappointing, since I don't really like edamame. I will assume that the English translation was inadequate. There is a great debate as to whether whether this place holds up to the Gourmet Dumpling House. I think my taste buds tell me that this place is a little more heavy on msg than the GDH. I do think that you get a greater variety of stuff at GDH as compared to here. I look forward to following Josephine L's recs and trying their XLBs. The service isn't great - always need to keep on egging the waiters to pour tea and so forth. But you will come here for the food, not for the service.
(5)Good M.
We had to tell them to turn down the top 40's crap they were blasting away throughout the dining room. Their despicable attitude and service aside, let's talk about the food; We ordered all their signature dumplings and they were inadequate at their best. If we wanted frozen dumplings we would buy them at the grocery store. They are supposedly known for their dumplings right? I think not! And their meat and seafood dishes tasted more Cantonese than Taiwanese. Luckily my work paid for dinner, otherwise they'd never catch me through the front door. Go to Taiwan Cafe instead for Taiwanese cuisine.
(1)Raymond W.
Sorry sex shop shoppers, Dumpling Cafe is now in town. If you can't wait for soup dumplings at Gourmet Dumpling House, Dumpling Cafe is a good alternative. I came in for lunch after an early movie and got the lunch special and an order of soup dumplings with some friends and were seated immediately. The soup dumplings were hot, the skin wasn't too thick or thin and had the right chewiness. The fish and vegetable dish wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was a good value and slightly lighter fare was essential.
(4)Heather G.
I think I was destined to dislike this place from the initial exchange. We came in, we were seated, and 2 minutes into studying the multi-page menu, a waitress came over, pointed to something on the menu, and said "Here. General Gao Chicken." Yikes. What was it about me that signaled to the waitress that I was looking for the General Gao Chicken on the menu? Who knows, but it immediately put me on the defensive. Did we come for General Gao? No, we came for dumplings. We ordered the spicy beef with bamboo because I just love the crunch of fresh bamboo after eating down the rectangular slices from a can for so long. The dish was definitely spicy, and delivered the assault to my taste buds I was looking for. My date ordered the beef fried rice as stomach-filler, and while I generally don't like fried rice, this was much cleaner-tasting than the greasy, salty, brown-colored Americanized Chinese version. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed the colors in this dish were white (rice) and green (veggies and herbs), and while this was not a mind-blowing plate of rice, a dish of Beef Fried Rice rarely is. I appreciated that this didn't sit in a congealed lump in my stomach all night. This was a great supplement to the meal and paired well eaten with the beef with bamboo dish. Because my date was a non-pork eater, we were limited in dumpling choices. I wanted to go for some soup dumplings, but had to settle for the cabbage fried dumplings instead. These were underwhelming, tasted fried, and had no real discernible flavor inside. I cannot fault the restaurant for this, however, because you really shouldn't come here for pan-fried cabbage dumplings - you should come here for soup dumplings! Lastly, we had an order of scallion pancakes with beef. Sadly, the sliced beef inside was only lukewarm, and instead of the hot, fried, crispy-outside-but-chewy-inside texture I normally get from this dish at other restaurants, the entire dish was room-temperature, which caused the fried dough to get, well, doughy, mushy, and gluey. A gentle squeeze to the exterior also caused the pancake to ooze with grease, and I will certainly stay away from this dish on my next visit. Though the restaurant was not busy when we arrived (nor became busy/slammed as we were there), the server rushed us to order, checking in every 35 seconds or so to ask if we're ready. The meal was tough to enjoy, as we had about 3-4 different servers checking in at 2-5 minute intervals throughout the meal (to hurry us along?), making conversation with my date a near impossibility. I understand that the restaurant culture is going to be different at a restaurant like this, but I don't get harassed nearly as frequently at Gourmet Dumpling House or Taiwan Cafe. Honestly, I doubt I'd choose to come back here over GDH or Taiwan Cafe ever again, but if friends were going here, I would be amenable to tagging along.
(2)Alyssa K.
Food was super tasty. I wouldn't say its anything special. Except for the juicy dumplings. The juicy dumplings made it worthwhile. Very casual
(3)Joey C.
Ahhhhh this is what it's suppose to taste like. Not like that other joint down the street, supposedly the "original" "DC" is bigger, cleaner and tastes WAAAAAAY better. What more is there to say? For Boston it's pretty good. Everyone is comparing to NY, but you can't! So for what it's worth, this is the joint for TW style grub.
(4)Kevan W.
ATMOSPHERE: Standard chinese restaurant décor. Nothing really to speak of. 3/5 SERVICE: This is the greatest weakness of Dumpling Cafe. While the quality of the food is great (see below), the service is very poor. The waitresses are inattentive, it once took three requests to get a glass of water, and refills don't come easy, even on days when the restaurant isn't busy. Because of these problems, this is the very first restaurant I've been to where I refused to leave a sufficient tip one day. I know, I know, it's very rude, but given the shoddy quality of the service it just felt appropriate at the time. If it makes you guys feel any better, the manager stopped me before I left and pointed out that I didn't leave a sufficient gratuity. Now that was just embarrassing! I'm always sympathetic to the difficulties of working in the restaurant industry, but other restaurants don't have these problems. 1/5 PLATING: There's nothing particularly special about the plating. Nothing good or bad, just nothing to really to be said. 3/5 FLAVOR: The biggest strength of Dumpling Cafe is its food. For its price, the food is very tasty, and they're also able to manage a very large menu with dishes of at least three or four regional styles of Chinese cuisine. The flounder dishes are tender and succulent, and I instantly fell in love with them. The Xiao Long Bao, soup dumplings, are a specialty of Shanghai and are always a delight. However, what Dumpling Cafe lacks is consistency. This isn't a terrible problem: there've just been instances where the sauces have been thickened a little too much, or the dishes were slightly overcooked. One other notable issue was the Shrimp and Tofu dish, which had a great deal of nicely seasoned silken tofu, but the shrimps were small, scant, and slightly overcooked. Despite these problems, overall the flavor is very good. 4/5 OVERALL: This is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the poor service really sours the dining experience. On the other hand, the food is quite good quality for its price, and the lunch specials are great if you're a hungry student who wants very tasty and very authentic Chinese food for low cost (I would recommend you get takeout and eat it at home: much less frustrating). Seriously, try the flounder dishes (except the sweet-and-sour flounder: terribly overcooked) and the Soup Dumplings. For me the biggest question though is: Would I take my parents here if they visited? My answer would be absolutely yes, and despite the score I give here it'd be one of the first restaurants to go to! 3/5
(3)Sasha B.
Seriously the best xiao lum bao in Boston! The skin is thin and the soup has a great flavor. I enjoyed these tasty dumplings with a side of sauteed green beans with dried shrimp, also delicious. Less oily than the veggie dishes you get at most Chinese restaurants here, more similar to how they are traditionally prepared. Also, you get complimentary tea (as you should!). You don't get a pot at your table, but our cups were constantly refilled. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Dejan M.
My friends and I found the food here divine. For the first time ever, I'm actively craving an eggplant dish. We've covered a fair sample of the menu, ranging from soup dumplings to the spicy Szechuan seafood medley, and everything tasted delightful. My friend who frequently visits Shanghai was impressed by the food authenticity at Dumpling Cafe, though obviously the portions are bigger here. The place is not small, but it's cramped. Expect to sit quite close to others and touch neighboring tables as you ease into the wall seats. But it's worth it because of the amazing flavors you'll enjoy. The only nitpick is that some dishes are spiced up enough to overwhelm the actual food taste. They're not too spicy to eat, they just feel like they'd taste the same even if squid was replaced by beef.
(5)Marlecka M.
Very busy place. Don't come here if you want & expect friendly warming service. These waiters/waitresses are serving so that you eat in peace with you family/friends. However, if you want to catch their attention, make sure you're loud and noticeable. I went with my boyfriend's family, and we agreed to "trying new things" So we ordered Fried Stinky Tofu..... WORST IDEA EVER! hahaha It was an experience though, it smelled HORRIBLE (a bit like feces.) I didn't dare try it, but the others did and they said the taste stuck in your mouth... ick. We had the Salt and Pepper Soft shell crab, which was VERY delicious. The Calamari was nice too. We also ordered Steamed Watercress, which was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly. And then there was soup... A hot pot of bubbling pig intestine and pork blood soup lol (told you we were adventurous.) It wasn't that great... usually when one cooks pork intestines you're supposed to boil it in Oolong tea to get rid of that intestine taste... But these guys didn't do that... We also ordered a big bowl of rice, but the waitress came only with 4 small bowls of rice, and we were thinking "ok, she's probably bringing out the other 4..." NOPE, we were left with 4 bowls of rice and had to share.... they do have a nice menu with a lot of variety
(2)Amber S.
This place was a disaster
(1)Jenny G.
Last week while eating at Pho Pasteur, I glanced through the window and found my self wondering if this place was new. My boyfriend told me it had just opened a few weeks ago. So when my college friend from Denver was in town for the weekend, it gave us a perfect reason to try Dumpling Cafe. We ordered the Pork and Leek dumplings (fried), the sesame chicken, sauteed flat noodles with beef, and the mango chicken. After what seemed like only five minutes, our food came right out! Delicious and Big portions. The sesame chicken was divine, not overly greasy just crispy. The mango chicken was packed with flavor and huge slices of real fresh mango. Everything we ordered was super yummy. Definitely will come again! Oh and ... They have the best crab rangoons ever! They're not folded into some weird shape. But who cares if they just look like triangles if it means there's more filling inside. When I got the rangoons to go the hostess even asked me to tell her if there was anything I don't like about them (for the future).
(4)John X.
They have the best xiao long bao in Boston. If you want some of these cheap delicious delicacies, this is the place to go. Their other entrees are not bad either, but definitely get a few long bao before heading out.
(4)Chris B.
Really liking this place -- only 3 weeks old, but definitely has their act together. Late brunch at 2pm on Sunday resulted in delicious dumplings, a pork appetizer, and a lunch special. Here are a few thoughts: 1) This place seems to prioritize "more healthy" food -- the sauces are going to be less starchy and lighter, and the fried foods are less fried. Tofu with scallions and veggies resulted in very nice, lightly fried soft-tofu in a thinner sauce. Dumplings seemed to have less gelatin. 2) Soup dumplings have a very nice, thin wrapper -- I love having less dough here. Combined with less gelatin, I'm very happy with these. The tradeoff is that the soup seemed a little more oily than I was expecting (probably from chili oil, though), and the filling was more like a meatball than not. 3) The owner mentioned she had formerly run a Chinese restaurant in New Hampshire (I think) -- so this is an experienced team behind the restaurant. No wonder, given they've only been open 3 weeks but had a happy, well-run & full house. 4) Interior is nice and happy -- fairly big space, more Californian aesthetic than Boston. 5) You can get the lunch special ($7.25?) on Sundays! I really like this place -- it's going to be my new go-to place in Chinatown, beating out Gourmet Dumpling House.
(5)Alex S.
I love their noodle soup. It is cheap and fast. I have not tried any of their dumplings simply because their noodle soup is good. Recommendations: The taiwanese pork chop noodle is authentic and the pork cutlet on the side is very tasty
(4)Elbert L.
I have been here once a week ever since they have opened a month ago, and each time they continue to impress me. Their Soup Dumplings are the closest thing to the ones I had in Taipei here in Boston, you cannot skip these if you come to this restaurant. I did not like the ones at TC or DH, their wrappings were too thick. I know people complained about service but hey, it is Chinatown after all, so it is expected, but I think they are more attentive than other places nearby. Their business is picking up briskly, each time I observed more and more people waiting for a table, so get here quickly before it becomes too popluar!
(5)Sara S.
Lets be very clear, if you are going to eat at Dumpling Cafe, understand that you should only be going for the dumplings. I wish I had ordered take-out. HOLY TERRIBLE SERVICE. Once i was seated I was ignored for about 15 minutes, then 3 different waitresses tried to take my order? I tried to order a drink from two different waitresses, they both acknowledged me and my order...then never came back with my drink. The most disturbing part was that both the bowl of dumpling dipping sauce was slammed down (splattering on me and my belongings) along with my dumplings on the table on top of my papers that I was reading and began to move. The rating i give them is strictly for their soup dumplings which were absolutely delicious, they are different from Gourmet Dumpling, but to be honest they weren't outrageously better or different, i'd rather go to Gourmet Dumpling any day.
(2)Loan V.
So my friend and I had wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House but there was such a long line we decided to go to the Dumpling Cafe. We were seated right away which was very niced. Today we ordered the scallion pancake, mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat, a large miso soup with tofu and veggies, and sauteed flat noodles with beef. Out of very thing we ordered my favorite was the sauteed flat noodles and the mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat. I didn't like the scallion pancake since it was chewy, I felt they needed to fry it some more giving it a crispy outside. The miso soup with tofu and veggies was kinda bland, it could have used a little more miso. Although I didn't like some of the dishes we ordered but the biggest problem I had with the place was one of the staff member. I'm not sure what the lady's name but this waitress kept walking pass our table and opening the steamer that the mini juicy buns were in. I understand she wanted to removed some of the dishes but I felt that that was rude.
(3)Irene Y.
definitely a much more upscale tawianese restaurant than some of the others in the area, but if you know how to order you can avoid spending a pretty penny. :) instead of doing the traditional family style where you share all the entrees, you can order any of the individual noodle dishes and be full and satisfied for about $6. i tried the taiwanese pork chop noodle dish and was pleasantly surprised at how authentic and delicious it was. my fiance and i fought over the pork pieces, so perhaps learning how to use your chopsticks quickly will benefit you greatly! the noodles were soft and chewy and served with a helpful amount of spinach. the soup tasted like a very mild chicken broth, but definitely comforting. loved my experience there and would definitely come back again!
(4)Stephanie S.
This place is SO much cleaner than most of the noodle places here in Chinatown. It also has a better atmosphere. The soups are delicious as is everything else. I like the pan-fried noodles. They are also quick to refill your hot tea. The place is usually more packed than Pho Pasteur across the street, and I think its due to the quality of food. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)stephanie c.
Was super excited for this new dumpling restaurant. I love dumplings and noodles. Came here for dinner and must say, it beats Gourmet Dumpling House hands down!! So much cleaner than GDH. Spacious and less wait, always a plus. Service was actually pretty good, maybe cuz it was slow that night. Had the XLB. Yummy!! They provide the vinegar/ginger that is supposed to compliment XLB which GDH did not provide. The skin was just right, thin enough to hold the soup, and not too thick so you eat a ton of skin and less meat. Perfect. My friend and I devoured it all. The soup was sooo delicious. Had the beef noodle soup. Delicious and not as oily as GDH. The beef was super tender, melt in your mouth quality. Huge bowl for only 6 bucks!! Tried another chicken dish with 3 "special ingredients". Also yummy. All of this, we stuffed our faces, had leftovers-total was 22 dollars!! Great food. Cheap prices. Clean restaurant for chinatown. Def a fan and am so happy they opened. Will be back soon!!
(4)Christine L.
This place was actually not bad when they first opened a year ago. But the food quality and service has really gone down ever since then. Maybe it really depends on what you order.. It does have a nicer atomosphere than Dumpling House, though. Cleaner and bigger. Not really sure why it's called Dumpling Cafe when their dumpling selection is limited and isn't even that good. If you've been spoiled with good dumplings, you wouldn't be impressed. The filling is overchopped. The skin is probably not made from scratch or the proportions were off. But that's not the point. Point is when your food is mediocre, the service should at least be half decent to make up for it. The waitress who served us the other day was really rude. First she made us move to a smaller table to accomodate a bigger group. Then when she delivered our scallion pancakes, I asked her if they could heat it up a little more because the dough was still a little raw inside, she bluntly told us that it's not raw and that's just how their scallion pancakes are. Ridic, isn't it? Didnt want to argue with her cuz we didn't want to waste any time. Later on she just dropped off the rest of our orders (dumpling and pan fried noodles) right next to us without saying anything. In general, I don't expect much from restruants in Boston's Chinatown.. but I do not tolerate rude service.
(1)Sidi L.
since they support lunch specials，the line is long...but their food are good. recommendations：soup dumplings，tomato shrimp with egg，peppers with beef
(4)Biyu Z.
Terrible service!!!! I brought my friends and mum to this restaurant , we ordered dumpling and they served us until we finished all the other dishes!! And finally, they automatically charged us 18% tips without asking us !!!! We asked for the explanation and they just ignored us without even saying sorry. This is the worst experience I've ever had in chinatown. I won't go there anymore and nor my other friends. There are a lot of other options than this one.
(1)Ryan K.
Great dumplings. The Taiwan style are my favorite.
(5)Tina L.
Love this restaurant. The food is excellent, very fresh, and very spicy, too. The menu looks great, and there are a lot of choices. Love the dumplings and tofu. I can't wait to go back again.
(4)Shuang C.
Grilled chicken skin 3stars. Interesting to try, not much flavor, mostly you just taste the sauce. Beef stew noodle soup. 1 star. The beef sucked, soup sucked, noodles sucked. Don't bother. Taiwan style pork chop noodle soup 3 stars. Soup was bland, noodles sucked, but the fried pork chop was REALLY good. Pork and crabmeat juicy buns 3 stars. Too salty for my liking, although better than GDH.
(3)Chris R.
We started with the scallion pancakes and taiwanese dumplings - both good choices. The shrimp and asparagus satay was the best; came out fresh and hot, with the asparagus nice and crispy. General Gao's chicken was excellent. Overall, a good place to fill up before hitting the theatre, and pretty inexpensive. On the negative side, the decor and soundtrack wasn't elegant or anything special, but that's not why you come here. The food is yummy.
(4)David C.
Gourmet Dumpling House, I am so sorry for betraying you. I will never do it again, I swear! My friend and I were starving and didn't want to wait the 20-30 minute line. 2 blocks later... Dumpling Cafe. If you've ever met me, you know I'm a dumpling champ. Dumplings... you and I have a special bond (get in ma belly). Actually, I have no idea where this thought's going... on to the review. So my friend and I ended up here after we didn't want to wait for GDH. 10 minute wait for a table, not too bad. The hostess and her waitstaff had no idea what was going on nor inter-communication skills, almost giving our table away to people that just walked in from the street. So we ordered some dumplings, of course including an order of xiao long bao (soup dumplings). FORTY-FIVE minutes later! "Molly, when do you want to walk out?" "... 5 more minutes?" "k, sounds good" Aaaand of course, two mins later, they come out. Xiao long bao = overly salty and too much gelatin (sorry, secret to soup dumplings is out) Other dumplings = eh Service = I've never seen so many people turning left, right, raising their hands trying to flag down their waiter for water/tea/bil. Dumpling Cafe, you get the 1 star for having thin skins on your xaio long bao and the tea woman was very expedient.
(3)Jen H.
As it has already been said, this is dumpling CAFE not dumpling house. They are two separate establishments I send all of my friends and family to Dumpling Cafe when looking for a place to eat in chinatown. Their pork and crab juicy buns are AMAZING. I have never had a better bun anywhere in Boston. These buns are incredibly juicy and flavorful while having a very thin membrane on the outside. I've had dumpling house's buns on several occasions and they just don't compare. I'm also a huge advocate for dumpling cafe's bamboo tips which are slightly spicy and perfectly crunchy. As for their service, it isn't good, but I find that to be a good thing. In my experience, the better the service in chinatown, the worse the food! At Dumpling Cafe, the food will come out whenever it is ready, regardless of the order you think it should come in, and sometimes parts of your order get overlooked. However, if you share your food family style, as I often do with friends and family when in chinatown, this is hardly a problem. I also recommend family style sharing because most of the dishes come in a portion with just one thing (such as when you order bamboo tips, all you get is a plate full of bamboo tips and nothing else). If you remind the waiter/waitress of a forgotten item, they are quick to bring out the plate and are very apologetic. Overall, not a huge deal. Seating there is in fact, one person per seat. It never has bothered me to sit next to strangers. It gives me an opportunity to see what they are eating and asked what they ordered so I can try it too! Besides, this type of seating is, in my experience, common in the smaller places in chinatown.
(5)Sam W.
I would advise people not to go to this restaurant. The service is horrible and the staff is extremely rude. I was eating there this weekend. We were sitting at the table waiting to be served for about 15 min and no one attended to us. During which, there was a full table of waiters and waitresses just chatting to each other, glancing at us then looking away. Ordering, waiting for the food and the bill was torture and was very frustrating. We left a tip of $10 for 6 of us (which i think was generous considering the horrible service), and as we were walking out the waiter cursed at us and said "i hope they get hit by a bus".
(1)Espresso T.
This place has the best xiao long bao in Boston, and I have had a lot of xiao long bao in Taipei, Hong Kong, mainland China and back here in Boston and NYC. And, the food here is actually quite cheap. Its xiao long bao is MUCH better than the Gourmet Dumpling House (also better than the Taiwanese cuisine restaurant in Chinatown). In fact, it is better than some of the famed xiao long bao places in NYC too. Not all of the dishes are worth 5 stars, so I am giving this place a 4 star. If you stick with the right dishes though, their food is very good and I highly recommend this place. Best dishes from here are: Xiao Long Bao: The wrapper is thin and the soup inside is plentiful and tasty, as this dish should be; the meat also tastes fresh (Gourmet Dumpling House's version has very thick wrapper, not so tasty soup and dull tasting meat) Braised beef soup noodles: Tasty broth and they give you a lot of tasty beef as well (large portion and under $6!) Lu rou fan (braised pork on rice): a typical dish you see on the street in Taiwan; they do quite a good job here Most of their other dishes are still fine, though they are just not 4 or 5 star dishes that I would rave about.
(4)Eric S.
This place has delicious dumplings and smells like heaven when you walk in ..Damn i was skeptikal about ordering from here due to the looks from outside kinda weird looking..But inside its a whole different story..The place is small and reminds me of a small hut like type restaurant that you would find in china,Taiwan,Japan,cambodia..ETC ..You get the picture!!..i will be back to try other items which look very good but wonder if my westernized appetite can handle what they offer and the fish looks very fresh...
(5)Ryan M.
I came across this location on a trip to the Wilbur Theater. It's right around the corner, and conveniently located right near a parking lot. I'm a huge fan of the scallion pancakes. They are delicious! I usually get the beef and broccoli, and the pork fried rice is delicious. I don't know if every place is like this in Chinatown, but it feels very authentic to me. The tea is strong, the soup is good and plentiful, you are served with chopsticks and only receive a fork if you ask for one. There are ACTUAL Asian people dining here, which is a very good sign. Sometimes I drive in to Boston just to have dinner here. Give it a try.
(4)Alyssa R.
I went to dumpling cafe last weekend with some friends. We had a large table with a lazy susan, which is super convenient for sharing dishes. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. Service was attentive. I think this restaurant had a more diverse and creative menu than most other Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants in the area. Go there to try something new, or for an old favorite. Try the mini steamed pork buns (soup dumplings), or the fried shrimp! I'll be back next time I'm in Boston!!! :-)
(5)Nini G.
WORST. SERVICE. EVER! I've been to Dumpling Cafe before, and while their food is pretty good and their service consistently mediocre, I didn't think it would ever be awful enough to open a Yelp account just to warn the world of their existence. If you go for lunch or dinner, you'll get service, though probably you'll wonder why the staff all wear a permanent grimace. Lower your standards, enjoy the food, and walk out satiated. If you go at 3AM...well, just don't go at 3AM. You'll get treated as if you somehow owe them your firstborn child because they're doing you such a favor by serving you food that late/early. So you better tip them well...even if they 1. Make you wait...bring you the wrong order...tell you they are out of what you ordered so you either take the alternative (even if you physically can't eat the alternative) or you're outta luck...tell you they don't have time for you when you ask them about your order, that it must've been your mistake and not theirs...make you wait some more... 2. When you ask for tea, tell you that the table behind got the last pot...then proceed to bring out 5 more pots of tea to other people 3. Roll their eyes at you when you ask for your water to be refilled because you've been waiting more than an hour and your water has never been refilled 4. Tell you to never come back because you refuse to pay the 18% auto-gratuity they gave themselves, even though they were only serving (or in this case, ignoring) 2 people. Don't worry Dumpling Cafe, I'm happy to oblige. I will NEVER come back. So, unless you just graduated from anger management and want to test your newly found skill of patience, I say go somewhere else in Chinatown. There are plenty of other restaurants with just as good, if not better, food, and definitely a better attitude. And if it's 3AM...go get some pizza instead.
(1)Catherine Y.
I came back here for dinner tonight and I just had to write about it right away! This place was packed tonight. So service wasn't amazing, but I'll let it slide for tonight... This time I ordered the crab and pork soup dumplings and they were amazing. Yes I've had Joe's Shanghai soup dumplings growing up, and all I wanted was to have some, so I ordered it, hoping for the best and I have to say, Boston, you delivered! I also ordered the rice cake dish with pork, and this too was really yummy. I was also looking around to see what other people ordered and I feel like there are so many more authentic dishes I should try next time!
(4)Carl W.
First of all, I am of Taiwanese descent and found this place by looking for Taiwanese cuisine that I just can't get in NE Ohio. I tried the spicey beef noodle soup with an appetizer of oyster pancake. The soup arrived first and it was pretty good: slivers of beef and hot green peppers in a delicious beef broth with nicely firm noodles. The oyster pancake was MIA so I had to ask the waitress about it--she thought I was asking for the check but then understood and went to check on the pancake. I almost wish it didn't come!!! NASTY. Egg topped over a layer of corn starch goop with about 6 small oysters somewhere in between. Some weird variant of oyster sauce on top. That is nothing like Taiwanese cuisine I have ever tasted!!! I was expecting flour encrusted, fried oyster with green onion that is typical in Taiwanese cooking. I should have played it safe and gotten something more typical like the steamed dumplings. "Never have seafood at a steakhouse" or similar words of wisdom comes to mind here.
(3)Tamar A.
It's kind of a given that in any cuisine, in any dish, the dumplings are going to be the winners. I don't know what it is about stuffing filling into dough, but goddamn if it doesn't hit any spot it comes near. So why not capitalize on these delectable little savory squishes and make them the main attraction? I'm only peeved that I didn't think to do it. I mean, picture it: you're trudging through the slushy cold of Boston Winter in Chinatown, and you come upon this warm, red little beacon. You sit down in dark wood and order yourself some tummy-warmers. You spoon a soup-fulled dumpling to your lips, bite a tiny tear into the top and race the broth as it dribbles out in a pool of warm, oily bliss. Slurp. Chew. Repeat. Sigh.
(4)Rachel T.
This place uses a LOT of MSG. I also had chicken gristle in my steamed chicken dumplings. Both experiences seem pretty sub par for what I would expect of a new Chinatown restaurant.
(1)John C.
I would likely have given Dumpling Cafe three stars, had I not come in with high expectations. While DC may offer some of the best dumplings in Boston, that might say more about the uninspired Chinese options in Boston than it does about the dumplings at DC. I found them quite passable, but far from exceptional. What you will definitely get, though, is at least authentic Chinese. Just not necessarily transcendent Chinese.
(2)Aboud D.
The should call it the Chinese Dump Cafe. Definitely not hygienic. Barely involved wait staff. Tables desperately need refinishing. The beef and cabbage dumplings were good enough with thin dough. The hot and sour soup too salty. At least the beer was cold. 3 stars for food, 1 star for ambiance and cleanliness.
(2)Cindy K.
So glad that we have a new Taiwanese restaurant in C-town that is actually GOOD! The menu is very extensive and has all your typical Taiwanese dishes. We tried the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and they were average but probably one of the better ones I've had in Boston. The pork kidneys and sesame oil were soo good. This is a very typical taiwanese dish and even though its a very simple recipe, it takes skill to make this dish come out good. I was very impressed. I hear the noodle soups are really good but I didn't get a chance to try so will definitely have to try that on a cold day. Also, the lunch menu looks AWESOME! So many choices and not just your typical "Chicken w/ Broccoli" dishes.
(4)Shannon P.
Lunch specials tasted great and were quickly delivered. This is important due to the numbers of customers that start funneling in! The place is small but grab a menu and start dumpling treat-or-treating. We only had dumplings and were not disappointed. It was part of a multi-spot plan for our picnic and it was great.
(4)Markus B.
Great Xiaolongbao and good Stinky Tofu and Oyster Pancake. Food at least as good as Gourmet Dumpling House. Service just ok but not worse than other Chinatown restaurants.
(4)Catherine S.
I've been to China, and the food (and environment) is as authentic as you can get. Make sure you know how to use chopsticks if you come here; they didn't bring us any silverware, which was fine for us (though we didn't ask, so perhaps you could request forks and knives). The soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) taste exactly like the ones I ate in Shanghai. We also got some noodles for a little more substance, and were surprised at how flavorful the dish was. If you want to experience Chinese cuisine without the 12-hour flight, this is your spot!
(4)Becca H.
Another review singing the praises of the mini juicy buns, plus the roasted duck buns which were also fabulous. Service can be poky at times and they forgot our side order of rice but the food still made it all worth it. We were only visiting for 4 days but ended up going twice because the food was so wonderful. Definitely going back the next time we're in town.
(5)Rina A.
Fast service, neat surroundings and great soup dumplings (xiao long bao). will be back :)
(4)Andrew H.
This is my favorite resturant in Chinatown. I have been at least 5 times, and everyone i have brought has loved it. The juicy dumpings are a must have - the broth is delicious, the skin is thin and tasty, and the meat is well cooked. Always comes to the daily steaming hot. Other good appetizers include the scallion pancakes (pretty standard but crispy and tasty) and the mini duck dumpings - skin is a little thick and doughy but still really tasty. I've enjoyed all the dishes I've had and the portions are perfect for sharing. Favorites include: beef with mixed vegetables, the mustard greens with garlic, mango chicken (sauce is a little thick and sweet), and the lobster with garlic and scallions. Service can be hit or miss, but they are usually pretty attentive and helpful with ordering. I love this place!
(5)Anna T.
Soup Dumplings! Finally a place in Boston that can make it the way I like it! Thin skin, soupy w/o the gelatin gooey-ness, and fresh filling. 4 stars are for just the dumplings. Porkchop w/ rice - 1 star tasteless & dry minced pork that goes w/ the rice, weird tasting preserved chopped veggie, oily cabbage...the only redeeming point is the fried porkchop which was marinated thoroughly but wasted cuz it was hard to eat w/ all the hard tendons and bones...the soy sauced egg was also okay (Blue Asia cafe still leads for me on this dish) Oyster Pancake - Never really liked oyster pancake this one was okay only cuz I tasted egg (hahaha I'm biased w/ anything associated w/ egg), also not as oily as TC, and the sauce was okay Service - I have to admit they really tried and I think they should continue...it's a rare sight in Chinatown lol. Our tea cups were refilled promptly, asked us before removing the finished plates, asked us if it was okay to give us the check, very courteous. Interior - definitely way more spacious than the other two taiwanese restaurants Price - All this for $19 shared between 2. Would go back to get the soup dumplings and try other dumplings & the stewed beef noodle.
(4)Q S.
At first I was super duper excited at the sight of a brand new (and good looking) restaurant in Chinatown. Dumpling Cafe. Makes me crave dumplings. I always wondered why people name restaurants certain things but then don't really deliver on that front. A "dumpling cafe" should have more than just five varieties of dumplings. I was disappointed after I looked at my menu that it wasn't really a dumpling-exclusive restaurant like I had hoped. The menu here is almost identical to the one at Gourmet Dumpling House (also misleading and not made of dumplings!) and similar to Taiwan Cafe. Even though this place is new, you're not getting a lot of new variety in Chinatown. Here is my food review: 1. Scallion pancake: yes! a not-so-greasy version just done right. It doesn't have oily air bubbles like the ones from other restaurants and is pretty tasty 2. Hot & Sour fish soup: give it a try! The fish I had seemed a bit over cooked and wasn't soft and flaky like it should of been, but the soup itself was delicious 3. Veggie dumplings: these are better than the ones I've had at Gourmet Dumpling House, but you only get 6. A bit steep. 4. Pork & leak dumplings: didn't try these, but the bf said it was good 5. Seafood dumplings: It was ok. Could of been better without the imitation crab. They should make mini buns with the filing instead, it would taste better. The dough was a bit overcooked. Service: We came here around 6:00pm, so the restaurant was more than half empty. They had a lot of servers and they hovered around while you ate. The minute your plate was empty, someone swoops in and takes it to the kitchen. I'm assuming all the over-attention is because the place is new, but it's distracting when you're having a conversation and every two minutes a rotation of servers are asking if you have questions about something, need something, or want something to be taken away. But can't complain since other restaurants in Chinatown does just the reverse.
(3)Nicholas A.
Amazing soup dumplings and General Gao's (Tso's) chicken. Ranked too low on Yelp.
(5)Maria P.
My friends and I have been here a few times. The beef noodles were ok, they made it with flat noodles and a dark sauce. The beef wasn't high quality but it was an inexpensive meal so maybe my expectations were too high. My friend's vegetable soup was quite disappointing, it seemed like they had just thrown all the vegetables they had on hand into the stock pot and brought it out. They had a good fried pork with plain rice garnished with some fried bits on the rice. This was the best thing I've had here so I'll go back to try this. It was a good fry job, not too oily but crisp. Service was decent even though it was packed late at night and in the afternoon lunch hour. Our waiter was a little slow while it was empty though I guess they work faster when they are at capacity as opposed to when there's just a few people. It's a small space decorated sparsely. I'd recommend a few other places in Chinatown over this one but if this is your only option order the fried pork with rice.
(3)J C.
Food was decent but the service was awful. Was totally rushed. Waitress trying to clear away dishes before we were even done with them. Never going back.
(1)Maria V.
Let me begin by emphasizing the consensus of all of the other Yelpers: the xiao long bao, aka "soup dumplings" or "mini juicy buns," as listed on the menu, are AMAZING. I fell in love with them immediately after taking my first bite of the delicious tender wrapper and tasting the wonderful broth inside. I tried the crabmeat and pork version of the XLB ($6.50) and really enjoyed the pairing of the two proteins. The crabmeat provided a tanginess balanced by the pork, and the texture of the filling was soft and warm from being held in the broth. The pork was of good quality and wasn't too fatty nor chewy. The dumplings themselves are not exactly "mini," and 6 come with each order, so this dish would be great for a lunch or light eater. I enjoyed the Dumpling Café's XLB much more than those of Gourmet Dumpling House, mostly because the dumplings at GDH usually arrive pre-punctured and/or burst when you try and pick them up. :( The broth and filling were also better. My boyfriend and I ordered the XLB, the pork and leek steamed dumplings ($6.50), and the sauteed flat noodles with beef ($6.95), and shared all three dishes. All were enjoyable! The pork and leek dumplings were tender and tasty, with nice fresh leeks and good quality pork stuffed inside translucent wrappers. Two sauces, a sweeter oily sauce and a ginger-infused vinegar one, were included for dipping purposes. We concluded that the vinegar one went best with the dumplings, but both were tasty and it was nice to have the choice. The sauteed flat noodles with beef continued the restaurant's winning streak of surprisingly good quality meat for the price point. Sauteed with beansprouts, fresh leek, and chopped onion, this dish was a medium portion size and paired well with our dumpling choices. It was a bit oily for my taste, but I'm very picky about that and still enjoyed the dish. The restaurant is very clean, especially by Chinatown standards, and there are two neat bathrooms in the back of the restaurant. The waitstaff were polite but distant, which wasn't surprising and we didn't mind. We arrived at the restaurant around 8pm on a Wednesday and did not have to wait more than a couple of minutes for the table to be prepared. Our dumplings arrived very quickly and were nice and hot. As an added bonus, each person receives tea at this restaurant when seated, and it's free! I will definitely come back here for late-night eating (the restaurant is open 7 days a week until 2am) and to try the 3 entrees for $21 combo with a group! The only negati
(4)Adam P.
This place made me happy. We ordered xiaolongbao, san bei ji (three cup chicken), zha jiang mian (noodles with black bean sauce), and yuxiang qiezi (eggplant with garlic sauce). The zha jiang mian was probably a little better than average, the xiaolongbao were just right, and the san bei ji was a bit below average. After we got through a "ten minute" wait that was more like 25 minutes, the food was overall quite good. I believe that the restaurant is somehow tied to Taiwan Cafe - both serve Taiwanese food, although Dumpling Cafe has a bit broader of a menu and slightly different recipes. It has a decent interior and is a good place to take others.
(4)J K.
i was in search of some soupy soup dumplings and i am sooooo glad that i dragged the bf here with me. there was another option but i read through some other reviews and it seemed like this one was the winner with less waiting time and better soup dumplings. (i judge the soup dumplings by the consistency of the shell, the amount of juice in them, and the overal flavor). dumpling cafe is a winner. the prices were fair (as most chinese restaurants prices are) and the service isn't much different than that of any other chinese establishment you'd frequent - order, eat, and go - and ask for things along the way when necessary. i'm going to miss the soup dumplings here because the broth just spilled all over my plate when i took a little bite into it. i had to ask for some bowls because they were THAT juicy. the skin wasn't too thick and held up really well when picking them up and all the dumplings were consistent with the amount of soup they each had in them. i'm jelly and now waiting for a joe's or dumpling cafe to pop up in san francisco. the closest i've been able to find is kingdom of dumpling and while they're delicious there, the soup in these STUMPS any that i've EVER HAD, EVEN FROM JOE'S in NYC. i mean they're called soup dumplings - get some soup in those suckers! ... sad face ... now to find some recipes and make these myself. 3 orders of soup dumplings (1 of which were a crab mix) scallion pancake was good but nothing really special $24 + $5 = $30 for 2 not bad and definitely worth it for the heartwarming soup filled dumplings.
(5)Emily N.
The best dumplings I've had. The pork or the pork and brand soup dumplings were amazing. The General Gao chicken was damn good, too.
(5)Bean C.
This was my first time at Dumpling Cafe, on Christmas Day, the busiest day for Chinese restaurants. I think they have been listening to the complaints about service, because I found the service to be pretty good. We were given a choice of seating as soon as we walked in the door. We opted to sit in the back, at a large round table with another party, a group of young ladies. It worked out totally fine. What I was hoping for happened. I was able to get some advice as to what to order. Don't leave without having the xlb, they're fantastic. We also loved the roasted duck buns. The ladies were all having large soup bowls of meat and noodles, as well as the xlb dumplings. Next time, I'll get one of those as well. The method seems to flag down the server when you want the bill, which came as soon as we got her attention, which was v. quick. I'm putting this place in the rotation, can't wait to return!
(4)Kathryn A.
Dumplings are 5-star. Everything else is 3-4 star. Why the 2-star review? Because if you seat 2 of us, hand us our menus and - instead of taking our orders - ask us to move to a table of 8, already occupied by 6 - well, guess what? YOU DESERVE A 1-STAR REVIEW. But your dumplings are divine, my little dumpling, so I'm giving you a 2.
(2)Hana N.
Once I cheated on Gourmet Dumpling House and went here. Never again. Though much more spacious, the service was terrible. My friend ordered noodles with pork and was served some awkward (looking and tasting) soup instead. We tried to clarify our order, but they got mad and made us pay for the soup that we didn't eat. They were NOT helpful. The only saving grace was the good dumplings. I'll never cheat on GDM again.
(1)Kalun L.
Searching for the best xiao long bao is a side hobby of mine. I always order it whenever I see it on a menu. Sometimes, I am rewarded for taking the risk like yesterday. I stopped by Dumpling Cafe for lunch yesterday and I was pretty happy with their version of these soup dumplings. One order gets you six delicious dumplings, each a little larger than a golf ball. My four criteria for a good xiao long bao are: 1. Thinness of the wrapper. In this case, it was just thin enough to contain the soup without bursting. 2. Amount of scalding hot broth contained therein. Here, there was plenty of it. Yay! 3. Flavor of the broth and pork filling. Perfect. 4. Size of the dumpling. A point taken off because the entire dumpling spilled over the sides of the soup spoon (more on this below). Eating xiao long bao requires a little instruction, lest you burn your mouth and spill the precious broth everywhere. First, if you do not know how to use chopsticks, learn before you venture forth to eat xiao long bao. Now, understand that xiao long bao is necessarily made to order, so don't gripe if your appetizer of dumplings follows your entree. When dumplings arrive gingerly pick one up and place it in your soup spoon (this is a little harder if the dumpling spills over your spoon). Sprinkle a little of the accompanying ginger vinegar sauce over the dumpling (you can dip the dumpling in the sauce, but you risk tearing the skin of the dumpling and spilling the payload of broth). Now carefully bite a little hole on the top of the dumpling, then, because the broth is hot, gently slurp out the broth. This will tell you all is right with the world. Eat the rest of the dumpling and repeat. I also ordered the pork liver and kidney noodle soup. I love my offal and I was very happy to see it on the menu. The broth for the noodle soup was a pretty good chicken and ginger. The noodles unfortunately were just kind of meh. Service was brusque, but that's to be expected in a Chinese restaurant. The bill with tax and tip totaled $15.
(4)Maryam D.
The soup dumplings here are delish and definitely one of the better ones I've had in Boston (I'd even say better than my favorite, Gourmet Dumpling House). Unfortunately, that's where the praising stops for me. While nothing is terrible, I can't help but compare to GDH. The bad: - The watercress w/ garlic was soggy and disappointing. - The pork and leek dumplings were awful. - The good: - soup dumplings!! Thin dough filled with yummy soup and pork. - a hot pot beef short rib dish (sadly don't remember the name, but it was soo good)! The beef just melted in your mouth and was very rich and savory. - I tried two noodle dishes as well, both ok. I go with my friend who always orders in chinese, so I don't know many of the names for the dishes I've tried. She tells me that this is more authentic and homestyle Chinese for her, and prefers to GBH.
(3)Jessica W.
I've tried Dumpling Cafe, Taiwan Cafe, and Gourmet Dumpling House. I LOVED Dumpling Cafe. The soup dumplings were actually better than Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. The skin was much thinner!!!! However, I thought the actual meat and soup in the soup dumplings were a little salty.. but still the best I've had in Boston! We also got the beef wrapped in scallion pancakes which was even better than taiwan cafe. The scallion pancake is less oily, but still just as delicious. We also got the pork over rice dish which was really good as well. Will definitely be stopping by this when I'm craving my Taiwanese dishes next time :)
(5)Jillian W.
I came here for lunch with my mother on a weekday around 1PM. I have to say that this is the worst restaurant in Chinatown. The restaurant wasn't that busy and yet the service was still unacceptable. Not only that, the food wasn't that good either. We ordered soup dumplings and it came out in literary a couple of minutes after ordering. Usually it takes around 15 to 20 minutes to make so you know that something was not right. Also, the waitress didn't give us any sauce for it and when we asked for it, she rolled her eyes and walked away and brought it to us. You know the dumplings comes with it so don't act like we're asking for something extra. 10 minutes into lunch the dumplings became cold and inedible. We also ordered a mustard green and pork soup dish with rice cake. They cooked it instead of putting it in soup. We tried to explain that we ordered the soup version but she again scoffed at it and said that we didn't order it that way. Seriously, what the f*** is her problem?? So we just finished our meal (not enjoyable at all) and paid the bill. Before leaving we put the tip on the table and immediately our waitress came over and grabbed it on the spot and left! No thank you, no smile, nothing! Can I say what a total b****? That was the only time she actually moved fast. Yeah...not coming back even if you offer to treat. To the "waitress", if you don't like your job, just quit, nobody is forcing you to stay there. You want the money, you have to EARN it. Would not waste time and money with this restaurant. If you want dumplings, I would just over another 5 minutes to either Gourmet Dumpling or Taiwan Cafe.
(1)Madelyn Y.
The juicy pork buns are to DIE for! I was introduced to this place and he told me to dip the bun into the sauce and place it on your spoon. Bite the top off slightly so you can air out the bun and sip on the soup that is on the inside. DELICIOUS! Other than that, I don't quite remember anything else that's why I gave it a 3 stars. If I had to rate the bun alone it would have been 5 stars. :D
(3)Graceypoo M.
one of my favorite places to get XLBs soup and filling are both flavorful. If you order to go, they make sure to enclose the ginger dipping sauce. the crab rangoon is freshly made and the filling has more complex flavor than just plain cream cheese with imitation crab. They add some seasonings that add an extra special-ness to the rangoon. the beef scallion pancake is not that great.... so I just stick to the XLBs. tip: minimum $20 for credit card use and no more than 2 credit cards when splitting the bill. there is an ATM across the street near tufts. It's always better to pay in cash!
(4)Madeleine Q.
Great soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and other Taiwanese dishes! I recommend getting the pork and not pork + crab meat. They do not add any crabmeat inside the soup dumplings and you end up paying extra for a speckle of orange-ish crab meat on top. They also have great shrimp, egg and tomato dish, a great selection of Chinese vegetables, eggplant in black bean sauce, and fancy spicy fish stew. Even with a large group, we are seated within 15-20 minutes on a busy day. They are quick and efficient. This is far better than the dumpling house in Cambridge.
(4)Will C.
I prefer this place if I am in the mood for mini-juicy dumplings in Chinatown. I don't like waiting in line for the other place so I come here instead. Mini juicy dumplings are great here, hint of ginger and juicy. As for some of the other dishes, I'd recommend to sticking with the basics like lo mein or fried rice. The other dishes are alright.
(4)Elaina C.
great place! we stopped by on a thursday night around 9:30 PM and mostly all the other restaurants in Chinatown were closed but this one was bustling. It was packed and we even had to wait a few minutes. We got the chicken wonton soup which was great but the dumplings are AMAZING! we got the pork ones and the meat inside was so flavorful and tasty... I definitely recommend! reasonable prices as well
(4)Tanya Y.
Fun fact. On a recent busy night we were seated at a larger round table with people we did not know. By the end of yet another amazing meal (btw. convinced that Dumpling Cafe has the best soupy dumplings in Chinatown!), the boyfriend and I became acquainted with a mirror image couple of us! We shared food, travel stories, and ended up talking with these strangers for an additional hour or so even after we were done with our meal. Cheers to good food and good company!
(4)Yang L.
If there is a no star option, I will definitely choose that. The waitresses are very rude in this restaurant. And the food is just so so. I will never never go to this restaurant again....
(1)Xiaowan W.
Food is just OK. I wanna talk about their service. Last time i signed the bill and paid about 14% tips, cause the service was pretty average or say " not good". The waitress who was about 40 years old, rushed to my dining table and forced me to resign the bill and said " the lowest should be 15% tips", then she still stood there supervised me pay her enough tips, collected my plates without asking my opinions. Wow, thats sooo low.
(1)Andrew R.
Been here several times, and it's hit or miss. Sometimes the food is amazing, sometimes it's perfectly mediocre. I'd mention particular dishes, but I've felt this ambivalence about them too. It's good, and I haven't found better in Chinatown, but it's not amazing.
(3)Judith M.
This place just continues to amaze with excellent food, fantastic staff and unbeatable prices. Every single thing we've ever ordered has come out fast, hot and DELICIOUS. I cannot get over how perfect their dumpling covers are, toothsome, tender, tantalizing. SO GOOD.
(5)Jimmy H.
Bad service server was so rude never came back and checked our meal food was very good also asked for a coke then he came back and slamed the soda on the table i know some times others have a bad Day but never been treated so rudely..
(1)M M.
My friend from Taiwan ordered for me, so I'm not sure exactly what the dishes were called, but I believe we had the pork soup dumpling. You nibble a hole in the dough and slurp out the incredibly rich broth...wow! Beef noodle soup had incredibly tender beef and rich, delicious broth. I stole a bite of a dish that looked like beef with chinese broccolli(?). Sorry to be scattered on the dishes, but I suspect that just about anything you get here is going to be great! The teacups are large and they left the teapot for us on the table. seating is elbow to elbow, but that's Chinatown - embrace it!
(4)T D.
First time eating the pork soup dumplings (mini juicy pork buns/xiao long bao), and they were DELICIOUS. Somewhat of an art to eat and not burn your mouth or spill the delicious broth inside, but definitely worth it. My whole table just ordered the dumplings. 6 dumplings per order. One member of our party ordered 2 orders for himself, and he said he could have eaten more! Service was okay, and restaurant ambiance was typical Chinatown, but everything is quickly forgotten once the dumplings arrive.
(4)Dan G.
Unfriendly staff, but what do you expect in Chinatown on a busy Friday night around 11? Anyways, the place is small, but we didn't have to wait for very long for a seat. You will most likely share a long table with others. Whatevs. We ordered the soup dumplings which were sooo delicious. I've never had them, but they are delicious little pouches filled with broth and spiced meat. LOVE it. We also ordered chicken terriyaki meatballs which we were surprised at how yummy they were and how much they give you, garnished with a green vegetable along the side. Yup, I will definitely go again when I am in the mood for dumplings but all the dim sum places are closed!
(4)Wael B.
Food and dumpling were good. The bubble tea was okay. Only reason I gave it 3 stars the wait staff was rude and very slow and they messed up our orders twice. We had constantly flag them to order food and even ask for water that we didn't even get at the beginning when we sat in our table.
(3)Shabby D.
This place is amazing. It makes up for ALL the terrible Chinese food places in this city. The soup dumplings are to die for and the eggplant with chicken is the most amazing dish I have ever eaten. The scalion pancakes, wontons and chicken low mein and also amazing!! I could eat here everyday. Aaaaammmaaazzzing food!!
(5)Luigi S.
Basic. Ordinary hot and sour soup. blah dumplings. decent squid. busy weekend in town but felt like just going through the motions with the menu. good tea. friendly service
(2)Francesco R.
Every time I come to Boston this is the place I wanna go first. I think today I have paid my 5 visita since Juky. Their food is scrumptious and compensate the rudeness of the service, the only reason why I didn't give them a 5 star rating. Who cares about the service when the food is great?!? Today we had chicken with eggplants, my favorite dish, different types of dumplings ( another must order dish) scallion pancakes, spring rolls and fried chicken all our orders were delicious
(4)Andrew Q.
Good xiao long bao have become increasingly easy to find in America, but I love them all the same. Dumpling Cafe has shorter lines and still solid dumplings. Their other dishes are likewise solid. Prices are generous, though portions are surprisingly small for a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant has a crowded layout, and even saying that is being generous. I'm a skinny bastard, and I could barely squeeze past other tables to mine. Service is fine for me, but I speak Mandarin, so I might have in-roads. It's a bit difficult to get their attention though; I occasionally have to pull the potentially insulting hand wave. So it goes, I suppose. I like this place if only for the vastly shorter wait time. Solid food, but not necessarily my first choice in Boston's rather saturated Chinatown.
(4)Wei S.
Went there yesterday afternoon around 4pm. It was not busy. Waiter was okay and the food is fine. Juicy buns tasted a little bit sour which are not suppose to be like that. But the hostess in pink was terrible! She sat by the dinning table for the entire time playing her phone. She saw us after we entered the restaurant, but she decided to stick her butt there and not to greet us. We thought she was a customer at the very beginning. The same thing happened to another couple too. No body in the restaurant helped so they got had to find the table by themselves. It's not a welcoming restaurant.
(2)Sophie P.
Great dumplings!!! It's not much of an experience here, well what can you expect when it's in Chinatown? The servers are really quick in taking your order and bringing out the food. Things to get: Pork and leek soup dumplings Pork buns (not like modern pork buns between a fluffy bun but in a twisted top dumpling) Both for only $14! Hard to find deals like this in Boston.
(3)Luci N.
Went here last night for food and boy was it delicious! Scallion pancake is not oily and the mayo shrimp was the best I've ever they put the right amount of mayo I love it and will come back for more food!
(5)Jiyea C.
Yummy xiao long bao. DO NOT GET BOBA HERE. IT IS POWDERY AND GROSS. These are the only two things I tried here so I can't on much else. Service was kind of inattentive, but it wasn't bad.
(4)Patrick C.
One of the better places in Chinatown for soup dumplings. The food here is very good, but god almighty is the service absolutely abysmal. With waitresses walking away as they take your order, taking the order incorrectly, never checking up/refilling drunks, and picking up plates as you're still eating, be ready for a pretty awful service experience. I've tried very hard to like this place, but the two times I've been here, the service has been consistently bad.
(3)Kirsti G.
My husband & I decided to try Dumpling Cafe after we had heard from our friends over and over again about how good it was. We were searching for some NYC worthy soup dumplings & this is the spot! They were very good, much better than we had tried at other places in Chinatown. We also got the stir-fried beef & veg noodles, they were just as good or even better than the dumplings! Would definitely recommend anyone who is visiting to order the noodles. 4 stars because the service was poor.
(4)Andrea B.
Don't come between me and my soup dumplings, unless you want to die. Is that an exaggeration? Not really. I may be a huge slob when I eat them, but regardless, I mean business! Day or night, there is no time that I will say no to a soup dumpling invite. I don't care if it is 80 degrees out and I just came from an intense workout, I will still want soup dumplings! And yes, I have done that, by the way. They are the most wondrous things that I went far too long without ever trying. And let me tell you, Dumpling Cafe is where you want to go to pop your soup dumpling cherry. It's seemingly always busy, and it is open until 2 A.M., in case you live nearby and get a craving. Thanks to some expert guidance from Annie C (thanks, girl!), I got a crash course in soup dumpling consumption. Place a dumpling on your spoon with the pair of tongs that are provided. Add soy sauce if desired (I personally feel like the dumplings are tasty enough that any additional sauces are rendered unnecessary). Then, take a tiny bite out of your dumpling so that you can slurp out the soup from inside! Be careful, it is HOT!! You will probably find that the soup is so delicious that you want to gobble the whole dumpling up in one bite, but I don't recommend it. Your poor burnt tongue and mouth will not thank you. Then, once the soup slurping is complete, you can proceed to eat the outside of the dumpling, as well as the meat. That's the part where I tend to get sloppy. But they're so good that I want to get them in my mouth (and belly) as fast as I possibly can, so manners tend to fly out the window. I've tried the pork soup dumplings and the ones with pork and crab meat, and found that I prefer the former. The crab meat didn't really do much to add to the flavor. All of the above may seem obvious to you, but as a total newbie, that lesson was much appreciated! I've tried a variety of other dishes here, none of which were all that memorable by comparison (except the scallion pancakes, which are excellent). Everything is reasonably priced, and more than reasonably delicious, so Dumpling Cafe has quickly become my favorite spot in Chinatown. Oh, and random tip for people who are like me and prefer to pay with plastic at restaurants - they accept credit cards, but if you're looking to split the bill, they won't divide it up between more than two cards. Plan accordingly. Bring cash if you're with a bigger party!
(5)Ann K.
Mini juicy pork buns = mini juicy pork bombs! They are packed with so much flavor, and if you're not careful, they'll explode and gush everywhere. Get the buns. Delicious. The 'special mustard greens with edamame bean curd sheet' is also a nice salty treat. And bacon lovers, try the grilled pork teriyaki, which is essentially fat, juicy bacon on a stick!
(5)Pat F.
I like to go there for the juicy steam dumpling, and pork chop noodle. Went there a few times with my friends. The atmosphere was fine, food was good, but the service was terrible. The wait staffs were so rude, and not very helpful.
(2)Isabella G.
Don't get me wrong the food is good, and always fresh. But the customer service is seriously lacking. The waiters are unfriendly and I always seem rushed when I go, whether if it's with a group or alone. Whenever I go in they always seem to have a problem taking cards, and it gets really annoying. I would consider this place cash only. But back to the food- I always get the wonton soup. It's very good! The broth is very flavorful, but light, and amazingly clear for the flavor it has! It also has raw spinach that has become freshly wilted from the warm broth, so it's still a little crunchy. Yeah, I'm into it. Oh! And the wontons themselves, are really good! The dumpling skin never breaks, and the stuffing has a lot of flavor as well. I would consider the prices fair, and even a little on the high side. I'm used to large portions at Chinese restaurants and really getting a bang out of your buck. But the portions aren't that large, especially if you want to dine family style. They have a good lunch combo deal though!
(3)Meghan S.
SERVICE IS HORRIBLE! I have never had such rude waitresses as I did here. Food was okay, but the experience makes me never want to come back.
(1)Gyumin L.
Their food was okay, but okay does not mean it's great. It was average for a Chinese restaurant. One thing I want to mention here is their horrible service. My waitress was very unpleasant, seemed like she was very irritated at something which made my last couple hours in Boston very uncomfortable. She did not even smile once, and she kept talking to me in Chinese even though I told her that I do not understand her and constantly answered her back in English. It is usually understandable situation, especially at busy Chinese restaurant, but her impoliteness was just enough to make me feel horrible and go sign up for Yelp to write a review. Tea was never refilled, bill was given even before I finish the half of my dumplings, then forced me to move my stuff over; I know, I can definitely do that, not a big deal, but she could ask me first instead of just bringing people in without a word. I'm definitely not going to recommend this restaurant to anyone, and I believe no one deserves this kind of service.
(1)Seth C.
Seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the service here. To borrow a phrase: Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown. I've eaten at a lot of the little spots in Chinatown, and the service is usually indifferent at best. Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't really know. Luckily there's an easy solution to this problem: Order the soup dumplings. You're at Dumpling Cafe, after all. ...although they're called something like "mini juicy buns" on the menu. While you are eating these ungodly delicious dumplings, you will cease to care about the level of service, or about anything else in the world. Except how badly you've just burnt your mouth maybe, so either be patient and careful, or suck it up and flag down that inattentive waitress for more water and beer. Fewer and shorter waits for a table than at Gourmet Dumpling House. Calibrate your expectations about service and atmosphere, and order correctly, and you will not be disappointed.
(5)Idy T.
For a restaurant named Dumpling Cafe, it is surprising that dumpling selections only consisted a small part of the menu. Nevertheless, the dumpling is so good and juicy! I tried the xiao lung bao, pan seared dumpling, and taiwanese sausage. The xiao lung bao was so juicy! The skin for the dumpling with thin and perfect. I don't like it when the skin is too thick. The juice in the xiao lung bao was full of flavor. It was really delicious. The pan seared dumpling was also pretty good. But I wished that they seared the dumpling a little more. I like it when it is a little crispier. The taiwanese sausage is also really good. I like taiwanese sausage because it is a little on the sweeter side in comparison to chinese sausages. The service here is not that great but it is what one expects eating at a Chinese restaurant. I would come back again for their xiao lung bao. I highly recommend it. But be careful to not burn your tongue when you eat it because when it is fresh out of the steamer, it is super hot!
(4)Michelle C.
Updated review: Another bad experience at Dumpling Cafe. The vegetable dumplings, stuffed only with a chopped green veg., were tasteless. But they did have an unexpected crunch--of sand or grit. Apparently the greens had not been washed. The waitress offered to exchange these dumplings for chicken dumplings, but the mgr. vetoed this gracious offer. Poor customer relations. BTW, the tea is just yellow water, and the soup had no taste except salty. I don't understand why this restaurant is so popular. First review: The roast beef pancake looked so good at the next table - golden brown, looked crispy. But the 'roast beef" was inedible. It was all gristle. I complained to the waitress, who referred me to the cashier. She apologized, said something like it was an unusual occurrence. No offer to waive the cost. Then she short-changed me a few cents. After I asked to see the bill, she gave me the rest of the change.
(1)Donna S.
I love the mini juicy pork buns and will eat the entire order myself. Service is not the greatest but the prices and food make up for it. Other good options are the noodles with minced pork in black bean sauce
(4)Collins F.
My Taiwanese friend swears by this place. The food is quick, good, hot, tastey and has a great price. I usually get the dumplings and some rice with a beer. I wish they had a full bar, but I'll take it. It's location is great because you can find some watering holes near by after for a night cap. I love that I never feel full after eating here - meaning more room for adult beverages.
(4)Mary T.
I have been here a couple of times and ordered their xiao lung bao (soup dumplings), dumplings, and other items on their menu. I like all of the items that I have tried so far. The beef noodle soup is one of the best in Chinatown. The crab meat xiao long bao is very fresh and juicy. The service is not bad either. This is my go-to place for late night cravings of chinese food!
(4)Francisca W.
heard mixed reviews about this place and, as someone who usually errs on the safe side, never was tempted to try -- especially when there are already TWO known places within a single foot hop distance that guarantee good quality of similar food. but since a friend who has been was recommending, the adventurous spirit in me agreed to give it a shot. sat down and instantly wanted to complain about a waitress (it so appears they work as a team without dedicated tables). the 3 of us were seated at a table of 4 but all the tables were flushed against each other to make a super long table. there was a group of 2 sitting next to us at another 4-seater. friend decided to ask if she could put her pocketbook on the empty chair next to this couple instead of putting it on our 4th empty seat. the couple agreed graciously, but I don't know what this waitress was staring at her for, even trying to glance into her bag...maybe see what valuables in there that made her need to keep it close? regardless, it's none of your biz, and that nasty expression on your face did not make a good first impression. don't you worry, when this couple leaves, I'll make sure I grab my friend's bag back to our side so you can seat other customers. (Turned out we left first so kinda a moot point - her expression, that is.) then the same waitress came to take our order. i was glad that pretty much was the last time i had to deal with her. the other waitresses that came to our table afterwards was more friendly...probably a reason why they still got the usual tip. we were not hungry (after 4-6 ice cream at scooper bowl, one tends not to), so we ordered 2 things of dumplings, a hot and spicy soup, and a braised beef soup noodle. none of that impressed me. dumplings was bordering on tasteless; braised beef was not tender and flavor was ok (who knows if they're using packaged soup base?). the hot and spicy soup was probably good in the winter time as it was soooo spicy it made us all sweat and killed all our tastebuds -- maybe that's how it's supposed to be so i'm not complaining. i just got a soda and soldiered on. place was starting to fill up even for a week night...i see why they had to do that long table setup (fit one more table at the end to generate more revenue;.flexible for bigger parties), but i don't really appreciate that. I know the other two dumpling places are cramped in their own ways, but at least I would suck it up and return for their food. this one...between the wait staff attitude and food quality, i'm not quite sure when, if ever.
(3)Shin M.
My family comes here every time we visit my sister in Boston. We always order a lot of food because there's so many of us. I'm an ABT so I don't know the names of most things so I will just put what I can remember. Ching Tsai- it's good, but it needs more oyster sauce! Xiao long bao- This is pretty good, especially with the vinegar/soy sauce! There was some kind of fried lobster dish... the seasoning was really good Beef chow fun- not much taste to it but I still loved the texture of the flat noodles That's all I can really remember and name off the top of my head... Every time we come, we have reservations but it takes forever to get a table even with the reservation. They even sat us at a round table with 3 other people who were near finishing their meal... awkward.... they need to get this part straight. Also, my mom tipped a certain amount (don't remember how much, let's say $30) and the server went up to her and said "Hey, this is not X%, you need to tip 1 more dollar!".............................. REALLY???? You gotta chase after $1? And how rude of you to even ask??? I would've given this a 4 star for its food but it gets a 2 star because of the poor reservation process and that extremely rude server.
(2)Stefan B.
Really good for being in Boston. Boston just seems super white and I was shocked they even had a place for xiao long bao here... Din Tai Fung is better. The broth tastes kinda... Less brothy and more soupy here than dtf. Like they added salt or powder or something to this one. Plus the skin is a little too thick. But it's still good. It will appease your cravings. Plus I think they put more soup here. The dtf ones are more delicate. Stingy with black vinegar and ginger... Service is meh but it's a popular Chinese place... Popular places are bad service and Asians always have bad service (as an Asian I can say this) Totally exceeded my expectations :+) I thought boston was just white people who like dunkin donuts and red Sox and patriots... I mean it still is but they have this! Pro Lots of soup Good xlb for being in bawston Con Not as good as dtf (soup inside taste less natural) Service meh (but popular + Asian is not a good combo so you should know this) Wait (only 5 mins when I was there but it can be bad)
(4)Monique S.
I came here with a friend who ordered everything. We had rice noodles, with chicken, a variant of spinach, and soup dumplings. She made great choices and was able to communicate in the same language as the waiters with ease. The food came out quickly and was very filling. As I ate my lunch, I realized I was there before. This place stays open, and I ended up here after midnight one night. I was not happy with the sesame chicken I had that time, but this time made up for it all.
(4)Raymond M.
The service blows, it's Chinatown. If you expect it you'll only be disappointed. So brush that aside as they brush you aside (see what I did there?) and you will be ok. Focus on the food! I always get the mini juicy pork buns. They're supposed to be a bun but most people see it as a dumpling. Sometimes I get two orders along with a few other things. I have the most experience with the Szechuan Style Founder and those juicy bun/dumplings. I like the fish, it goes well with a side of white rice. I've been to a few places that make this I don't have a preference but the sauce base is more liquidy than other places that make it thicker. I'm not into the soupy part of it as I only eat the fish and the peppers so it doesn't bother me. Careful with the juicy buns when hot. It's like molten lava if you attempt to eat it whole or even just suck up the juices. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before attempting to eat. Most important part!! Don't tear the skin! it'll all leak out and it won't be the same! Put it on the soup spoon they give you and you now have a choice to make. Either bite a small hole in the side of it and suck the juices out and then eat the dumpling or just put the whole thing in your mouth like a savage and munch away! It'll be like a big gusher and this is why it's important it's not scalding hot anymore because if it is, you're gonna have a bad time.
(4)Alex A.
Last time I went out to this place with two friends, we consumed something like 12 orders of soup pork buns between the three of us. No shit. Seriously, this place is great. To this day, I don't understand why there isn't a crowd of people numbering in the hundreds gathered outside this place every day, cheering each time the doors open. It's seriously that good, and if you know anything about Chinese food in Boston, you owe it to yourself to go here and pig out like a disgusting piece of shit at least once. It's sort of a rite of passage.
(5)Chris M.
I really wish metro Detroit was a dumpling town but while I wait for this to happen I have Dumpling Cafe in Boston. Steamed or Fried, simple or crazy they have them all. They have a very large menu with just about everything on it. Be prepared to wait and when you are seated be ready to make friends because they pack you into whatever seat is open. Only downside is that the place is a bit warm but its a small price to pay for a great soup dumpling.
(5)Megan D.
The mini juicy buns with pork. That is all. Nothing else matters.
(5)Erin T.
3.5 stars The food is ok. The only reason I come to this place is because their juicy dumplings. I can't say much for other dishes but the last time I had the "house special clams & pork w/chives" and "spicy calamari" they are a bit salty for my taste( so is the juicy dumplings) I would come back but not as much as I would like since I am not a big fan of "sharing table" with strangers.
(3)Paul W.
The soup dumplings are to die for!
(5)Jason B.
Dumpling Cafe: widely regarded as the best restaurant for soup dumplings in Boston. This would be reason enough to come here. But fortunately for us, there is a whole menu full of stuff here that constitutes "reasons to come to Dumpling Cafe"! They'll accommodate a whole group of folks for a birthday dinner, which is good, because Dumpling Cafe was where we went for my recent 3X'th birthday (which is what I'm calling it now.) The beef with longhorn peppers is a huge win, especially combined with scallion panckaes. The vegetables & garlic are fantastic, the oyster pancake...my god, I sound like Emily G. That's for good reason - we let her order for the table when we came here because she knows her Dumpling Cafe! Soup dumplings with black vinegar are the winningest of winnings. I don't know how to be more effusive with my praise of the lovely food here, so I'll compliment the servers - they're attentive and quick with refills of the lovely giant cans of Sapporo. Hooray for Chinatown!
(5)Kimberly Y.
We have been here several times now. The food is pretty good. The service OK, which is pretty high for Chinatown standards. We mainly come here for the XLB which we like better than the other XLB place in Chinatown. They also have some good rice plate deals like the pork chop over rice and chicken drumstick and thigh over rice that is reminiscent of a whole in wall place I used to frequent in NYC's Chinatown that is no longer there. But this place is much cleaner! Good food and good prices. Can't beat that!
(3)Kaelan C.
I ordered Fried Noodles and Beef, I received the order in 5 minutes (suspiciously fast) so hot that it needed to cool down for 10 minutes. My real complaint is the service. I was never once served after they delivered the order, and after waiting 15 minutes for water I gave up. They didn't even come back for the bill, I had to do that myself.
(1)Marissa S.
Very good but the best part...they take reservations!! Service was speedy and all of the food was delicious. We had crab rangoon, pork fried rice, scallion pancakes, the leek and pork dumplings and spring rolls. There was a group of 8 of us and everything was fabulous.
(4)Joyce D.
If I could give this place no stars, I would! This has got to be the worst restaurant I have ever been to! The food was not great and it was very oily. The service was horrible and the waitresses were very rude. No one wanted to give recommendations as to what to eat. You're probably wondering...so why did you stay? Well, it was late and we were tired from walking all day and this was one of the closest places open near out hotel. Anyway, we ordered the rice with egg, noodles with chicken and various dumplings. The waitress took her time taking our order and then it took longer for the food to come out. The food when it arrived did not look that appealing. The noodles were oily and the rice was still a bit hard. The dumplings were okay, but the waitress did not tell us which was which and she gave us our dumpling sauce late. The place is somewhat clean. It looks very run down and could use an upgrade. The customer service is beyond horrible! The waitresses are not helpful and they even tip themselves! I bet they do that because of how horrible their service is! You know what, I should have crossed it out and put a big fat zero and gave them a real tip... "treat your customers well for money tips!".
(1)Todd K.
there are so many amazing restaurants in Chinatown. This is not one of them. I must have picked a bad day on Tuesday. The ma po tofu was almost inedible. Not sure what the vintage was of the gelatinous, too salty, very nasty sauce, but it took a day to get the taste from my tongue. This was not some local specialty, as I've had ma po tofu in many different restaurants many times before and didn't think that it was something that could be mangled, but they did. I wouldn't describe it as spicy, it was simply gross. The dumplings were mediocre - not thoroughly steamed and as a result, crunchy at some of the seams, and nothing special. Service was disengaged - they never came by to ask how it was.
(1)Emily G.
The soup dumplings are still the best, but I'd be remiss if I didn't update my review to talk about all the other things Dumpling Cafe does well. That's right, this place ain't no one trick pony, almost everything on the menu is a winner. If you found yourself dining with weirdos who didn't want XLB, order some twice cooked pork, beef with longhorn peppers, flounder in chili sauce, mixed vegetables with garlic, pork and leek dumplings, the Taiwan style rice cake, the oyster pancake with gravy (plus a steamer of soup dumplings for yourself), and some tallboys of Sapporo so everyone will leave happy and full. Then you can go find new friends - friends who don't say ridiculous things like "no soup dumplings."
(5)Zhongbing Q.
Just let you know, this restaurant charged 18%Tips by theirselves without a warning. The service is absolutely no good, never ask what else do you need and even not full fill your water. The last thing, be careful with the back of your credit card, one waiter there like turn your card over even he is not the guy charge for money. The restaurant has the in front desk person do the payment, I was ask him what is so interesting and why you need look the back of my card? (If it is the signature, I think it is the business for the in front desk person)
(1)Nat G.
Our first visit yielded very positive results: 3 delicious bun dishes---beef with cabbage, mini-pork buns, and "special" duck buns that were juicy, soupy, flavorful. We had no complaints and favorably compared Dumpling Cafe to Gourmet Dumpling House a block away. Ambience-wise, there's nothing to admire; in fact the chill from the front door puts some folks in a race against excessive cool-down of dishes that arrive together. Sit accordingly.
(4)Cameron S.
Food is ok- service is surprisingly confrontational and rude. I'd avoid it next time.
(1)Karen P.
Not too long ago I came here with a friend because we were craving dumplings. It took forever for a waitress to take our order. We ordered 3 different kinds, I forgot what flavors, all pan fried. The dumplings took an unusually long time to come out. It wasn't like the place was packed either. Even tables that arrived after us had their food first. The worst thing I would say about this place is the service. The waitress was very attentive to other guests and frequently forgot our table. Some people even had second helpings before we received our first. Took us awhile to flag her down for the check too. Needless to say, we didn't tip her well. The dumplings were mediocre at best. I don't see myself coming back here anytime soon.
(2)Kelsey M.
Went here for a quick bite with a friend. Had an appetizer and tried each other's entrees. The dumplings were crazy-hot and very watery - bordering disgusting with the textures. They provide complimentary tea. The staff aren't personable or friendly and we both felt rushed. Food was just okay.
(3)Julia A.
I was excited to try this place after reading the reviews but it was a huge disappointment. I would give it zero stars if that were possible. I would never recommend this place nor would I ever eat here again. The waitresses were rude and quite literally threw my food on my table. When they brought me my meal, which was not what I had ordered, I was going to ask about it but no one ever came back to check on me. Such terrible service. I didn't see a single person come by until I asked for the bill after deciding it would be better to eat at McDonald's across the street than this place. It was a truly awful experience and restaurant - do not eat here ever. In a city full of good restaurants, this place is the worst.
(1)Kandi A.
I came strictly for the dumplings at this place. The veggie were to die for and then my life was forever changed when I tried my first soup dumpling. I will never be the same. Also ordered satay chicken and veggies. It was pretty good but over salted. That's the only downfall of this place.
(4)R W.
The secret to good food at Dumpling House is not to have any of the dumplings. We made that rookie mistake and had the different dumplings and the shanghai dumplings. All were poorly made, freezer burned, and lacked the right al dente flour consistency one would expect of a dumpling house. Seafood dumplings were processed scrap meat and lots of flour The traditional fried dumplings were limp, almost microavaed XLB's lacked flavor, too much MSG, and the skin was wrong. That being said, the other dishes were decent. They really should change their name. Way too much MSG R
(1)Albert W.
Our hero would argue against this being labeled as a Taiwanese restaurant on Yelp. For such a "Taiwanese" restaurant to butcher its niu rou mien (beef noodle soup) so much is an atrocity. There was next to no real meat in the noodles as it was all rough and inedible tendons and the broth was way too salty and heavy. Their xiao long bao had a thick skin that still fell apart easily. Our hero isn't quite sure what over Yelpers are fussing over their XLB's for when they tasted so plain. No condiments were available on table to make your mix your own sauce with. Their noodles in general suck. Aside from the NRM being so salty that it's nearly inedible, the seafood noodles were undercooked and too fishy with cheap ingredients, and the "hearty noodles" looked like a mess. The best dish our hero tried was the pot stickers, and that's not a good thing. Sure, your name is "Dumpling Cafe", but seriously, learn how to make a half decent beef noodle soup, you hacks. PROS: - Decent selection of food and there's a wide variety of different types of Chinese cuisines mixed together. CONS: - The XLBs are overrated. - Their noodles are deplorable. - Not very reflective of real Taiwanese food. - Service is on the slow side, and not very friendly either.
(1)Jeremy W.
Not too bad, not as good as Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. Taiwan Cafe is #1 in my book because the owner is the same as Gourmet Dumpling House and there's LESS OF A WAIT. I personally think Taiwan Cafe taste better as well Many of the dishes here were good. I had soup dumplings, spicy fried pork chops, and the mint eggplant. All was solid. If the other two places are too busy, then I would definitely come here
(3)April K.
Although not the best xiao long bao's I've ever had, they are definitely the best you can probably find in Boston. They come steaming hot and filled with soup. It is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the city. The other foods are also incredible such as the fried rice cakes, and the scallion pancakes. My parents are from Shanghai so I somewhat have an impression of what these plates should taste like and I think they taste pretty authentic. The prices are also so cheap (I shouldn't be saying that in case they raise them), but when the bill came, my friend dropped her jaw because we ordered so much food and it came out to like $15 a person.
(4)Lily Z.
The service is the only thing I complain about. The waiters could be a little more friendly, and less rushed. The food here is so good and comforting. I traveled tip Hangzhou a couple years back and ate xiao long bao. Dumpling Cafe is the closest thing to Hangzhou ive eaten since that trip. They're so good and I recommend the pork with crab xlb because the crab adds extra flavor. Just be careful because the soup is so hot. Also, order them first because they take longer to cook. The pan fried noodles with beef are also delicious. The crispy noodles with the sauce are so so good, and the texture is great too. I haven't tried the other meats because I love the sauce on the beef. (Not sure if its the same for chicken and seafood.) Their chicken with asparagus in satay sauce is the only other thing I tried here and it's delicious as well. The asparagus is the huge stalk kind, but its not too bad. The sauce and chicken is what is the yummy part. The chicken is moist and not rubbery at all. Give this place a chance!! Just make sure to get ginger in the shoyu sauce for the dumplings. Only lost a star because of service
(4)Vicky H.
I've tried this place many times. The food isn't always consistent so sometimes it's great while other times it's just bleh. I like coming here because their prices are more reasonable then others, plus they take credit card, which also helps. I've had many of their dishes: xiao long boa (reg and crab based) -- prefer the crab based. pork and leek dumplings - tastes better pan fried. veggie dumplings spicy beef noodle soup Taiwan Style Hot And Sour Soup -- this was good, the perfect amount of hotness. pork and green mustard with nin go - this is one of my fave dishes. strips of pork with mustard green stir fried with nin go. salt fish and diced chicken fried rice yang chow fried rice Sauteed Julienned Dried Bean Curd with chinese celery & peppers - there wasn't much bean curd in it which was somewhat of a disappointment. There was more sauce then veggies. (spicy) -- it said it was but i didn't feel much difference. Ma Po Tofu- vegetarian - this was a really nice dish. I liked it more than the Julienned bean curd. (spicy) -- where was the spice? next time i will know to ask them to add more spice to it. Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant - we ordered this but i don't think people liked it as much as they thought. There were still several pieces left. Perhaps they were too full to finish it. I didn't try it since I am not a huge fan of eggplants. One of my fav's is the xiao long boa because it's steaming hot and the juice inside tastes so good. You'd just have to be extra careful because it literally squirts out and can hit another person. PLUS, often it's super hot so you don't want to burn your tongue and not be able to eat anything else. The only thing i do not really care for, is the service. Much like many places in Chinatown, if you're a "westerner" you will feel that service is somewhat lousy and subpar. But, if you're used to this because you're an "easterner" then it's easier to accept that this is just how it is and that isn't going to change. This is no P.F. Chang's, that's for sure. If service was a bit better, I can definitely see a 4 Star. I will still continue to come here though - because it's one of a few places that opens late and the food isn't crazy greasy.
(3)Kevin C.
I have been to almost every restaurant in Chinatown, and this one is the best by far! It is very cheap, the service is lightning fast, and all the dishes are impressively authentic and delicious. Perfect for late night, stays open way into the early hours beb. The mini juicy dumplings with pork and the duck buns are insane, I think I had them four times one week.
(5)Less H.
The dumplings were really soup filled and tasty. The other food we had was great as well. It was pretty cheap. Service was not great but wasn't horrifying either. Seating is a little odd and in some spots you'll share part of a long table with people you don't know. The smell coming out of the kitchen was strongly meat odored... Overall it was pretty clean. I'll be back.
(4)Saumil P.
This place suck!!! People are so rude here, I will never ever go again or recommend this place to anyone, and side note they charge you 18% service fee automatically even if you are alone. So they give you shitty service no matter and charge you 18% service fee( which is illegal in MA). Definitely writting a letter to Division of health inspections
(1)A. G.
Yummy soup dumplings.
(4)Di L.
Soup dumplings...*gurgle drool gurgle*... If Dumpling Cafe, no, if CHINATOWN served nothing but these babies, I would be wholly satisfied with my Chinese food experience in Boston. Ever since I sank my wee baby teeth into my first paper-thin xiao long bao wrapper and sucked out the rich, meaty dumpling soup, I've been in love. And when I moved to Boston, one of my top priorities was to find excellent soup dumplings to satisfy my intense and frequent cravings for them. For years, I scoured the city, frequenting restaurant after restaurant to no avail! Finally, I settled for the frozen packages at C-mart, which are actually quite good, and I thought I was satisfied. Then Dumpling Cafe opened. For me, they get five stars for their soup dumplings alone, but there is quite a bit more that this place has to offer. Dumpling Cafe offers a broad array of authentic Chinese dishes containing assorted meats and exotic vegetables showcased on a pristine menu unbesmirched by spell-check. I'm actually not a fan of their main dishes, but if you must get one, I recommend the ones with the strangest ingredients and/or the worst translation. I think their forte is definitely the appetizers and dumplings. The selection may be small, but each item is very well executed. Additionally, the restaurant itself is spacious and clean. The wait staff is quick and efficient, albeit not especially friendly (but this is Chinatown, folks. Come on.). They take reservations and cards, and serve alcohol into the late night hours. I also really like their complimentary tea. They serve you a large pot of this nutty, black tea that is different from the other restaurants, and is never over-steeped. I have to admit, I was initially skeptically, but now this restaurant is my go-to establishment for late-night Chinatown runs, which means that if it's 11pm and any of my friends mentions a) dumplings or b) Chinese food, we invariably end up here. It's definitely a great place to go to try something new, or to return to an old, comfortable favorite that tastes just like home.
(5)Congyi F.
Worst Chinese food in the US I have ever had. Comparing to the food here, Panda Express is way to decent. And we found hair in the dishes. No words to describe how bad this is.
(1)Steve L.
Unexpected GDH alternative! Discovering after a night of sport drinking that GDH was closed, followed some tourists into the Dumpling Cafe (DC?) for some fat and salt. Not sure if it was my state of mind, but the juicy pork dumplings were actually juicier than those at GDH, and certainly hit the spot. Only downside is that the ginger soy dipping sauce wasn't as pungent as that at its more renowned competitor, so overall quality felt similar. Service was fine - I went out of my way to be preemptively pushy about getting and paying for my food.
(4)Paul B.
Great xio long bao!
(4)Rachel L.
Came here after work, chose this place since the lady at Dumpling House shooed me away, again. Knew exactly, and had my heart set on the shredded beef with long horn pepper noodle soup. Entered, and there was a man, I assume worked there, sitting with his feet on a chair and with no shoes on. Lovely. Got seated. Placed our order, the noodle soup, mini pork dumpling, and shredded potato with pork. The soup was nice, had a good spicy kick to it and was flavorful. My date didn't really like the shredded potato with pork. Mini dumplings were okay. In the midst of eating, two other customers came in and was seated right next to us. Now let me say, the restaurant had soooooo many other seats opened. But no, the waitress had to put them right next to us. Made me really uncomfortable and it was pretty early on our meal. Quickly finished eating, paid and left. Somewhat to very hesitant to go back.
(2)Nick C.
I'd review this place as good overall--perhaps not the best Chinese place in Boston, but a good one. We were a little disappointed with the dumpling portions and our inability to flag down the wait staff for more than 2 seconds at a time, but the MaPo tofu that I ordered was cooked perfectly and the spice was awesome! Pros: Super tasty food, reasonable pricing, extensive menu with veg. options Cons: Dismissive service, ungenerous portions, crowded dining seating
(4)Angie S.
While visiting Boston, I wanted to eat in Chinatown, and Dumpling Cafe was just a short walk from my hotel. I shared the mini juicy buns with pork and was very pleased. They were slightly juicy and had a great ginger flavor. For my entree, I stuck with the old standard, sesame chicken and rice, and gobbled it up! Portions are huge, service is fast, the free tea is great and the food prices are reasonable. I would definitely return!
(4)Sharon Z.
The place is pretty popular even on a Thursday night. I tried Xiao Long Bao (Mini-bun) with crabmeat for the first time here yesterday, a soupy pouch of deliciousness. Also got pan-fried dumplings again, thin layer of dumpling skin, soft and seared to golden, generous amount of meat and chives to heighten the herbal flavor. The shanghai noodle and jelly fish appetizer is a little bit on the salty side, less impressive.
(4)Moses P.
I'm gonna share with you a secret. Gourmet Dumpling House = Taiwan Cafe = Dumpling Cafe. I know this because I asked the very nice lady at the cash register if the owner was making bank since the restaurant was packed and she replied, "Yes, he owns Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe so he makes lots of money!" I was surprised and so I asked, "Same menu?" She nodded her head. In conclusion- I know Gourmet Dumpling has Kate Hudson's face on the wall and a ton of hype because of the lines but if you want amazing soup dumplings, spicy flounder stew, beef with julienne peppers, and crappy service WITHOUT waiting in line, go to Dumpling Cafe!
(4)Nicole V.
Damn you Dumpling Cafe. Listen, I just wanted to come here and order mini juicy buns. I was perfectly happy with this standby. I was doing great with this song and dance. But then something happened. I gave up meat for Lent. This meant no soup dumplings despite the fact that I had out of town coworkers in who wanted XLB. So we ordered up a storm. Peapods in garlic and the ginger with garlic lobster were winners that night. I have no idea how much it cost (thanks, job) but there was so much food that we couldn't even finish it. Eating lobster with chopsticks wasn't easy for me, so I just went in with my hands. It was delicious and super messy. Pro tip: not only do they take credit cards, but they take Amex! Score! The other night we rolled in around 11:55pm on a Saturday. It was still Lent but damn those soup dumplings. At 12:02am I ate one. It was the first time I had broken it on a Sunday (which you are technically allowed to do) and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. Other than that we had more vegetables with garlic and some spicy fish dish. Apparently it isn't the same spicy fish dish Sarah had the first time, but it was delicious. I guess I'll just have to go back and try that one too. Damn bird. Damn Dumpling Cafe. Damn delicious.
(5)Teresa Z.
Will never go there anymore. Ordered lobster, paid for $50 for a small "incomplete" one. When they gave us the receipt, we were surprised to see that they already wrote the tip on it! 20% of tips for lunch for almost no service.
(2)Amanda Z.
Definitely my favorite dumpling place in Boston's Chinatown! Always head here when I'm in the area for both the soup dumplings and steamed dumplings. Soup dumplings are very hot - so definitely wait awhile after you've nibbled a bit of the skin to let the soup cool down a bit. Haven't ordered any side dishes with rice, but they look promising. Seating isn't too bad - definitely more space to walk around than many restaurants in Chinatown. During the dinner rush, you might have to split a table with some other customers. Overall, though, pretty good experience and I'll definitely continue going back.
(4)Daniel S.
I really enjoyed this place. Food was definitely a cut above the usual Chinese fare. We were served quickly, despite it being very crowded on a Saturday night.
(4)Jennifer T.
The food was flavorful, slightly on the salty side, but the portions were decent - we had enough for leftovers the next day. The xiao long bao (mini juice buns) had a lot of extra soupy juice in them, be careful to eat them with a spoon and not puncture them! My other fave dish of the night was the Taiwanese style chao nian gao (rice cake), if you like the flavor of stir fry dishes, I would recommend this dish. Another lighter (by comparison) dish was the Fu Zhuo style mei fen (rice noodle), which is a nice supplement to pair with other dishes, than a stand alone dish. We also got the black pepper beef, which was good, but definitely would have been better if you ordered a side of white rice to go with it. Unfortunately, one of my standby Taiwanese dishes, the beef noodle soup, was a bit lackluster for me. The dishes came out lightning fast, though the server seemed even more brusque than usual for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)Scott H.
Soup inside the dumplings?? Yes, Please! This place is amazing. I's never had Taiwanese food before but my sister is a big fan of this place so she took me here on a recent trip home. Great call! We ordered far more food than 3 people should eat, And all were delicious, but the dumplings were indeed the star of the show. Heres what we ordered: Dumplings: There is a special way to eat these. Use the tongs to grab the dumpling from the top and place it on your soup spoon. poke a hole in the bottom of the dumpling to let the broth seep out into your spoon. Surp the broth all up and then devour the dumpling. Every stage of this will bring a smile to your face and happiness to your heart. Noodles with minced pork and black bean sauce: mmmmmm, so simple, yet so delicious. Beef with string beans: Huge beans and nicely cooked beef in a soy/garlic sauce. mmmm Scallion pancakes: These were incredible! Again, so simple yet so delectable. I see many reviews grumble about the service. It is what it is. Normal for most Asian restaurants. They make there money on high turnovers. They deal with rushes and yes, they are curt, but I wouldn't call them rude. The food is wonderful, the service quick and the cost is pretty cheap. I shall return.
(4)Nick N.
Food is cold and salty. Servers on cell phone speaking Chinese loudly and stare at you. Very unpleasant experience.
(2)Amelia C.
Delicious, and everything you want in a Chinatown eatery - efficient service, fresh and tasty dishes, and a wide-ranging, yet still true-to-the-cuisine selection. The soup dumplings were perfect - filled with soup and wrapped in a shell that doesn't break easily but also isn't chewy/thick. I would highly recommend the Szechuan flounder - the fish is lightly fried in batter, and served in a spicy broth over flames. The broth is not so spicy that it is inedible - and delicious if you pour a little bit of it over the rice. At $12.95 this dish is a real bargain. The stir-fried baby pea sprouts (dou-miao) were tender and sweet, as expected.
(5)Skye G.
The dumplings were outstanding. The greens were crisp and cooked to perfection. The hot and sour was a med spice...not crying hot but not mild either. The mini black bean clams were sweet and def on the list to reorder the next time.
(4)Thomas S.
This review is for soup dumplings only. We order both the pork and pork/crab versions for lunch. Both were really tasty, love the broth. We though that the soup dumplings were as good Joe's Shanghai in NYC if not better. My wife is thinking about getting some more for dinner.
(4)Kim Y.
The soup dumplings here are amazing! If you can only try one thing here then it has to be the juicy pork buns! Can be long waits though, but I take that as a good sign since they're always so busy. I recommend this place!
(4)Peter V.
Super tasty, nice service and eclectic menu! Traditional Chinese food in the heart of china town!
(5)Amy C.
It was my turn to choose a place to eat today, and I thought of Dumpling Cafe because it just opened up not too long ago. It was a MISTAKE! Pro: One star for seating us promptly and giving us tea and menus. Conssssssss: -The tables and chairs were inches apart from each other. I was pushed and shoved at least 50 times from waiters walking back and forth serving food,placing orders and other patrons trying to leave or enter their seats. -Ordered 4 dishes, taiwan style pan fried dumplings, mini steamed buns with pork, shredded beef with long horn peppers noodles soup, and taiwan style wonton noodles soup-the beef noodles soup came in about 5 minutes, (in my head, i was thinking, YES! im starving, my food will arrive any second now, i was WRONG)....i sat there watching the boyfriend take mini bites of his noodles while we wait for the other food...5 mins past, 10 mins past, 15 mins past, others that came after us got their food- we finally got attention from a waiter and asked where our rest of the food was, and he was like 1 dish? we were like NO, THREE dishes. he was like, okay, and walked away. another 5 mins past, the owner comes by and asked if everything was okay. We just glared at him with our hungry eyes and said, where's our food?!! he apologized and said he would check on it, but he end up going back to the cashier station and stood there. THANKS for checking up on our food boss! After a few mins, the rest of food decided to come, and my wonton soup was wicked bland...there was absolutely no taste to it. Also,I did not get to enjoy the dripping soup from the dumplings because they were all popped some how! how do you enjoy soup dumplings when there's no soup?!?! ARGS! So, if you want to be crammed up in a fire hazardous place and wait forever for mediocre food, this is the place to go.
(1)eric u.
best chinese food in the city. i've tried the best dumpling place in san francisco, this place is better. beef with longhorn peppers is great as well as just about everything else i've tried on the menu. sure the service leaves a bit to be desired. i don't care.
(5)Mark M.
I used to go to Gourmet Dumpling House because their food was passable and they had a mediocre Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) that somewhat reminded me of Taiwan. Then I tried the Dumpling Cafe which blows GDH out of the water. This is easily the best Xiao Long Bao in Boston, and it rivals some places in Flushing, NY. The rest of their food is also excellent. This is easily the best Chinese food in Boston and one of the best kept secrets in Chinatown, as the lines of people pile up to get into Gourmet Dumpling House - suckers!
(5)Graham K.
Ate here for the first time after reading the reviews on yelp. I'd say the reviews are about right. 3.5. I would have given it a 3.5 but we can't on yelp. Great dumplings as expected and pork noodle dish was good. I would go back, but I won't be in a big hurry. It is slightly above average. It is clean and the wait staff are polite.
(4)Alan Y.
This is a pretty decent place to get reasonably priced and tasty "taiwanese" food. I would give the food here four stars, but the service drags the overall rating by one star. The waitress practically yelled at my to move my cup, despite having moved it sufficiently for our incoming dish. That left a really sour impression, despite the food. The xiao long bao's are really great; the skin is thin and there is ample soup inside of them. The rest of the food here is also decent. The long horn pepper soup with julienned beef is an absolute bargain for 5.95 (I often get it for take-out). The broth is tasty, the peppers are fresh, and they it with ample meet. The Mango chicken here is pretty good, as is the long-horn peppers with julienned beef. I didn't really like the twice-cooked pork, as it was extremely oily and the pork contained a lot of fat. It seems like most of the dishes here are really oily, even when compared to other chinese restaurants.
(3)Michelle L.
Love the Dumpling Cafe and would take it over Gourmet Dumpling House any day. Skip the lines, and come here for xiao long bao, noodles, and my favorite- oyster pancakes. There are only 2 things I fault this restaurant on, which may or may not bother people. In complete Chinese fashion, the service is quick and prompt, but you will not get that smiley friendly service. The second thing is, it's hard to figure out what you're ordering from the menu. Sometimes the names of things are helpful to decipher what you're ordering and other times things like "FuZhou noodles" don't help at all and you're at a gamble for ordering. The prices are decent and the food is quite yummy. Definitely one of my go to places for a warm meal.
(4)Sara H.
This is the first place in Boston where I've actually had the Shanghai Dumplings the way they're supposed to taste. So good! And the Taiwan noodle soup with pork and vegetable is delicious as well. I highly recommend this place.
(4)Kristina C.
I live at Archstone (the high rise in Chinatown) and have sampled many of the local restaurants. I am completely hooked on their mini steamed buns with pork and crabmeat (soup dumplings) and I have started referring to them as crack dumplings. Their scallion pancakes are amazing-- thin, not overly fried, and full of flavor. Dumpling Cafe blows Gourmet Dumpling House out of the water. Obvi this is not an expensive restaurant and you wouldn't go here for ambiance on a hot date but if you want to eat some delicious dumplings then this is about as good as it gets in Boston's Chinatown. If dumplings aren't your thing, every time I have been here the wait staff has been helpful in pointing out popular items to others eating with me. But, I usually get take out and enjoy the deliciousness in my own home.
(5)Sarwar R.
Stumbled upon the place after deciding we didn't want to brave the long line to get into Penang. Overall, a very good experience. - Not a tiny space, but the tables are crowded together. We were seated almost immediately (despite it being new year's eve), but had maybe six inches between us and the next table. Clean, well lit and well staffed - Huge menu - not generally a good sign, but in this case, actually worked out for us quite well - We didn't do the dumpling or the soup. Should have looked at the Yelp reviews to see what everyone was raving about. However, was not disappointed with what we got - Ordered the shrimp skewers and shrimp pancake w/gravy as starters. Both were EXCELLENT. The grilled shrimp were large, sweet and crunchy. The shrimp pancake was a near perfect substitute for the roti pratha I would have gotten at Penang. - Wife and I shared the Kung Pao Shrimp (how pedestrian, I hear some of you say) and the crunchy noodles w/seafood. She asked for no squid in hers. The noodles were perfect, and the seafood 'broth' and jumbo shrimp on the plate did not disappoint. The Kung Pao Shrimp was about as close to authentic, based on experiences in China, as I have seen stateside - Would have been a great place to go with a larger group so we could have sampled more dishes - Amazing quality for the price. Sub $30 meal for the two of us
(3)Gabe C.
These are the best xiaolongbao in Boston. ("Mini Steamed buns with pork" or C11 as they're known at Dumpling Cafe) As the name suggests, this is a place to go for dumplings. We came in with very high expectations for the xiaolongbao, having heard great things. We were not disappointed. Both C11 and C12 (xiaolongbao and the variety with crab meat) were excellent with C11 slightly better than C12. The fried pork and leek dumplings hit for par and the dry fried beef chow fun we had was slightly below average. Since the name of the restaurant implies that the focus should be just on the dumplings, I give 4 stars for a great dumpling experience. When you're craving xiaolongbao, skip the other chinatown choices and head straight for Dumpling Cafe.
(4)Ben A.
The food was quite tasty, came with a large party and they sat us quickly. Quite cheap for the amount of food you get. I went with a group of 8, we ordered the dumplings, C5-C12, some other entrees and ended up costing us around 10 bucks a person plus tip. Strongly suggest getting all the dumplings just go in and ask for them, they are absolutely delicious.
(5)Mara M.
Came with a friend claiming that Dumpling Cafe has the best soup dumplings in Boston. Bold claim given that I'm a die hard Gourmet Dumpling House fan. We had the soup dumplings, duck dumplings, a beef soup, and a scallion pancake. Upshot? The soup dumplings may nudge out GDH's by a hair - the skin is not as thick and the soup is somewhat more tasty. They are also less crowded, which does become a problem at GDH. However, all in all, I'm sticking with GDH unless the lines get way too long.
(4)Norina N.
I've never impressed with Taiwanese food, but would give this place a try to see what the raves all about. here are what we had: Pork & crabmeat soup dumpling: tasty & flavorful, but the broth was salty. Pork chop with rice: crispy & lighty sweet. One thing I've noticed the difference between the chinese and taiwanese when they cooked the pork chop was: Chinese people made it salty & spicy, which I like, while Taiwanese made it sweet. Herbal ox tail soup: very small portion to go with the cost, oh yes, I was surpirsed when they brought it out, obviously just enough to feed one person. But the soup was good. Mince pork meat w/ shanghai noodle: honesty, when looking at the picture up here, I thought It would be very good and couldnt wait to try it. Turned out it's so disappointed, the noodle itself was alright, but the meat sauce they put on top smelled awfully strong, very weird smell that my bf and I couldnt stand it. We both tried 2 spoons and gave up. Service was efficient. I must say this place is no extraordinary compare to other Taiwanese restaurants.
(3)Alex S.
I don't come to Chinatown often. But when I do, I prefer Dumpling Cafe. You can't come to Dumpling Cafe an not order soup dumplings. Very flavorful and just the right amount of soup. For the main course, we decided to try two new dishes that sounded appealing. The first one was pork with shredded potato. We weren't sure how this would look/taste but we were very glad we ordered it. Even though the dish was pretty simple, it packed a lot of flavor. The green chili's were spicy but not too hot and added a unique element to the dish. I would definitely order this again. Next was the beef with cabbage. The beef tasted like pot-roast which is not what I was expecting but the flavors were all there. Overall, it was a pretty tasty meal and we were satisfied with our choices. This place is usually packed but if you go during the week you won't have to wait for a table. The service is what you would expect from any asian restaurant. Quick and straight to the point. For my complete review, check out my blog! thesuchef.org/2014/02/23…
(4)Katy K.
well 1 star is the lowest I can rate. The service is by far the worst ever. Never going back here. If you want to experience some rude service and be belittled this is the perfect place for it. The food isn't worth making up for their absolute shitty service.
(1)Mad I.
Let down by Bean Towns C town.... my second attempt brought me here, highly reviewed on yelp.. Had the shrimp scallion noodles, that was okay...for a noodle... Shrimp rolls, meh.... shumai, errrr.....icky Fried pork buns, stick to your gums and kinda good actually. So nowhere in this town are there hand drawn noodles?? Soo weird to me...
(3)Wei W.
Pros: - Closest to authentic xiao long bao in Boston's Chinatown. - Decent prices. - They take reservations (rare for these smaller restaurants to do so). - They dimmed the lights and played "Happy birthday" (Chinese-style) as the finale for our friend's birthday. - 10% off coupon on their website. Cons: - Crowded serving space (even the servers were having a hard time moving from table to table). - Confusion by the servers on which dishes belonged to whom. - Delays on water and tea refills. - Not the best food in the city (exception is their xiao long bao). - Long wait if you don't have a reservation. I might come back here for a pick-me-up after 5 hours at a nightclub, but other than that, you'll find me elsewhere for Taiwanese food.
(2)Coast To Coas T.
Great dumplings. Quite juicy so careful not to burn yourself. If you like xiao long bao this place will not disappoint. Maybe 2nd to Ding Tai Feng that I've tried. Really not a bad place considering it's in Boston where Asian food overall sucks compared to California. Don't be a noob like the 4 Spanish tourists who came in and all ordered orange chicken... It's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason. Order their dumplings.
(4)Adrienne R.
My favorite XLB in Boston! They have a thick skin (my fave) and are packed with flavor (and not too much ginger). The veggie noodle soup is excellent (noodles were al dente and the broth was tasty). I've had a better scallion pancake at Taiwan Cafe but the pickled cucumbers are tasty (not too much tang). Come here if you don't want the long waits of TC or GDH! Better atmosphere, too.
(5)jane x.
The place is always crowded which usually is a sign for tasty food with reasonable price. I've been there a few times, and the dishes have been consistently good-authentic! The food came out fast!! I have never seen the restaurant empty and it usually have people waiting at the door. The wait staff are usually under pressure thus the services isn't great but they did get the orders correctly and brought hot food promptly and it took no time to get the food wrapped and get the check. I would definitely go back.
(4)James R.
I usually give customer service people the benefit of the doubt, but this was the worst I have ever experienced. We were a party of 5 and they automatically charged 18% tip, and when I put 0.00 on top of the 18%, they complained. Also when they returned the slip, my card wasn't on the little tray. When I went up to the counter to ask for my card back, all 4 of the women fumbled around looking for it like I had never given them a card. They eventually found it wedged between the menu pile. THAT IS SKETCHY - It definitely felt like they were trying to rip me off. The food was good, but I would not want to deal with the service again.
(1)Mengjia L.
Worst chinese restaurant ever. The service is very very rude, and the food tastes awful. Everything tastes like eating refrigerator. When i ate the noodle, i found some hair in the noodle, which is the worst part. And the server even said it was my hair. They didnt even make our order free. The BaoZi contains some really bad quality meat. After eating here, i just wanna to throw up, no exaggeration.
(1)Wanlu Q.
Hair found in the fish hot pot; The service was badï¼›
(1)Connie C.
I absolutely LOVED this place! It was packed when we got there but we were seated within 5 minutes of waiting. I had xiao long bao for the first time here and it was amazing. My boyfriend regrettably ordered the spring rolls and they weren't anything special. They also have a $20 minimum for credit card purchases which we were never told and they didn't even have any signs for it. There aren't any ATMs around either, so you're out of luck. We spent around $10 but they ended up running the card anyway because we had no other form of payment.
(4)Diane H.
I've passed by this place a couple of times, and i've heard it was good from a couple of people...and decided today that we would come here to try, since my friend has been here twice and really liked the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). As a xiao long bao fanatic, i was up for trying so we went during dinner time, maybe 7pm? on a Saturday. It was packed! We waited about 5 mins for seats, for the four of us. We ordered two xiao long baos and each comes with 6. It was about 5.95$ per a order. The xiao long baos were pretty good for boston. I think it may be one of the best i've had in boston, as the skin was not too thick and it didn't rip like crazy when i went to eat it. They give you a, um, i think you can call this a clamp thing, so you can pick the dumpling up and put it on your spoon. Also, we got the taiwan style sauteed rice cake with veggies. i absolutely loveee ricecakes, so i had to try it here. It was very delicious! It's different than other rice cakes i've tried, mostly the flavour. But it's unique and I think that's good, since who wants to go to a place where it all tastes the same! It was $6.25. The next thing we got was the sauteed julienned beef with asparagus in sa-cha sauce $10.95. This dish was very good, maybe because i loveeee asparagus, there was a generous portion of asparagus and the beef was very flavourful and tasty/juicy and there was lots of sauce. We got two more dishes, but i can't remember what they're called. Both were spicy, one was chicken with eggplant, so maybe it was the braised chicken with eggplant? Im not a big fan of egg plant, so ehh, but the chicken was okay, a bit spicy. The other was pork and something with lots of those little circle peppers. The pork was good, and kinda spicy. Also we ordered a bowl of rice each. Overall, the experience was alright, i guess we shouldn't have ordered so much food, even with 3 guys, we had lots of leftovers. After tipping it was about 16$ or so each per a person. I think next time i come i'll js stick to the xiao long baos and some apps. But this place is great for family style as they have many different items on the menu. I think i like it more than the gourmet dumpling house.
(4)Kimmy U.
-There's usually a long line that I don't think is worth it =\ -I would probably only come back here for the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) Don't get me wrong, it's a decent Chinese restaurant, but I think I'd rather try other places, especially if I didn
(2)David L.
It was good but I think if I had gone with a Taiwanese person I know I would have gotten more out of the menu. I know there were hidden gems in the menu but as a non-Asian, I felt like I was whistling in the dark. I had the the Sauteed Shanghai Noodles (D15), picked at random. It was a delish thick Udon noodle with brown gravy with pork, I believe, and mushrooms. Chopsticks only. No ice water. They automatically bring you hot tea. Very traditional Asian style restaurant. I would have given them 4 stars but the refills of my hot tea were slow in coming. I had to wave them down for that refill. I have an idea! How about my own pot of tea at my table?
(3)Hana K.
Best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) in all Boston! Though their dumpling menu is not extensive, the soup dumplings are so good you won't need to order anything else! They come in a set of 6 and very affordable! Better to come for lunch than dinner.
(5)Ambrose C.
One of the newest Chinese restaurants in Boston's Chinatown, I decided to come here for dinner with my brother after hearing a lot of rumors about this restaurant being better than Gourmet Dumpling House. It's been a while since I had Xiao Long Bao (little basket bun in Mandarin Chinese), since I had it in Shanghai and Hong Kong about a month ago. I ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is the Mini Steamed buns with pork. The dish has six pieces. The Xiao Long Bao were decently good, not as good as the versions I had in Shanghai or Hong Kong, but were still tasty. The pork inside was fairly meaty, nice and juicy. The sauce was also decently good, brought back some really quick flashbacks of Shanghai but it could not replace the tastiness of the Xiao Long Bao I had in Shanghai or in Hong Kong. I also decided to get the Tai Shi Kong Rou, which is the Taiwanese style Pork Belly, another non-Cantonese dish that I really liked eating when I was in Shanghai and one of the closest things I can find to Dongpo Pork when I was in Hangzhou. I really liked eating this dish, the pork was really tasty and flavorful despite the somewhat rich sauciness. The vegetables were freshly cooked. Combining the pork with the vegetables and rice, made it a really hearty and tasty dinner. Service was fairly effective. The Tai Shi Kong Rou came in less than 15 minutes. The Xiao Long Bao came a little bit later. Since this restaurant is new, the bathrooms are pretty clean for a Chinese restaurant. This is probably the second Chinese restaurant in Boston's Chinatown I found a bathroom that clean. Another great advantage is that this place is open until 2 AM, so it's a pretty good choice after a night out in the city and if you are craving for some non-Cantonese Chinese food. Overall, if I want to bring back a little bit of the good food memories of eating in Eastern China while in Boston, this is a pretty good choice. Is it better than Gourmet Dumpling House? Maybe, in terms of their pork quality. But will their dishes ever been on par with Shanghai's or even Hong Kong's dishes? Probably not.
(4)Susan L.
Service is horrible. They are clearly confused and don't know how to run a restaurant. Thought it would be a good place since there were other Asians there. Food was just ok. Have no desire to return there a plenty of Asian restaurants in the area. NEXT!!!!
(2)Joseph Y.
Don't know what the hype is all about. Numerous people have told me that when we are in boston to visit this place. Now, being from LA i did lower expectation of chinese food; even then. food was blah... Interesting they call themselves, dumpling cafe when their dumplings are actually awful. we got the seafood dumplings (some seafood mush with too much corn starch); the xiao long bao (while there was soup, meat was not flavorful, skin was not delicate); the fried dumplings - filling was the same as the xiao long bao - it appeared as if frozen and then defrosted to be fried .. not freshly made. their stir-fry dishes were ok. stir fried filet flounder with chili sauce not bad; stir fried veggies were not bad; clams w/ basil were good. got some small side dishes - chili w/ beef tendon but not flavorful. Certainly not taiwanese food .. maybe tastes are different here .. but this is far from authentic taiwanese food ; it appears it has been "Cantonized" to fit the local taste. that being said, for cantonese fare this place was subaverage. service .. awful .. you basically got one chance to order; one chance to get dishes and then afterwards you were on your own. would not come back ...
(2)Laura J.
This place would have gotten a higher rating if they weren't so blatantly racist. An African American man came in around 2am and wanted to buy a soda. They told him, "no we are closed." He pleaded all he wanted was a soda and they would NOT sell it to him. A lighter skinned woman came in and they said they were closed and she asked to buy a water and they said, "yep, one dollar"...... Food was good, service sucked. Do not recommend to anyone with dignity...
(1)Michelle R.
Best xiao long bao that I've had in Boston. Definitely better than the ones from Dumpling House -- these are juicier and the skin is thinner. Both the crab and pork ones are SUPER good. The other dishes are pretty good, though nothing special. Here are a few comments: - Bamboo with pork. Super goood. - Spicy fish (shui zhu yu). This isn't too authentic and the one at Dumpling House is better, but still pretty good! They add a lot of cabbage which is super flavorful. Overall, I would pick this place over Dumpling House for 4 reasons: 1) Better xiao long bao (most important) 2) No line/much shorter line 3) Nicer/more spacious interior 4) Other dishes are of similar quality This is my new go-to restaurant in Chinatown. Just get the xiao long bao and a few simple dishes (like beef stir fried with peppers), and you won't go wrong! Burn my tongue every time but it's worth it...
(5)Richard C.
This restaurant was forgettable when it first opened. Then a good foodie friend recommended it to me. So I returned to try it again. I found the food to be quite good, different from my first experience and so I returned back a few more times since. However, there is one item on the menu that I must recommend everyone to stay away from ordering because they do it worse than anyone else I've ever tried, and that's not easy! That item is their scallion pancakes. When I complained to the owner tonight, he even laughed and that "it is because of that stupid chef of mine, what an a××"! He laughed and told me that indeed they don't make even a decent scallion pancake and that they have tried for over ayear now and still it is terrible. It is partly because the chef apparently does not put in enough time in rolling the dough for it. I added that it may help to have more than one small piece of scallion per pancake and using a bit more oil to cook it longer and crisper as it tastes tasteless and it's not crispy but doughy. So I recommend that you save your money and order something else instead. Like other rowers have said, their X LB is quite good, though certainly not the best in town. My recommendations are to go to Gourmet Dumplings in Chinatown or Green Tea in Newton for the best scallion pancake in town.
(3)Claudia R.
This place was great! Me and my friend ordered miso soup, scallion pancakes, and steamed pork dumplings. It was open until late night and the service was crazy fast!
(5)Brittany R.
The Dumpling Cafe was a great find! We ordered the the Juicy Buns to start...don't be deterred by the name. These dumplings filled with soup are delicious! Be careful when you bite into it because the soup can spill out everywhere!! I ordered the special which allows you to select one entree that comes with soup and your choice of white or fried rice. I had the beef with broccoli and my husband had the sesame chicken. The beef and broccoli was good but the sesame chicken was great! The food was very solid for a reasonable price. The restaurant is located in China Town on Washington near Beach which is a very busy area on a weekday around lunch. I'd suggest walking but there is a parking lot nearby on Washington if you are willing to pay $18 for about an hour stay.
(4)Joseph H.
On August 5th, I brought 3 relatives to this restaurant for lunch and this restaurant absolutely has the worst service I have experienced in my 30 years in USA. The waitresses had no smile or any sign of courtesy at all. We were not welcomed when we stepped in and when they served, they literally threw the plates to us, reminding me of restaurants in Hong Kong 25 years ago. To us, the food was also very sub-standard. To top it off, the restaurant has the gall to add 18% tip to our bill! When I protested, they insisted that the computer automatically added the tip amount and they were unwilling to take it off, or reduce the tip amount. I did not want to make a scene and unwillingly paid the total on the bill. I would never ever go back to this restaurant again. I find them most disrespectful and rude to customers.
(1)Kim P.
Pork dumplings of all kinds. Just ask the servers what to order. I did and they delivered up some amazing dumplings. Since my first trip, I've been thinking about the myriad ways I can get myself back there to enjoy more. My fave dumpling spot in Chinatown.
(5)Jonathan N.
Great foods! The dumpling are so fresh and good. They have about 20 difference kinds to choose from the menu. I also like the stinking Tofu( which are not stink at all) taste so good.
(4)Harvard P.
One of my favorite places to go to in Chinatown. The best soup dumplings that I can find in Boston. They're not the small ones that I love from Din Tai Fung, but they are quite juicy and delicious nonetheless.
(4)Michael L.
I had the Sui Long Bao & pork chop noodle for lunch and loved them both. The dumplings were delicious, an absolute delight. They were juicy & well seasoned. I tasted better dumplings at Din Tai Fung. If you folks are ever in Taiwan or much closer, Southern California, head over to Arcadia & I will guarantee that you'll love their Sui Long Bao.
(5)Alyssa M.
Oh boy, it was hard to stop eating even though I was full. What I ordered and loved: the pork buns, Stir Fried with beef & vegetable in satay sauce, and Flounder with ginger and scallions pan fried or steamed. BEWARE- the waitstaff doesn't give a shit about you. But it's amazing food for cheap, so who cares?
(4)Ash F.
Came here late night because it was basically the only one open. The soup dumplings were disgusting. Extremely greasy soup stuffed with what seemed to be the fatty runoff of dumplings that were made earlier that day. The scallion pancakes had no ingredients other than the dough! Just a couple of tiny stray pieces of scallion. Overall extremely disappointing. They obviously change the quality of the food based on what time of day it is.
(2)Cassy H.
My usual go-to places Taiwan Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House in Boston's Chinatown were closed and too busy, respectively. I was craving some good Taiwanese eats, so I had to find a place.. I remember a friend recommended this place a while back, so I decided why not? Let's give Dumpling Cafe a shot. I got their xiao long bao, which was juicy and tender on the inside. So bite with caution, don't burn yourself. I also had their porkchop with rice dish, which is one of my ultimate go-to comfort foods. I absolutely enjoyed the dish with pork chops fried to perfection.. and just the right amount of veggie and minced meat on top of my rice. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this place.. it's definitely just as good as Taiwan Cafe or Gourmet Dumpling House.. if not, better and less wait time.
(4)Han L.
Easily the worst dumpling/Chinese restaurant ever. Didn't expect any quality service, so their impolite manner did not bother much. Food, however, was exceptionally terrible. clam-stinky; scallion pancakes-dull, no taste; soup dumpling-meh Try at your own risk.
(1)Michael L.
I had the Sui Long Bao & pork chop noodle for lunch and loved them both. The dumplings were delicious, an absolute delight. They were juicy & well seasoned. I tasted better dumplings at Din Tai Fung. If you folks are ever in Taiwan or much closer, Southern California, head over to Arcadia & I will guarantee that you'll love their Sui Long Bao.
(5)Ambrose C.
One of the newest Chinese restaurants in Boston's Chinatown, I decided to come here for dinner with my brother after hearing a lot of rumors about this restaurant being better than Gourmet Dumpling House. It's been a while since I had Xiao Long Bao (little basket bun in Mandarin Chinese), since I had it in Shanghai and Hong Kong about a month ago. I ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is the Mini Steamed buns with pork. The dish has six pieces. The Xiao Long Bao were decently good, not as good as the versions I had in Shanghai or Hong Kong, but were still tasty. The pork inside was fairly meaty, nice and juicy. The sauce was also decently good, brought back some really quick flashbacks of Shanghai but it could not replace the tastiness of the Xiao Long Bao I had in Shanghai or in Hong Kong. I also decided to get the Tai Shi Kong Rou, which is the Taiwanese style Pork Belly, another non-Cantonese dish that I really liked eating when I was in Shanghai and one of the closest things I can find to Dongpo Pork when I was in Hangzhou. I really liked eating this dish, the pork was really tasty and flavorful despite the somewhat rich sauciness. The vegetables were freshly cooked. Combining the pork with the vegetables and rice, made it a really hearty and tasty dinner. Service was fairly effective. The Tai Shi Kong Rou came in less than 15 minutes. The Xiao Long Bao came a little bit later. Since this restaurant is new, the bathrooms are pretty clean for a Chinese restaurant. This is probably the second Chinese restaurant in Boston's Chinatown I found a bathroom that clean. Another great advantage is that this place is open until 2 AM, so it's a pretty good choice after a night out in the city and if you are craving for some non-Cantonese Chinese food. Overall, if I want to bring back a little bit of the good food memories of eating in Eastern China while in Boston, this is a pretty good choice. Is it better than Gourmet Dumpling House? Maybe, in terms of their pork quality. But will their dishes ever been on par with Shanghai's or even Hong Kong's dishes? Probably not.
(4)Susan L.
Service is horrible. They are clearly confused and don't know how to run a restaurant. Thought it would be a good place since there were other Asians there. Food was just ok. Have no desire to return there a plenty of Asian restaurants in the area. NEXT!!!!
(2)Joseph Y.
Don't know what the hype is all about. Numerous people have told me that when we are in boston to visit this place. Now, being from LA i did lower expectation of chinese food; even then. food was blah... Interesting they call themselves, dumpling cafe when their dumplings are actually awful. we got the seafood dumplings (some seafood mush with too much corn starch); the xiao long bao (while there was soup, meat was not flavorful, skin was not delicate); the fried dumplings - filling was the same as the xiao long bao - it appeared as if frozen and then defrosted to be fried .. not freshly made. their stir-fry dishes were ok. stir fried filet flounder with chili sauce not bad; stir fried veggies were not bad; clams w/ basil were good. got some small side dishes - chili w/ beef tendon but not flavorful. Certainly not taiwanese food .. maybe tastes are different here .. but this is far from authentic taiwanese food ; it appears it has been "Cantonized" to fit the local taste. that being said, for cantonese fare this place was subaverage. service .. awful .. you basically got one chance to order; one chance to get dishes and then afterwards you were on your own. would not come back ...
(2)Michelle R.
Best xiao long bao that I've had in Boston. Definitely better than the ones from Dumpling House -- these are juicier and the skin is thinner. Both the crab and pork ones are SUPER good. The other dishes are pretty good, though nothing special. Here are a few comments: - Bamboo with pork. Super goood. - Spicy fish (shui zhu yu). This isn't too authentic and the one at Dumpling House is better, but still pretty good! They add a lot of cabbage which is super flavorful. Overall, I would pick this place over Dumpling House for 4 reasons: 1) Better xiao long bao (most important) 2) No line/much shorter line 3) Nicer/more spacious interior 4) Other dishes are of similar quality This is my new go-to restaurant in Chinatown. Just get the xiao long bao and a few simple dishes (like beef stir fried with peppers), and you won't go wrong! Burn my tongue every time but it's worth it...
(5)Kaelan C.
I ordered Fried Noodles and Beef, I received the order in 5 minutes (suspiciously fast) so hot that it needed to cool down for 10 minutes. My real complaint is the service. I was never once served after they delivered the order, and after waiting 15 minutes for water I gave up. They didn't even come back for the bill, I had to do that myself.
(1)Marissa S.
Very good but the best part...they take reservations!! Service was speedy and all of the food was delicious. We had crab rangoon, pork fried rice, scallion pancakes, the leek and pork dumplings and spring rolls. There was a group of 8 of us and everything was fabulous.
(4)Nat G.
Our first visit yielded very positive results: 3 delicious bun dishes---beef with cabbage, mini-pork buns, and "special" duck buns that were juicy, soupy, flavorful. We had no complaints and favorably compared Dumpling Cafe to Gourmet Dumpling House a block away. Ambience-wise, there's nothing to admire; in fact the chill from the front door puts some folks in a race against excessive cool-down of dishes that arrive together. Sit accordingly.
(4)Cameron S.
Food is ok- service is surprisingly confrontational and rude. I'd avoid it next time.
(1)Karen P.
Not too long ago I came here with a friend because we were craving dumplings. It took forever for a waitress to take our order. We ordered 3 different kinds, I forgot what flavors, all pan fried. The dumplings took an unusually long time to come out. It wasn't like the place was packed either. Even tables that arrived after us had their food first. The worst thing I would say about this place is the service. The waitress was very attentive to other guests and frequently forgot our table. Some people even had second helpings before we received our first. Took us awhile to flag her down for the check too. Needless to say, we didn't tip her well. The dumplings were mediocre at best. I don't see myself coming back here anytime soon.
(2)Kelsey M.
Went here for a quick bite with a friend. Had an appetizer and tried each other's entrees. The dumplings were crazy-hot and very watery - bordering disgusting with the textures. They provide complimentary tea. The staff aren't personable or friendly and we both felt rushed. Food was just okay.
(3)Julia A.
I was excited to try this place after reading the reviews but it was a huge disappointment. I would give it zero stars if that were possible. I would never recommend this place nor would I ever eat here again. The waitresses were rude and quite literally threw my food on my table. When they brought me my meal, which was not what I had ordered, I was going to ask about it but no one ever came back to check on me. Such terrible service. I didn't see a single person come by until I asked for the bill after deciding it would be better to eat at McDonald's across the street than this place. It was a truly awful experience and restaurant - do not eat here ever. In a city full of good restaurants, this place is the worst.
(1)Albert W.
Our hero would argue against this being labeled as a Taiwanese restaurant on Yelp. For such a "Taiwanese" restaurant to butcher its niu rou mien (beef noodle soup) so much is an atrocity. There was next to no real meat in the noodles as it was all rough and inedible tendons and the broth was way too salty and heavy. Their xiao long bao had a thick skin that still fell apart easily. Our hero isn't quite sure what over Yelpers are fussing over their XLB's for when they tasted so plain. No condiments were available on table to make your mix your own sauce with. Their noodles in general suck. Aside from the NRM being so salty that it's nearly inedible, the seafood noodles were undercooked and too fishy with cheap ingredients, and the "hearty noodles" looked like a mess. The best dish our hero tried was the pot stickers, and that's not a good thing. Sure, your name is "Dumpling Cafe", but seriously, learn how to make a half decent beef noodle soup, you hacks. PROS: - Decent selection of food and there's a wide variety of different types of Chinese cuisines mixed together. CONS: - The XLBs are overrated. - Their noodles are deplorable. - Not very reflective of real Taiwanese food. - Service is on the slow side, and not very friendly either.
(1)Jeremy W.
Not too bad, not as good as Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. Taiwan Cafe is #1 in my book because the owner is the same as Gourmet Dumpling House and there's LESS OF A WAIT. I personally think Taiwan Cafe taste better as well Many of the dishes here were good. I had soup dumplings, spicy fried pork chops, and the mint eggplant. All was solid. If the other two places are too busy, then I would definitely come here
(3)April K.
Although not the best xiao long bao's I've ever had, they are definitely the best you can probably find in Boston. They come steaming hot and filled with soup. It is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the city. The other foods are also incredible such as the fried rice cakes, and the scallion pancakes. My parents are from Shanghai so I somewhat have an impression of what these plates should taste like and I think they taste pretty authentic. The prices are also so cheap (I shouldn't be saying that in case they raise them), but when the bill came, my friend dropped her jaw because we ordered so much food and it came out to like $15 a person.
(4)Jonathan N.
Great foods! The dumpling are so fresh and good. They have about 20 difference kinds to choose from the menu. I also like the stinking Tofu( which are not stink at all) taste so good.
(4)Alyssa M.
Oh boy, it was hard to stop eating even though I was full. What I ordered and loved: the pork buns, Stir Fried with beef & vegetable in satay sauce, and Flounder with ginger and scallions pan fried or steamed. BEWARE- the waitstaff doesn't give a shit about you. But it's amazing food for cheap, so who cares?
(4)Ash F.
Came here late night because it was basically the only one open. The soup dumplings were disgusting. Extremely greasy soup stuffed with what seemed to be the fatty runoff of dumplings that were made earlier that day. The scallion pancakes had no ingredients other than the dough! Just a couple of tiny stray pieces of scallion. Overall extremely disappointing. They obviously change the quality of the food based on what time of day it is.
(2)Cassy H.
My usual go-to places Taiwan Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House in Boston's Chinatown were closed and too busy, respectively. I was craving some good Taiwanese eats, so I had to find a place.. I remember a friend recommended this place a while back, so I decided why not? Let's give Dumpling Cafe a shot. I got their xiao long bao, which was juicy and tender on the inside. So bite with caution, don't burn yourself. I also had their porkchop with rice dish, which is one of my ultimate go-to comfort foods. I absolutely enjoyed the dish with pork chops fried to perfection.. and just the right amount of veggie and minced meat on top of my rice. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this place.. it's definitely just as good as Taiwan Cafe or Gourmet Dumpling House.. if not, better and less wait time.
(4)Han L.
Easily the worst dumpling/Chinese restaurant ever. Didn't expect any quality service, so their impolite manner did not bother much. Food, however, was exceptionally terrible. clam-stinky; scallion pancakes-dull, no taste; soup dumpling-meh Try at your own risk.
(1)Katherine D.
This is your typical Chinatown restaurant in that the service is essentially horrible. You'll be asked what you want, maybe you'll get water, maybe you'll get courses one by one, or all together, maybe you'll get the check while you're eating, and maybe you won't get it until 15 minutes after you've been done with your food. That being said this place is worth a trip. The food far outweighs the minor annoyance of inconsistent service. The mini juicy pork buns are outstanding. The noodle soups are so outrageously priced it is ridiculous. For $5-$7 you can get an enormous amount of food. The lunch rush is busy, but you'll be in and out quickly enough. I also appreciate that the tea is served in a nice big mug instead of the common tiny little thimbles you get other places.
(4)Brian D.
I was introduced to this place by a coworker a few months ago and I have NEVER looked back... I've been the Xian, China where the dumpling was INVENTED and the soup dumplings here are legitimately on that same caliber. Most everything here on the menu is quite good, and respectable as a Taiwanese restaurant. Lots of hot and spicy items to also get your hands on as well, including the beef and long horn pepper, another great staple. I'm looking forward to the next time I pop in this place and/or convince my buds to head down to chinatown for some grub. Dumplings here, although not as in variety, are much better in my opinion than Gourmet Dumpling House over on Beach St.
(5)Yuan W.
From the outside, Dumpling Cafe isn't much to look at, but it's one of those hole-in-the-wall places that I'd consider a gem in the Boston Taiwanese/Chinese food scene. In the context of Chinese food in Boston, which is pretty mediocre, I'd give this place 5 stars. Here's why: -Soup dumplings are authentic and delicious. The dumpling skin is delicate and thin, the meat is seasoned nicely and the soup is plentiful and flavorful. They offer pork and pork + crab meat. I prefer the pork on its own. -Pork intestine hot pot. If you're an adventurous diner, try this item from their specials menu. It's chewy and flavorful, and also quite authentic. Don't be intimidated by the main ingredient, it's a tasty dish! -Steamed flounder. I love Chinese steamed fish. You don't get steamed fish often (or at all) in Western restaurants. It's lighter and can be less greasy, yet has bolder flavors. -Taiwanese lu rou fan (minced pork rice) is pretty authentic, although I'd say it's better at JoJo Taipei. -Great service. The waiters came by frequently to refill our teacups and make sure we didn't need anything. That's rare in Chinese places! I like this place better than JoJo Taipei. It has a similar selection of dishes but is MUCH less greasy and has better service. Don't be intimidated if you see a line, the wait is actually pretty short. Go there!
(5)Tara Z.
Soooo I have spent many an evening at Gourmet Dumpling House, and I certainly don't regret it.....but I think that Dumpling Cafe takes the cake for me as far as Chinatown restaurants go. It is nicer inside than GDH, you can make a reservation which is a nice luxury, they serve food until 1am, and the staff doesn't rush you out (Taiwan cafe anyone??) As everyone else has stated, I will agree that their soup dumplings are the best by far. The pan-fried pork and leek are amazing as well. Definitely don't skip the Szechwan flounder. Beef with longhorn peppers are a staple with my order. And the fresh oranges at the end are just a bonus! I am reluctant to share this secret, considering I have never had to wait for a table - unlike at GDH with a line out the door - but I think Dumpling Cafe is a total upgrade!
(5)Mk E.
I'm a huge Dumpling Cafe fan. We always seem to arrive just before a big rush, so we've never had to wait for a table (knock wood). Service is curt but very prompt, and the food is incredibly delicious, comes out quickly, and won't break the bank. Perfect pre-movie dinner spot. We recommend the roasted duck buns and the stir fried pork with mustard greens noodle dish. Spring rolls come out hotter than hades. In general, we recommend fried over steamed if you have the choice on dumplings; the steamed ones are a little limp. Oh, and use your spoon to eat the mini juicy pork dumplings--don't waste that delicious broth!
(4)Rod H.
I love, love the various dumplings in all their iterations! The won ton soup is solid, but a bit bland. The bottomless cups of tea are a hit in my tummy. Stay away from the chilled pig's ear. It is not a tasty dish. Pigs ear is great when it is hot and fried, but is nearly indigestible when it is chilled. I would give this place 5 stars if the servers were a bit more friendly. It is quite hit or miss service wise. On some days they are great, attentive, and prompt. Other days they leave you by yourself forever requiring you to stand up and wave like you are flagging down a bus to get attention.
(4)YNOT S.
Went there for lunch today and it was horrible, both the food and the service - I ordered the Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style as appetizer and the Taiwan Style Rice Cake w. Veggies & Pork. Well, the fish took forever to arrive after the rice cake arrived first. And one bite, it's so salty as if the chef knocked over the salt jar into the dish - I told the waitress but she kept explaining that it's the dish's style, supposed to be salty! Yeah right! What am I gonna do when I was in a hurry? So I thought maybe I should just ask for a bowl of rice and use that rice cake as a side dish? Then the fish came in, and only two, it's not BBQed, nor baked - prob deep fried - but that's fine, right? Then I opened the fish, wow, the fish's internal stuff all there! Never cleaned? luckily I can cut the meat part off the fish. Hardly any flavor - but I am ready to leave, so I asked the check. Oh, they even charge me for the bowl of hard chew rice I asked - when I told the lady about the salty dish and why I asked the rice, she started to blame on the waitress saying that "she can't just give you a bowl of rice, if the dish is salty, you should say so and get it re-cooked!" Actually I thought about that but I was afraid to ask to be "recooked". How? Running under the faucet to remove the salt? Or mix some dirt since I am asking for less salty? Did I say I was in a hurry? I feel bad for the waitress because it sounds like she might be in trouble later as well. So I guess I will let it go and leave $0 for tip - and now you know... and it comes up to $18. I am sure my dinner ill be much better. Of course, never this place ever again.
(1)Erin C.
Not everything here is a good but this is our go to place in Chinatown because Gourmet Dumpling House is usually absurdly crowded and the soup dumplings here are just as good. We usually order: - Hot and Sour soup (the best, most-well-balanced in Chinatown) - Soup dumplings - Stir-fried peapod stems - Three cup chicken (classic dish! chicken with bones and skin-on stir fried with tons of leeks, covered in a delicious sauce of oil, soy sauce, and chinese cooking wine. it's super simple but they do a good job here) - Sometimes we get the pot stickers or eggplant in garlic sauce I can't vouch for dishes not on this list so if you decide to strike out and order something different, don't blame me if it's a one star dish! Warning: the food here is actually very greasy but the bountiful amount of peanut oil also makes it tasty!
(4)Adam E.
When I found myself in need of an appetizer-sized meal in the Theater District, I hoofed it over to Dumpling Cafe for a good, cheap snack. Knowing that when you go to a place named after a certain dish you have to eat that dish, I somehow managed to pass on my desire to order one of the other apps. This was tough, since I was hankering equally for some Chilled Jellyfish with Garlic, Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines and Fried Stinky Tofu (with pickle). So I got the Taiwan-style dumplings, which were just what I hoped they'd be. Pan fried pork dumplings that were juicy, with a perfect wrapper to meat ratio. The dipping sauce didn't blow my mind, but the dumplings were fantastic even without the sauce. I didn't stay to dine in, I just ate these dumplings while I walked, like an animal. So I can't comment on the service or ambiance, but I can certainly tell you that I'd eat these dumplings every day if I could. Like an animal.
(4)Sarah D.
I like this place so much that it has made me pretty lazy. If I'm anywhere in the area without solid dinner plans, I get all "Yup. Dumpling Cafe. Let's do this." True to their name, they sling some excellent dumplings. Pork juicy buns or whatever they want to call them. I mean I can never say "no" to juicy buns, so there's no reason to start now. That shoot is delicious. I've tried so many things at this point and have tried them when I was so many drunk that I have a hard time remembering specifics, but I do know for sure that the Szechuan White Fish or whatever it's called on the menu is just the right kind of spicy and is super delicious. The frog with chives is full of bones but is also really chivey and awesome. The General Gau's Tofu is, like, shockingly good (don't be hatin'; I didn't order it. But I did like it.) While we're sharing, I will admit that I wasn't too keen on the duck tongues, but I think that's mostly because duck tongues were not expressly created to be eaten by me. Lesson learned. I think this Yelp listing might still say they don't serve beer, but that is false. I have definitely ordered and received beer in this establishment. I may also have harassed some Northeastern students in the waiting area about "nose replacement surgery" a few months ago with the help* of my younger brother. Sorry, guys. Anyway. Eat here. Really. *not very helpful, it turns out
(5)constantconsumer c.
We got here on a Wednesday morning at 11:30 for lunch and surprise surprise, it had plenty of tables. The next rime, we got here at 12:45 on a Tuesday afternoon and also plenty of tables. I noticed that they try to pack the tables in as close as possible and since the last time I was here, I noticed that 4 tables are now pushed together so that you are dining with another group right next to you. The sauteed watercress was delicious, the yeung chow fried rice was good with the exception of the very very very chewy squid which tjey should have just omitted. The crab and pork xiao long baos were very thin skinned, on a scale of 1-5, i would give it a 4.5 it was thinner than the first time i was here. The taste was great too, i give it a 4 (Joe Shanghai happens to top my list). The soupiness (amount of liquid inside the dumpling) is a 5. It was perfect! The texture of the meat (tender vs chewy or had) is a 4.5. The only thing i didn't like was the dipping sauce which is more bitter than most.
(4)Eric F.
Looks like I have a new Xiao Long Bao source in Boston. The meat's very juicy and tender with a thin yet surprisingly durable skin. It has some added texture to it too that I haven't seen in other XLBs that's more than welcome. I'd also recommend the Lightly Breaded Fried Pork Intestines - very light despite the frying and a great balance of crispiness and chewiness. As for the staple Pork & Leek Dumplings, they were nicely done with thin skins and fresh, tender meat. A big step up from the junk at GDH that tastes exactly like it from the frozen section at C-mart. Service? It's a Chinese restaurant...speaks for itself XD Don't expect much and you'll be okay. Quality XLB + dumplings + spacious, clean interior = Win.
(4)Tammy K.
This place gets four stars for: 1. Being open late and conveniently located near the T 2. Not kicking out my rowdy group of friends 3. Having delicious soup dumplings 4. Never having a wait (unlike a similarly named dumpling place in C-Town). 4.5. Having super fast take-out (food is out within 5-10 minutes of ordering)
(4)Mary S.
The juicy buns with pork and the roasted duck buns are the greatest! But I gave them 5 stars to counteract the reviewers who complained about the service. Those people obviously went to the Dumpling Cafe in an alternate universe- not the one i've been to at least 50 times!!! I live hours away, but come to Boston often on business, and ALWAYS go there for either lunch or dinner. After I'd been going there for a while, several of the servers began to recognize me, remembered I'm vegetarian; and if I missed a week would say "Hey...where you been?" A number of times, they've sent special instructions to the kitchen for me. Even the servers whose english isn't great are happy to try to explain unusual ingredients to me. I don't speak Chinese, and I'm not a huge tipper....these folks are just NICE! Don't pay attention to the cranky reviews. Go. Eat juicy buns. Smile. You'll love it!
(5)David C.
I don't usually give five star reviews, but thinking about lunch here today, I can't realistically think of a way it could have been better. Two families of three, came more or less on a whim, the place was basically packed but we were seated right away at a round table. We ordered the mini juicy dumplings, pork and leek dumplings, vegetable dumplings, Gen Tso's tofu, scallion pancakes, I think that's it. Oh, and people had egg drop and hot-and-sour soups. Service was friendly and fast. Everything was tasty and fresh; the tofu in particular was the perfect degree of silky softness inside with a nice crunchy skin. All the various kinds of dumplings were good, and our vegetarian was happy with the veggie things. The bill was very reasonable, and the server had no trouble splitting it across two credit cards. Five stars, hope to eat at again soon. :)
(5)Samuel F.
Heck yeah dumplings! Juicy buns (soup-filled dumplings), scallion pancake, bitter mellon with garlic, huge bowls of spicy noodle soup! Bubble tea, too! Nothing that fancy, but it's just good stuff. I love the food at this place enough that I'd probably give it five stars regardless of spotty service. But the service, in my experience, has been fine. Great place to go after a movie at the Boston Common AMC.
(5)King A.
Our go-to place for soup dumplings ... we've ordered a few other dishes, but mostly we just order their soup dumplings. Lots and lots of soup dumplings. The other stuff we can get elsewhere, but we drive here specifically to get soup dumplings, and they are good. Right up there with Joes' Shanghai in NY (prefer the one in Flushing but the one in Chinatown NYC is good too).
(5)Chris C.
Thick and tough soup dumplings (called "small juicy dumplings" here) and ok food otherwise. Nothing special though our server was sweet and efficient, we were really annoyed to have been asked to give up our table only moments after paying because other customers were waiting..
(2)Sherry T.
the dumpling is greatï¼but the service is "ok" not warm at all,feel want to finish the food quickly.
(4)R M.
The dumplings were good, the rest of the food was fine, but service was TERRIBLE!
(2)Vivian C.
I was eager to try Dumpling Cafe's version of the iconic Chinese dumpling - mini steamed buns with pork ($5.95 for 6), also known as XLB or xiao long bao or soup dumplings. Fortunately my lunch buddy was up for it. I've ordered this before at Taiwan Cafe and at Gourmet Dumpling House (and outside of Chinatown, Jo Jo TaiPei), but had read on Yelp that Dumpling Cafe's was thinner skinned and so much better... and it was indeed! Thinner dumpling skin (although a little pudgy where the skin was gathered on top) with tender juicy meat inside... it was very good! Taiwan Style Sauteed Rice Cake w/Veggies $6.25 had rice cakes with a nice chew and a tasty sauce. The mentioned veggies were sort of disappointing however, consisting solely of bean sprouts and green onions. On a previous visit, I had tried their Roast Beef Scallion Pancake $6.95 (tough to make a BAD version of this; theirs was tasty, but not as good as Jo Jo's), Beef Stew Noodle Soup with Spinach $5.95 (okay), and Sautee Scallop with Mango $15.95 (spicy, even though it wasn't marked spicy), and wasn't impressed. This second visit was much better. Can be slippery in the single person bathrooms off to the side from the kitchen, so be careful. (The gratis peanuts disappeared after my first visit.) *** 2/2012 visit *** It was quite busy here for lunch on a Friday, so of course I was willing to sit at the long table down the middle of the room with a bunch of other parties. Everything my friend selected for us was quite tasty and made for a satisfying meal for 2: . Mini Juicy Buns with Pork (6) $6.25 (take out menu lists $5.95) . Taiwan Style Grilled Chicken Leg $5.95 . Pan Fried Noodles with Mixed Vegetables $6.95 (take out menu lists $6.50) *** 12/2012 visit *** The rice cake dish was a bit too salty this time around, and the soup dumplings were still yummy, but I really liked the salt & pepper fried chicken (was that the Crispy Chicken Strips Taiwan Style $5.95 from the Appetizer section?... yes, someone else ordered for the table...) with its fried julienned chicken bits with the fried basil leaves. *** 7/2013 visit *** On this visit, I favored the Sa Cha Beef Vegetable Noodle $7.25. *** 5/2014 visit *** Tried the stewed pork over rice $3.95 which came with a soy egg - good filler to go with the appetizers we ordered. We didn't want too thick a noodle, so we opted for the Taiwanese noodles in the Braised Beef Brisket Noodles Soup with Spinach $6.95 which one DC claims is the best noodle option for the noodle soup. *** 10/2014 visit *** We vegged out on a set of Combination of Three special combinations for $21.95 (normally $7.75 each) which came with rice and soup - #48 Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable, #53 Chinese Zucchini with Garlic, and #57 Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant. Each was great. And #53 was my formal introduction to the vegetable Luffa which I had curiously read on menus in the past but had never recognized it as Chinese Zucchini, or as a vegetable that my mom's prepared before. It was crisp, yet silky, and the simple garlic sauce was more than the sum of its parts. Then arrived our meaty appetizers - the Mini Juicy Buns with Pork $6.95 and the Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake $7.25. Yup, an enjoyable meal. Only thing was their refusal to honor the 10% off coupon I had snipped out of my Boston Metro because we had ordered off the special combination menu which had scored us a $1.30 discount. No where on the coupon did it state any restrictions outside of a minimum $25 purchase. But I did not put up a fuss - it was Chinatown after all, and a local, non-chain business. *** 11/2014 visit *** An order of their soup dumplings $6.95 (sadly just wet rather than soupy on this visit) and the Tofu with Scallion and Vegetable $7.75 from the Special Combination menu (so it came with rice and soup) was plenty for our two appetites at lunch.
(3)Victor W.
We're placed at a set of tables right beside a few strangers. They could have separated our table by a crack to give us a bit of space, but oh well, no real complaints so far. Waitress comes over. "What do you want?" "Do you have any suggestions or specialties?" "You just pick from the menu." I don't expect much service from anything in Chinatown so not a huge deal at this point. They still have the potential for 4 stars. -1 star Our newly laid out chopsticks had some sticky residue on them so I asked for a replacement. No apology, not a word, the waitress just took them. Fine. But then she comes back with a couple of disposable chopsticks. We weren't here for take out. -1 star My tea cup was empty for the entire last 2/3 of our meal, at least half an hour with nobody coming around to refill. -1 star Got the bill. Counted out some cash, half of it in change (hey I have a lot of coins to use up anyway -- let's see what happens). As we stack up the coins in nice piles, the waitress comes by and swaps out bill out with a new one that includes an 18% mandatory gratuity. Hmm, kind of sketchy, but sure, I was going to leave a tip anyway, despite the terrible service, because we had a lot of change that probably would have taken the waitress about 60 seconds to count. Then she says she will not accept the change. I reply that it's legal tender, but I don't think she understands what that means. She leaves and comes back after probably talking with the manager, who I'm guessing ordered the mandatory tip. She says she wants us to count the change in front of her eyes before we leave. Not a very customer-friendly request since cash is cash but I oblige, takes less than a minute anyway. By that point there were 3 waitresses + the manager standing around our table. We left a 15% tip anyway, but there goes.... -2 stars The food was just dandy though. So they get +1, for a total of 1.
(1)J R.
Food is great and delicious but taiwnese waitresses are the meanest in all of chinatown!!!!! I am not sure if it is because I brought my black friends the resturant. Never gave me a menu. They poured drinks all over the table. They threw the napkins on dishes. And gave the fakest smile when we thanked them. Give taiwainese people such a bad name!!
(1)Y M.
They made way better dumpling and buns than gourmet dumpling house with thinner dough and very fresh stuffing. I also tried Clams with basil and stir fried pea pod stem with garlic and I found that Clams were fresher here, but the pea pod dish were on the same level as Gourmet which was excellent. I meant to give them 4.5 stars just because their spicy sliced fish Szechuan Style was not as good as Gourmet dumpling house. They offer better value because it has no line, less expensive, a little bit cleaner and not too crowded.
(5)Eric S.
This place does well since they pretty much ripped off the other place's name in Chinese. I generally come here since the other place is always cramped and crowded. The food here is a mix of different areas of Chinese cuisine, so don't come here looking for anything authentic. Don't get me wrong, the food is decent, but if you're looking for Chinese food from a specific area, go elsewhere.
(3)Jason A.
I understand that when you set foot inside of a restaurant like this, that service is secondary to the product. In other words, I know that the service is going to sh***y and I am okay with that. Even with these low standards, I was impressed by how low they could go at Dumpling Cafe. Boston, be warned, you may actually pop that blood vessel in your head as a result of your dinner here. I think the experience begins and ends with the waiter who, after noticing I left the "Gratuity" portion of my credit card slip blank, looked at me and asked me if I was planning on completing it for him. I'm not sure whether this made me feel more violated than that time that I was bending over on a crowded T and... well that's a story for another day. I let him know that I would be paying the tip with cash. As I left the restaurant with my party, he came running up to the table to count the cash that was left for tip. Couldn't even wait until we were out of sight. He must be saving up for those etiquette classes he enrolled in. Oh, and the food? After reading all of these positive reviews, I figured they would be amazing. I was let down. There are better dumping houses within walking distance, which are much much cheaper.
(1)Pete J.
I'm going to let you into a Yelp secret. When deciding on any Asian restaurant, every good Yelper is going to read the reviews, that's a given. I want you to go one step further and look for the reviews written by Ambrose C. yelp.com/user_details?us… I have had the good fortune to meet Ambrose a few times at Yelp events, and boy does he know his stuff. Case in point - Dumpling Cafe. I too ordered the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is what everyone here raves about, the soup dumplings. They were excellent. Read the reviews here on how to eat them, that will save you a scalding mouth. Six dumplings served steaming hot! I also ordered Tai Shi Kong Rou, the Taiwanese pork belly, and that had so much flavour. I can't wait to go back for the three entree deal!
(4)VuAnh N.
They have really good xiao long bao (mini soup dumplings); they're super juicy and the flavor is just right. Oftentimes I've had them at other places in Chinatown, only to be disappointed by the lack of soup or saltiness, but not here! Service isn't that great, but you don't expect much when you come to these kinds of restaurants.
(3)Theodore Y.
Soup Dumplings = delicious. The skin was a bit thin so they popped even with delicate care. But who cares, i slurped that juice uppp. Taiwan style eggplant = delciousness. Get it. Taiwanese style tofu was ok. Not it's usual bomb-diggitiness. Beef with long-horn pepper. = yummy in the tummy. Sitting next to strangers cuz the restaurant is packed = Elbow wars (i won).
(4)Jeff H.
This restaurant has excellent, fresh lunch specials 7 days a week. Over 50 items available with rice and soup, and they are really fresh and delicious. These are not just the American Chinese warhorses, but rather a nice selection of authentic Taiwanese dishes. Excellent fresh flavors!
(5)Kimmy T.
Went here a few times already, kept on forgetting to leave a review. Mini Juicy Buns : Delish, juicy, bursting of flavor (literally)! be very careful when you get these! The broth inside is extremely hot so do not dive in or else you'll burn your tongue! I like to drown my spoon with the vinegar soy sauce with a little bit of ginger first and plop those bad ass dumplings on top of it. I'd nibble the tip of the dumpling first ( looking like a rabbit of course ^_^ ) , then i'll blow in the tiny hole to cool it down ( get your mind out of the gutter you peerrrvs LOL !) . Cripsy Chicken : crunchy , thin strips of chicken and basil chips? The first thing i went for was the Thai basil, which was deep fried into a chip!!! I like the concept of it! The chicken was pretty good, though i'd prefer it a little be more chunky. It's missing something.. It's a bit too dry all my tongue can taste is the batter.. but not the meat. At one point i was eating a chunk of deep fried yummios batter straight up , like a Bosssss! Which was not cool. Wonton Noodle Soup: Hot water , bland, Uncooked noodles and wontons. Sorry but this was the worst thing i ate today, no flavor what so ever. It taste like something mama dukes would do when she's lazy to cook. Throw in some water let it boil and toss everything in it and SERVE! Yup that's how it tasted like. At least use chicken broth for the soup or something?! Thank you, but i'd go back for the mini juicy buns.
(3)Myrna C.
After trying out nearby Gourmet Dumpling House, I realized how much more amazing Dumpling Cafe is. Still hands down the best Xiao Long Bao ever (a little on the pricier side but so worth it). We also got the wonton again and the twin lobsters. $19.99 for very fresh lobster cooked with ginger and scallion. Yum yum yum. The shrimp with tofu was also quite delicious. The table next to us ordered this fish dish that looked amazing. We were going to go back the next day to try that but then decided to go somewhere else. Sigh, next time. The service was quite good and my dad also said that they had one of the cleanest bathrooms he had ever seen at a Chinese restaurant (though maybe he was slightly biased having just come back from China). Either way, I highly recommend this place! :)
(5)Matthew A.
We wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House, but it was hot, and the long was LONG. We took a walk and found Dumpling Cafe. It was cleaner and nicer inside than GDH, but.......... Started with pork and leek dumplings (steamed) so good and fresh. Tea and water was brought out. Never refilled. We got a spicy chicken dish, and a noodle dish, both were good and solid. But the service was borderline rude. The woman that brought the food did not even look at me or responded to me. No eye contact, no come back to say how are things, and no WATER. Sorry but no excuse. There are so many other 3 star or worse restaurants in China Town that have better service that this. Food 4 stars. Atmasphere: 3 Service: 1
(3)Richard C.
This restaurant was forgettable when it first opened. Then a good foodie friend recommended it to me. So I returned to try it again. I found the food to be quite good, different from my first experience and so I returned back a few more times since. However, there is one item on the menu that I must recommend everyone to stay away from ordering because they do it worse than anyone else I've ever tried, and that's not easy! That item is their scallion pancakes. When I complained to the owner tonight, he even laughed and that "it is because of that stupid chef of mine, what an a××"! He laughed and told me that indeed they don't make even a decent scallion pancake and that they have tried for over ayear now and still it is terrible. It is partly because the chef apparently does not put in enough time in rolling the dough for it. I added that it may help to have more than one small piece of scallion per pancake and using a bit more oil to cook it longer and crisper as it tastes tasteless and it's not crispy but doughy. So I recommend that you save your money and order something else instead. Like other rowers have said, their X LB is quite good, though certainly not the best in town. My recommendations are to go to Gourmet Dumplings in Chinatown or Green Tea in Newton for the best scallion pancake in town.
(3)Claudia R.
This place was great! Me and my friend ordered miso soup, scallion pancakes, and steamed pork dumplings. It was open until late night and the service was crazy fast!
(5)Brittany R.
The Dumpling Cafe was a great find! We ordered the the Juicy Buns to start...don't be deterred by the name. These dumplings filled with soup are delicious! Be careful when you bite into it because the soup can spill out everywhere!! I ordered the special which allows you to select one entree that comes with soup and your choice of white or fried rice. I had the beef with broccoli and my husband had the sesame chicken. The beef and broccoli was good but the sesame chicken was great! The food was very solid for a reasonable price. The restaurant is located in China Town on Washington near Beach which is a very busy area on a weekday around lunch. I'd suggest walking but there is a parking lot nearby on Washington if you are willing to pay $18 for about an hour stay.
(4)Joseph H.
On August 5th, I brought 3 relatives to this restaurant for lunch and this restaurant absolutely has the worst service I have experienced in my 30 years in USA. The waitresses had no smile or any sign of courtesy at all. We were not welcomed when we stepped in and when they served, they literally threw the plates to us, reminding me of restaurants in Hong Kong 25 years ago. To us, the food was also very sub-standard. To top it off, the restaurant has the gall to add 18% tip to our bill! When I protested, they insisted that the computer automatically added the tip amount and they were unwilling to take it off, or reduce the tip amount. I did not want to make a scene and unwillingly paid the total on the bill. I would never ever go back to this restaurant again. I find them most disrespectful and rude to customers.
(1)Kim P.
Pork dumplings of all kinds. Just ask the servers what to order. I did and they delivered up some amazing dumplings. Since my first trip, I've been thinking about the myriad ways I can get myself back there to enjoy more. My fave dumpling spot in Chinatown.
(5)Shang S.
This is not so much a review but more a bookmark - I go here often when Gourmet Dumpling House's line gets too crazy. Soup dumplings here are excellent
(4)X. K.
My favourite was the braided fish, which arrived after our watercress with satay sauce, mapo tofu, tofu with shrimp, long beans and edamame+ beancurd strips (we love our tofu). We only paid $11/person for a party of 4. Amazing. They gave us green tea and a choice of fried/white rice, and we got an extra bowl of white rice for, I think, no extra charge. Great location too.
(5)Paulina B.
I've been here a few times with my boyfriend and we absolutely love the soup dumplings! Little pillows of warm goodness. They come in a little bamboo steamer and taste delicious. We order them every single time. This time, we also ordered the mango chicken which was sweet, spicy and flavorful. The mango was ripe and the sauce was well seasoned. All the food they seem to bring out of the kitchen looks good so I'm excited to try new things every time we go. As for the restaurant, I've been here when it is extremely busy and felt really rushed. We got approached by four different waitresses asking if we were ready to order before we even really got settled. The second time we came here, it was much quieter and slow and we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves. The food is tasty and cheap, and who can complain about that?! Looking forward to going back!
(5)Mason M.
The staff is rude. The dumplings were tasty but with the service being bad I would go elsewhere. They have a minimum charge to put on credit cards which is not clearly displayed anywhere.
(2)R. M.
The xaio long bao are good... not significantly better or worse than any other restaurant in Chinatown. The service here is terrible: rude and unfriendly. I will not return. Anyone looking for good Taiwanese food should just go to Taiwan Cafe.
(2)K C.
Average Chinese food. Indifferent wait staff that seems more bothered you are asking about the food than happy they have patronage. Excellent juicy pork dumplings! Everything else was bland. The beef itch hot sauce was watery and the General Gau chicken had a thick, pasty sauce on it. The shanghai noodles were pretty good. With so many options of delicious restaurants in this city, I wouldn't waste my time with this average food.
(3)Cobra K.
What do you do your first night in Boston? Eat Taiwanese Dumplings! Rolled off the Orange Line and jumped into Chinatown...Dumpling Cafe was the first place we hit up. We compared menus between here and next door Penang and decided to come here instead. Two orders of soup dumplings, Yang Chow Fried Rice and Chicken Chow Fun later, we were satisfied...all for about 25 bucks too.
(4)Roni E.
Hands down the closest I have come to Xiao Long Bao like they make back at home. Home meaning the place I go to in Flushing, NY (They have THE BEST XLB where they have the ladies behind the glass making them fresh by hand, mixing up the dough for the skin, packing the dumplings up with the meat, and steaming them right before your very eyes! And I won't tell you where that is since the line is already long enough!) However, I digress. I'd say Dumpling Cafe has gotten this down to about 97% match to what I grew up eating every weekend and what I crave whenever I go home. The dough consistency and flavor are right on par. My only 3% complaint is that the size can be increased a smidge to allow a bit more soupy goodness on the inside. While the XLB were fantastic, the service is definitely sub par. Somehow my table became the dumping ground for their tea pots whenever they walked by. And I literally sat at my table for a good 20 min. before someone acknowledged me despite them dumping teapots every 2 sec. on my table but not looking at me or seeing that I'm trying to get their attention. The best part was that since I knew I was going to be having XLB, I had ordered it as soon as they acknowledged me 'cause who knew when the next time I would get any attention, as I waited for my friend to arrive. Much to say the least, another 15 min. went by after my friend arrived, did they take our order. After about another 30 min, we ended up receiving all the other food ordered but still no sign of XLB, mind you it was the first thing ordered and it was the last thing on the table, over an hour after it was ordered. Guess the good thing is that, least I know it's freshly made! So basically what this boils down to is that if you want great service, go elsewhere, but if you want the best XLB around these parts, come here and expect to wait awhile. You better order something else while you wait if you're hungry!
(4)Helen L.
If I knew their soup dumplings were great, I would've came here instead of the other place down the block! The soup dumplings were moist and filled with soup. The skin was thin but held the soup very well. They even provided a top for the bamboo container to keep your dumplings warm. Very important! There's nothing worse than a cold soup dumplings.
(4)Alisha T.
I was here a few time because of a recommendation from a friend. Anyways, I loved trying the dumpling. The soup dumpling is the best here , and when you eat it, there's actual soup, it's warm and the wrap isn't too thick or thin so they inside didn't fall out. Also, there's a lunch special which gives you like 3 combination for around 20 bucks and its a great deal and the food is tasty. Next, the service is pretty good. The fact that the place is crowded often, the servers still pay attention to you and come out with your request and order pretty quickly. So I recommend you to try this place. It's a tasty and affordable place.
(5)Kelsey C.
The word "restaurant" usually indicates a place where food served to customers. Dumpling Cafe is the first restaurant where we sat down at a table, ordered food, sat for ONE HOUR and got only one of the three dishes we ordered. 2 orders of dumplings and one scallion pancake. I can make these things. They don't take that long. To be fair, the table next to us fared much better than we did. They received their food within minutes even though they sat down and ordered 10 minutes after us. It's just a pity they didn't get silverware until their food had gotten cold 15 minutes later. After I became too frustrated to be polite, I was so generously offered the option of cancelling our other orders while still having to pay for the one dish we received. And it wasn't even good. Nothing could make me come here again. I will wait any amount of time in any weather for Gourmet Dumpling House. At least I know I'll get food there.
(1)Jennifer W.
So...I guess there ARE pretty authentic xiao long baos in Boston. I always thought dumpling cafe and gourmet dumpling house were owned by the same people and had the same food, but oh was I wrong! The baos at Dumpling Care were SO much better, and is pretty similar to the real deal. The only downside was the crab ones really didn't have much crab meat in it, but for 50 cents more than the pork ones I guess you can't really expect much. We also got the spicy fish and that was really good too, a good amount of fish filet and spicy enough. You can't ever expect service in Chinatown to be friendly, but our food came out quick, they were decently friendly for Chinatown standards. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Michael D.
SO this wasn't my first choice to go to yesterday night, but at 1:55am after a night of drunken shenanigans, i didn't want to walk far and this place had a flashing open sign. I was sold. Here's what we got: $5.95 xiao long bao (dumplings with soup inside of em- yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) SO i can't be a solid judge of these just yet cause I haven't had too many of em in my life. BUT, I personally thought these were pretty good. The dumplings were steamed to the point they seemed to the point of almost being wontons, but the filling and the soup inside were tastyyy. I'm a fan. Now I just need to go over to Gourmet Dumps to compare... $6.95 Seafood Fried Rice ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) which surprisingly wasn't covered in soy sauce. It was light and seasoned with salt. OH and it was the first fried rice I've ever had that had calamari in em.. interesting. $6.95 Beef Roll aka Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ) This wasn't anything special. I've had much better versions of it at other places. Roast beef was bland, and the scallion pancakes were standard. Not bad, but not good either. OVERALL, I'd come here if you're wasted, got the munchies, and are RIGHT next to it, but other than that, I probably wouldn't make the trek over here. There are so many better options in chinatown!
(3)Bruce L.
One of the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston! Have quite a bit of varieties and at affordable price! I cannot imagine anywhere else in Boston you can get better service and food than this!
(5)Danny F.
Dumpling Cafe is my default go-to in Chinatown. Period. The juicy dumplings here are indeed very fine, although not the best in town - that honor goes to Shanghai Gate in Allston. Regardless, they are the best in Chinatown, and everything else that comes out of the kitchen reminds me of home, i.e. Taiwan. In addition to the dumplings, I almost always end up ordering the pork chop over rice (amazeballs) and a green veggie. There's another restaurant in Chinatown that pretends to be Taiwanese, but Dumpling Cafe is the real deal.
(4)Jerry K.
great food I always get the Taiwan style chicken strips with basil and mini juicy buns with pork (soup dumplings).
(5)Josephine L.
All right, Bostonians: FORGET Gourmet Dumpling House. Seriously. The emperor has no clothes. Or in this case, the xiao long baos have no soup. Don't get sucked into the hype and wait 30 min in the freezing cold to eat at GDH. I don't care if they're related, owned by the same people or lifelong rivals fighting to the bitter end. Just go to Dumpling Cafe instead. It's closer to the T and so much better. Why: Bigger, cleaner, friendlier. Nicer interior, more organized staff, no disgusting earwigs/other bugs crawling around. Oh, and food is superior. The XLBs are much juicier (soupier?) and they hold back on the scallions/ginger enough to let the pork and crab flavor really shine through. The Asparagus with Beef in Sa-Cha (Satay) Sauce is delicious. Though it's really just stiry-fry, they manage to make the beef so incredibly tender. The beef noodle soup still isn't my ideal (a strange sweet aftertaste that I chalk up to too much sugar in the red roast), but it's still better than GDH's. It's of the more healthy, broth-like beef noodle soup variety rather than the greasy, thick, spicy kind. The unconventional item to get for those of you who want to be different is the spicy beef with longhorn peppers noodle soup. This also comes as a stir-fry dish, which I've also had, but I strongly recommend the noodle soup version. On a cold, chilly day, there is literally nothing else on the menu that will warm you up faster than this piquant bowl of hot, delicious broth, thick noodles, tender beef strips and abundant pepper shoots. In conclusion: Come here!
(5)Sean M.
Among my work compatriots that hail from Mainland China, this is pretty much their #1 Chinatown restaurant. It is possible to order badly here, and if you have an American Chinese food bias go to PF Changs or that disaster on route 1N. If you are a Cantonese, fan, there are plenty of fine choices but this may disappoint. The name is not what this about, and as mentioned the Chinese name doesn't mean that see prior post. Still try the Taiwanese (mini-rolled soft taco-shaped) dumplings. They also have the best Xiao Long Bao in Chinatown. * chitlins/offal, mustard greens, this is what this place is about. * casseroles/clay pot stews, soups. * go early, with at least 3 people and get the 3 entree deal.
(5)Cornelia M.
I've been here a couple of times and I can honestly say that they have pretty good food here. I love the soup dumplings they are just so tasty! From what I understand though this is the more touristy place and there's another place that everyone goes to that is better. I don't know the name of that place but I can say come here and get a beer with some soup dumplings! You can't go wrong!
(4)Lynn C.
The little sister of Gourmet Dumpling House also seems to have smaller portions. The same dish we would get at Gourmet Dumpling would be approximately the same price, but at GD it's a gigantic Chinese plate, while at Dumpling Cafe, it's a little tiny rectangular western plate. The food quality...I think I prefer Gourmet Dumpling too. Perhaps it has to do with the older Wok or the atmosphere, but for some reasons I find Dumpling Cafe to lack in the same aromatic and flavourfulness in its dishes. Don't get me wrong, the food at Dumpling Cafe is good, just not AS good. In the end, it's really about what you're looking for. The Dumpling Cafe is cleaner, prettier, bigger, a lot more westernized, but I think I prefer to eat in a greasier, aromatic cramped restaurant like the original gourmet dumpling house.
(4)Carol W.
I came back here with family last week and enjoyed a nice late lunch. We ordered the scallion pie, crab and pork soup dumplings, salt and pepper soft shell crab, Sichuan spicy fish, and seafood udon noodles cooked in sacha sauce. I was impressed with the presentation of the Sichuan spicy fish as it came out with it's own flame plate to keep the dish hot. The only thing that I really didn't care for was the scallion pie as it was really thick and had very little scallion in it! What surprised me the most about this place was the very attentive service. At most Chinatown establishments, the service is mediocre, but on that afternoon, our waitress was on top of everything and even the owner took notice of us in helping to set up the table for our two babies. I made sure to leave a nice tip which the owner noticed as well.
(3)Dyan K.
Great, cheap, Chinatown food. The Xiao long bao are the best I've had in Chinatown, better than gourmet dumpling house. The soup is tasty, even bordering on too salty, and the skin is thick, but they are delicious. I've also had braised fish here, which for around $16 I think was a great deal for a whole big fish. The fried rice cakes, nian gao, were good and cheap. I wasn't wild about the fried beef dumplings. They were good, but the other things I've had are much better. I definitely recommend coming here for a quick Chinese food fix. It's pretty clean, the service is passable, but the food tastes like home!
(4)River L.
The food is OK but the service is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After we sat down and made our orders to a waiter, another waitress came by and asked us to change seats very impolitely. So we moved to another table per her request. However, she asked us to order again. We thought it was ridiculous and refused to order again. Then she appeared very angry and rolled her eyes. Come on. We didn't do anything wrong, OK?
(1)Mark K.
This place is totally sucks. Noodles are tasteless and waitresses are just so rude. They would boldly and loudly talking about tips when you are done with meals. I'd recommend to stay away from this place
(1)Nicole R.
While walking through China Town we stumbled upon the Dumpling cafe. The food is just ok, and the services is pretty lack luster. We sat at a table for four (only two in our party) then they sat a couple we didn't know next to us shortly after we were seated. A little odd. Staff is unfriendly and a bit abrasive. With the amount of restaurants around i'll be sure to keep on moving next time.
(2)Victoria H.
I've been to a couple of Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, and some of them are spot on. While others are on of a kind. But when I went to Dumpling Café. I knew it was going to be one of a kind. I tried their famous soup dumpling. It was heaven in a dumpling. Then I tried their friend squid with peppers. it was nice and crispy, but not too crispy. It was nice and the squid was soft and dissolve in my mouth. Then after I had those two dishes, I tried the scallion pancakes. It was nice and airy. I had it with a side of soy sauce! it was great. The service was very polite and was quick to deliver my order. I was very please. this is one of the places that college kids and people on a budget can go to ! this is the coolest place to hang out on a weekday or weekend, I will totally come back to this place!
(5)Matt O.
The dumplings are superlative. Service doesn't matter when the food is this good; heck, they could demand that I serve myself from the kitchen and they'd still earn five stars. (Though service is spotty and tea refills are hard to come by.) Between the dumplings and the roast duck buns, this place is on another level.
(5)Bob S.
Been here a few times; haven't made it to the other dumpling place - the line there is always too long for us - so sorry, no comparisons. This place holds its own with the other good places to eat in Chinatown. The XLB (which they call mini juicy bun?) are quite good - we order them every time we go; both crab and pork. Broccoli with garlic, string beans with dried prawns and spinach with garlic are fine renditions. The Taiwanese eggplant is very good; a bit unusual, slightly sweet. Kung Pao and General Tso's chicken are good; the Szechuan Flounder is very good (although I wonder if it is really flounder). It's small and pretty crowded. Don't be surprised if your neighbor is really really close. Ask him what he's eating. Service it a bit harried; they really need an additional server.
(4)Dandan L.
The service was bad as expected. The soup dumpling was decent, although the waitress forgot about our order and insisted that I never ordered after I checked with her 4 times. All the other dishes we ordered were def below average, especially the beef noodle soup. It was bland. All the noodles clumped together and some of them were half cooked. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed all the Taiwanese food restaurants have at least decent beef noodle soup. I'm still willing to give another try though. I didn't get to taste all their "Classic Taiwanese dishes". It could be I was just being unlucky and picked all their less popular dishes.
(2)Ariana Z.
Came here because the Gourmet Dumpling house was much more crowded than this place. The wait was only 15 minutes, which is good for these two places considering how popular they are. I had the Taiwan style wonton soup, which was very similar to Dumpling House's wonton soup. I really loved it, the soup was a good size, flavorful and light. I also ordered the scallion pancakes as a complimentary side dish and they are the best I have ever had. They are more crispy and not limpy like others I have had. Service was great, we ordered right away, and everything went smoothly. The cashier older woman, was very kind and kept coming out to reassure our group that she had our name down and our table status.
(5)Alexander L.
A lot of the food was saltier than I am normally comfortable with. This included the xiao long bao and the taiwanese style pork. otherwise, the food was cooked well and nothing was dry.
(3)Joanne G.
Fast service even when ordering streaming hot dumplings. Lots of seating and swimming fish to choose from. Everything we got was wonderful Ma Pa Tofu Spinach with garlic Taiwanese fried dumplings Pork and leek steamed dumplings Papaya Bubble drink
(4)Anne W.
This place is definitely more spacious than the Gourmet Dumpling House. Somehow there is a trend that Bostonians enjoy eating dumplings.. both places are packed. I think the shao long bao are much better than Gourmet Dumpling House. They do not give you red vinegar but the black vinegar instead. I think it still could improve like Din Tai Fung but let's be honest.. it probably won't happen in Boston anytime soon. The other things were hit or miss... veggies were good but something that could be gotten at any Cantonese restaurant. The Taiwanese pork chop noodles were not that great either. I was hoping something pretty amazing since the waitress was like.. yes, those are good. The noodles are typical, fresh spinach, and some friend pieces of pork chop. It was okay.. tender but not really a must-have. I saw more people here getting lobster here than anything else. That's not very Northern Chinese or dumpling like.
(3)Winnie M.
This place has only been open for 2 days only. I give it 2.5 stars only based on this initial experience. For a Tuesday night, it was quite busy, but I think it had more to do with it being a new place. The general layout of the place is overcrowded and not the greatest layout for a restaurant of this size. It might do them better to just lose a table or two for more comfort not just for the guests, but also for servers. The food: The scallion pancake was undercooked, not doughy, just undercooked...don't be fooled by the char marks on the outside. I ordered the Taiwan style Wonton Noodle Soup, which was mediocre. I'm not sure if its what the Taiwan-style is supposed to taste like, but the soup was very bland. Adding a bit of vinegar salvaged it a bit but not much. Not a fan of this dish, as the wontons were ok-sized, but it came with flat rice noodles, not the usual yellow egg noodles. That might just be the Taiwan-style, but I'm not a fan of flat rice noodles when it comes to Wonton Noodle soup. My boyfriend ordered the Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Shanghai noodles. It was a decent dish, but had too much beans and tofu for his taste (was not indicated on menu it would have such) and the pork seemed almost nonexistent in the dish. As for service, I can't say that it was a great experience, but it wasn't bad either. The food came rather quickly. There were no condiments of any sort at the tables, so you have to ask for them (like soy sauce, vinegar, etc). As I stated earlier that the layout was bad, we got seated at the table right next to the door. It did not help when there's a table next to us, then the 2-person table behind us. At one point, I got annoyed because during mid-bite of my food, I had to get up so that a waiter could get past me to the table next to us. I don't mind moving to make room, but at least wait until I don't have food in my mouth! Thankfully it was our waiter. The rest of the waitstaff as well as the hostess were extremely nice and seemed on their toes. Overall, it was a decent experience, but I'll give it a month or two before I attempt to try them again, maybe it will be a better experience.
(2)Carl T.
OMG OMG OMG OMG soup dumplings.. they bring a whole new level and meaning to the phrase "sex in your mouth" I swear its like an asian pillowy gusher. While I recommend you place the first round of dumplings on your soup spoon and pop the skin to ooze the soup out for it to cool, there really isn't anything funner or more daring than poppin those suckers in your mouth and go on the ride of tasty goodness! Lets be cereal for a minute and talk about everything else. While we tried other dishes that I cannot recollect due to the drunkenness, I remember those dishes being extremely well prepared and delicious. Those dam soup dumplings really just stole the show! The flavor of the meat in side the dumpling was perfect and seasoning of the broth was as perfect. The skin, to the filling to the soup all flavors really complimented each other. I do have one complaint and it is towards the old man bus boy who I hope doesn't get one cent of any tip given to any of the tables. What a huge douche! I don't care if youre old or hate your job or life for that matter. But cmon... first off when we paid the bill we gave a generous tip being that we had a very good experience the problem came when he came up to our table as we were about to leave and joyously asked if we liked the food, and of course how could we lie!! And this muther effer goes "then why you not give better tip, you like food you give better tip." And we all looked at each other and were like wtf... old man, you just single handedly ruined our house of dumplings experience to the max to the point where that old man bus boy alone is the cause of taking away 4 stars! As far as business, I don't care who you are, you never say that to a customer. doesn't matter if that is how Asians are when they're old or what not that's just not how you treat customers especially when we gave you a 30% tip. Sorry house of dumplings this review would have been 20 stars, your food is great and wait staff awesome but your bus boy really ruined the experience and our night.. quietest walk and drive home ever thanks to you, you old fart...!
(1)Amir K.
Everything is flavorful and the portions are enough for two. Sesame chicken is 10x better than the average take out.
(4)Denise T.
A great source of late night eats in Boston. We arrived close to midnight and staying at a hotel near the Boston Common so we walked over, a short 10 minutes. Amazing soup dumpling!! (Pork filling and pork & crab filling were both yummy.) Thin skin, perfectly delicate filling, juicy soup!! Much better than those I've had in NYC. We also ordered seafood pan fried noodles with fresh shrimp, squid, snow peas, broccoli, mushroom and bamboo shoots over thin crispy noodles. Staff was efficient if not overly friendly and the place was clean! (No food on the wall!)
(4)C C.
Terrible customer service. The two of us were in line when three more people walked in. They were the hostess's friends and were seated immediately when a table opened up. When questioned about why they got seated instead of us, the hostess got defensive and confrontational. Not only did she start arguing with us, she also wouldn't shut up after we turned around to ignore her. Standing behind the counter, she kept on making comments when we clearly can hear her. Do not go if you want to be treated with respect.
(1)Tim D.
This place is said to have the best XLB in town (see all the other reviews about this), but I am going to review the rest of the menu instead. Everything about this restaurant says "awesome"... except the food, which is usually in the "pretty decent" range or slightly below. I'll walk you through some menu items I've tried and the grade they've received once wiggling down my gizzard. (Note: earplugs can't hurt if you're going at off-peak hours: they often play deafening, frantic K-Pop to ensure quickened eating, indigestion and feelings of helplessness.) Overall Grade: B- (pretty decent or slightly below) Braised Yellow Fish with Brown Sauce Grade: D I see this scrawny creature in my dreams and wet the bed. Simmered Crab with Silk Noodles Hot Pot Grade: B+ One of their better efforts: crab parts lazing on some mild, brown-flavored silk noodles with minced garlic and veg. Roast Marinated Bean Curd Grade: C+ "Roast" in what sense? This is simply that tofurkey loaf from the fridge section at the C-Mart across the street, sliced and garnished with green onions. Grilled Shrimp Skewers Grade: B+ A pleasant impaled-prawn appetizer Sauteed Noodles with Seafood Grade: C Overcooked linguini with too much pepper. For shame! Grilled Anchovies Taiwan Style Grade: B+ My favorite appetizer there; three slender grilled fish. Very nice! Seafood Noodles Soup Grade: B- A good amount of fresh seafood, but too much pepper in the broth! They've committed this same indecency twice on this dish, so I can no longer extend my mercy. Steamed Dumpling with Vegetables Grade: B Serviceable pouches of green stuff. Ma Po Tofu Grade: B+ Surprisingly good. No pork, just wiggly, slightly numbing tofu. Oyster Tofu Soup Grade: B Oysters, green onions and tofu cubes in an unsalted broth; long forgotten before I even finished it, but pleasant enough (lots of oysters, at least!). Hot and Sour Fish Soup Grade: C+ Not even remotely hot, or sour (save for the single tomato chunk bobbing awkwardly against some squid scraps). Maybe they just didn't think I could handle the "real" thing, whatever it is? Pah! My parents were calling me "Hot and Sour" before... wait, I lost my train of thought. Sauteed Squid with Pickled Mustard Greens Grade: B+ A respectable version of this pungent, bilious favorite. Flounder with Sweet and Sour Sauce Grade: D+ Breading with take-out-packet sauce. Szechuan Style Steamed Flounder Grade: A- The best thing I've had there, though it pales next to the same dish at the place up the street (hint: its blessed name rhymes with Caiwan Tafe).
(2)Misha T.
It's been a while since I had some bomb xlb and the ones are dumpling cafe are pretty solid. We also had the skewered and bbq'd duck tongues which is one of my favorite dishes in general. They make it pretty well but i think they over charge. Our scallion pancakes were w/e but that's one of those things that's so easy to make I rarely order it unless I've got a mad craving.
(4)Twee V.
I have been searching for a dumpling place in Boston. So far, I haven't found any good dumpling place yet. This place is ok. Their dumplings are not bad compared to other places in Chinatown. The pork dumplings are a little bit salty.
(3)Cari L.
I continue to be confused, perplexed, and utterly appalled that Gourmet Dumpling House is more highly rated than my beloved Dumpling Cafe, the restaurant that clearly makes the best food in Chinatown. First off, when you walk in, you immediately smell how delicious everything is. You do not smell grease - you smell all the wonderful dishes crammed onto the other patrons' tables. Although the staff is not super-friendly, they are accommodating and will bring you the things you ask for relatively quickly. Second, food I know to be tasty (I will address the soup dumplings in their own section shortly): Scallion pancakes - crispety crunchety, reheat well for a midnight snack. Pork and leek dumpling - for when you want a more gyoza-type experience than soup dumplings. Sauteed flat noodles with beef (aka Chow Fun) - something about the way Chinatown restaurants make this will always be better than your open-till-2am local joint - better texture, better beef, better flavor, more consistently-cooked noodles. Minced Pork with Black Bean Sauce over Udon Noodles - the noodles were also perfectly spongily cooked; the black bean sauce was tasty... my only complaint would be that the minced pork was REALLY minced - like miniscule. THE SOUP DUMPLINGS. Now, full disclosure, the best soup dumplings I've ever had in my life are at Shanghai Cafe on Mott St in New York. These are the dumplings against which I judge all other xiao long bao. Things I value in a soup dumpling: flavorful, non-fatty broth; flavorful, non-fatty ball of meat; thin but unbreakable skin; a top-knot that isn't too hard or unpleasant to bite off. Dumpling Cafe consistently hits all of these points on each visit. The weakest element of their dumplings is probably either that sometimes the top knot gets a little thick and dry, or that sometimes the pork just doesn't taste as good as the broth. Though not exquisite, they are great and the best I have found in Boston. --------- Finally, a rant against Gourmet Dumpling House, for comparative purposes: Gourmet Dumpling House's dumplings consistently fall apart in addition to relying more heavily on fat for flavor. Nothing worse than lifting up the dumplings only to have the bottom fall out of EACH AND EVERY ONE. That is the true travesty of GDH's xiao long bao, and it has happened to me every time a friend has dragged me there under duress. Don't sacrifice your time, money, or happiness at GDH - DUMPLING CAFE FOR LIFE!
(5)Patrick G.
Tried Dumpling Cafe the other day, so I could truly compare it to other places in Chinatown, and because many people rave about it. The XLB was pretty good, but I definitely think Gourmet's are better. There were a few missteps with service, and some uncooked beef dumplings, but, I think, even at their best, they play second fiddle to Gourmet Dumpling House right aroudn the corner.
(3)Kelly C.
xiaolongbao - Thats what I came for and thats what I got. (To GO) I quite enjoyed them. They definitely would have been better had I eaten them there, but they held up surprisingly well on my 5 min walk back to the office. Full of soupy goodness, and the dipping sauce goes perfectly. I think I need to drag some coworkers for lunch there! Shouldn't be hard.
(4)Jesse N.
I dropped by the other night for a bit after the Russell Peters show. This was my second time here...The first time around was okay. This time around was really awful. From the beginning... My girlfriend and I were seated at a 2-top table. After about 10 minutes of sipping tea and figuring out what we wanted to order, a waitress came over and told us we had to move because a table for 11 just came in and they all wanted to sit together. Way to give me the bait and switch! At least give me an appetizer or something for making me get up and move all my stuff to another table. Strike one. We ordered a few things: Scallion pancake, Kung Pao Shrimp, and Salt and Pepper Duck Tongue. The scallion pancake came out and it was okay, nothing special. The Kung Pao Shrimp was extremely disappointing - completely bland, and the celery was under-cooked. Also, I found a hair in my dish (strike 2). Luckily for them, that stuff doesn't bother me too much but I'm sure it does for other folks. The thing that got me the most was the duck tongue. At about $17 for the dish, I was expecting it to be phenomenal. It sucked! Something was off...I LOVE water fowl, but the tongue was so gamy, enough that I could only try one piece and had to stop. This is coming from someone who has once before eaten puffin, mink whale, and all kinds of funky "organs" without any hesitation. That's saying a lot! I told the waiter I wanted to return it and have it stricken from the bill. My family owns a restaurant and I know this is standard procedure if a customer is really disappointed with the dish and barely touches it. They said they could charge half-price. I admit, I was a bit taken aback, especially considering that this was the first time in my LIFE that I've ever returned a dish for being so offensive to my palette. Strike 3. I was still hungry so after they took away the duck tongue dish I ordered some udon noodles in black bean sauce. I also ordered a sprite because well, unless you're one of the lucky tables, you don't get a big pot of tea, and once your tapped out it's very unlikely that a waiter there will stop by to fill you up. Did I mention I bit into a chili pepper by accident? The waiter forgot my sprite, and I had to ask for it again, in addition to a tea refill. I mean, seriously, I've been around the block enough to know not to expect much in the way of customer service in Chinatown, but I got the sense the wait staff was annoyed with me because I turned away the duck. Ugh. I got the udon noodles finally, hoping that this would be one redeeming dish, but it was equally disappointing. The sauce tasted like sweet gravy and I could barely taste anything reminiscent of black bean sauce. If anything, it tasted like that "lobster sauce" crap that most Americans are familiar with. At this point, I just wanted to get my check, admit that the night was a failure, and get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Eventually I did, but the story doesn't end there. In spite of how crappy the udon noodles in black bean sauce were, I don't like wasting food so I packed them up and brought them in to work for "breakfast" the next day. As I was eating them, I noticed another hair on one of my noodles. Seriously? It's like this place wanted to give me one more F-U for turning away their duck tongue. I suppose this is my punishment for not braving the cold a bit longer to get to Peach Farm or Taiwan Cafe. Dumpling Cafe, never again.
(1)Jonathan A.
If you're not Asian they hate you for going there, but you just can't beat the soup dumplings so you just have to suffer through asking for a glass of water and having someone literally sneer at you.
(4)Allie H.
We came with one thing in mind: XLB. Xiaolongbao here is excellent. The soft, delicate dough parcels, nestled in a bamboo steamer, are precious little bites. Eating them takes practice and care. Delicately pluck them from the steamer with chopsticks, careful not to tear the skin and lose the flavorful broth inside. Balance on the shallow soup spoon and bring to your lips. You can already smell the beef inside, wafting up in little puffs of steam. Take a bite, simultaneously gripping the dumpling with your lips and slurping out the scalding, deeply-seasoned broth. This is exactly what you came for. Just order them directly, without browsing through the menu for their name (sometimes hidden as "juicy pork dumplings). Also worth trying are the scallion pancakes, where thick slivers of roast beef are wrapped inside the slightly crisp pancake and seasoned with warm sesame oil. An order of pork fried rice (my boyfriend has a weakness for rice that simply must be sated) was also good; notably, the pork is fresh and brown, not the typical pink cubes of cured meat you'll get at lesser places. We were seated by the window at lunchtime, watching the patrons come in waves. The Dumpling Cafe is buzzing, clearly with regulars and tourists alike. If you have to wait for a table, be sure you do. It's worth it.
(5)Mike D.
I went here late night on a Sunday night. The food was great and very cheap! Everything tasted pretty fresh and savory. The service was a bit slow but it may have been the time of night so I wont take it away from them. I will be back to try more dishes!
(4)Winnie L.
Get the soup dumpling!!
(5)James C.
First time here and ordered the same few things we had at Gourmet Dumpling House a couple weeks ago. I would give Gourmet the slight edge on the dumplings. Scallion pancakes and Spicy Szechuan Fish were better at Gourmet as well. That being said Cafe is perfectly acceptable and has a nicer and larger dining room if that is something you are worried about. But I give Gourmet the slight edge for the food.
(3)Marc W.
It was our last night in Boston so we chanced it and tried something without really researching it. The service was kind of awkward and uncoordinated. It was like 2 or 3 different servers were randomly trying to take care of us but not really knowing what was going on! Our table was positioned on a very lopsided floor which made for some uncomfortable dining. Anyway, let's talk about the food. It was less than aight. My wife had their version of Gyoza, she said it was o.k., but it looked undercooked. I tried a piece of it and wasn't too impressed. I had the twice cooked pork meal. The pork had a sort of rubber like consistency, almost like shark cartilage. Overall we weren't too impressed with our meals but maybe we just ordered the wrong sfuff. Perhaps some of their other dishes are much better?
(1)Michelle w.
loved it!
(5)Phoebe H.
The best Soup Dumplings in Boston! Customer service is what you would expect for an Asian restaurant in C-Town.....sucky. But hell the food is good and that's what you go for.
(4)Jay M.
I came into this place mistakenly thinking that it was the Gourmet Dumpling House on the other side of the block. Oh well, I was pleasantly surprised because it turned out to be a good mistake. I haven't had food at GDH so this is not a comparison of the two. My partner and I came on a Saturday night after hours of walking the city. It was cold so I wasn't thinking when I walked into this place thinking that it was the GDH that we had walked by earlier during our lunch in Chinatown. Although the dining room was packed, we were promptly seated at a six-top with another couple that had already been seated and served. No biggie. We looked at the menu and decided on appetizers to share. Pork and leek dumplings, no brainer. Teriyaki chicken meatballs, awesome and a great value at less than $1 per stick. I always order something adventurous so that my partner can try new foods that he'd otherwise never order for himself so I added a plate of crispy fried pork intestines-- BEST that I've ever had in Chinatown! I mean, Penang makes a mean plate too, but these were fantastic! The dipping sauce, however, could have been less salty. Reminiscent of great peking duck if you're afraid to try these out, but enjoy duck. Seriously! Apps would have done the job, but he ordered pan fried udon with beef and I got Peking style pork chops for good measure. My chops were awesome! Crispy and crunchy without being over-sauced. The sauce wasn't one note like most sweet and sour dishes in such establishments. Well done! The udon was good, but I'm partial to mine so yeah...just good. The service was nice here. Tea and water glasses were full and the waitress was always readily at hand. She forgot my bowl of rice at first, but it took nothing other than a nod from across the room for her to remember and she quickly brought it over. I'd come here again, but not by accident. This place is worthy of it's own following much like that other dumpling place around the block.
(4)Betsy A.
I seriously wish Yelp would allow zero stars, because this would be the place I would first apply it to... Let me start by saying this, no one is more sympathetic to the struggles servers go through every day to provide folks with good service; however nothing, and I mean nothing called for the awful service we received recently from this place. I understand the late night crowd can be annoying (heck! they were annoying me!), but my friend and I were nothing but polite to the servers only to be treated with disregard, and down right rudeness. I was left speechless and (as some of my yelp reviews should show you) that is very difficult to do... Is it worth it to list out everything they did to warrant the 1 star, and for you not to grace them with your business? Not sure I want to relive the experience, what I must say is, there are places in Chinatown with far better tasting food, to put yourself through the rudeness this people exhibit. You've been warned...
(1)Duke C.
Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) lived up to their name. Lots of soup in the dumpling although the rest of the filling was a bit mushy. The Taiwanese pork chop noodle soup was a bit disappointing. The pork chop was mostly fat and too salty.
(2)Chris H.
Very good. Got dumplings and scallion pancakes. Didn't blow my mind though. Service was OK, but I felt rushed.
(4)Alicia J.
Three of us showed up to Dumpling Cafe, put down $60, and still had enough for breakfast the next day. Typical of Chinatown restaurants, you can get a lot for not _so_ much money. Dumpling cafe also shares the typical problem of Chinatown restaurants, that the menu is too big, and clearly some things are not going to be so good. Order carefully. We stuck to dishes that should either be good everywhere or were dumplings. The result was pretty good as the four stars indicate. We ordered the hot and sour soup, mapo tofu, a full braised fish, braised eggplants, wontons, juicy buns, and dumplings. This is a lot to review, but suffice to say that everything was pretty spectacular. For the price, it was 4.5 star food. The best was the fish. While I am a sucker for whole fish, it was well cooked and taken fresh out of the tank next to our table. The juicy buns were so great that I ended up squirting hot soup down my throat, but I didn't even complain. I also thought that the hot and sour soup was better than average, but I am hard pressed to explain why. The reason this establishment gets four stars is the relatively poor service. It was tough to get tea refills, and we never got water at all despite asking for it. Still, despite all that, I'd go back.
(4)Allie C.
This is the first Chinese restaurant that I have tried in Boston. The soup dumplings were a lot better than the ones I have had in NYC. Lunch special dishes weren't bad either. Would go back if I were in Boston again.
(5)Winnie C.
Quality: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Taste: 4.5 out of 5 (delicious) Portion: 4 out 5 (enough) Price: 5 out of 5 (very good) Service: 4 out of 5 (goof) This is the at least the fourth or fifth time I've eaten here, and I am definitely returning again and again. They have a lot of types of dumplings, all of which are delicious. The food comes out fairly quickly, the servers are average, but at least not rude like other Chinese restaurants around. I definitely will come back for their dumplings though!!! A lot of variety and are made so that the dumplings don't pop that easily....
(4)Julia C.
The hostess and the proprietor were extremely friendly and sweet, but the waitstaff seemed very confused about what they were doing. Plenty of tea refills though, which was nice for a cold day. Watercress with garlic was bland and rather un-delicious, like Steve N. mentioned. It indeed needs some salt or soy sauce or something. Xiao long baos were tasty enough, and I did appreciate the thinner dumpling skin. But the dumpling skin was unpleasantly hard and dried out on the top, and I do agree with the reviewer who said that the insides were like meatballs. I like Dumpling Gourmet House's XLB better. Had a bite of my friend's stir-fried rice cakes. It was very tasty, but the menu read "Taiwan Style Rice Cake with Veggies," making no mention of meat. However, the dish came with a plentiful serving of shredded beef, and a few sad pieces of Chinese chives. It was fortunate that my friend just felt like getting her servings of veggies in and wasn't actually vegetarian. But those who are might want to double-check with their servers about the contents of their dish. I'd be willing to come back here and try out more dishes.
(3)Allison B.
Get the xiao long bao. You will NOT regret it. They are phenomenal. If I could come here multiple times a week, I would, just to drink the delicious and savory (but also somehow sweet!) nectar that spills out of those soup dumplings. GO. NOW. And so cheap.
(5)Michelle T.
The Chicken with preserved vegetable noodles I ordered tasted fresh, delicious, and definitely home made. Noodles from the north are meant to be a little bit chewy and these were good! The chicken broth was a little bit oily, but nonetheless, tasty and reasonable at $7. The Xiao long baos (little juicy buns filled with pork) had really thin skin, just like it's supposed to be and definitely on the juicy side. The fried noodle portion was smaller than most of the other entrees we ordered, but flavor-wise quite delicious. The cuisine here is a mish-mash of Taiwanese, Cantonese, Shanghainese, and random other Chinese dishes. Good menu variety! Taste: 3.5/5 Plating: 3/5 Originality: 3.5/5 Value: 3.5/5 (depends on what you order...I thought the dumplings were a little expensive for the number you get) Service: 3/5 (No complaints. Fast, efficient...all that) I would go back, but nothin' special here.
(3)Aashish B.
Excellent...different and comparable to gourmet dumpling house. Their shechuan fish, grilled anchovies, and soup dumplings were awesome. And an excellent and artfully simple egg fried rice to go with it!!
(5)Mabel N.
If you look at the lunch special price on the menu it saids $5.95 but they charge you 7.95 (another price) if you don't tell them you want the$ 5.95 version. FYI - You're getting the same amount of food for paying $7.95. Convo with the host - it was my responsibility to tell her I want a lunch special $5.95 verison. It's not even the lousy $2 dollars that I am concern with. She can't even look into my eyes when she told me she has to charge me $4 dollars extra for the 2 lunch special I order. It doesn't make any sense to me to have 2 different prices for lunch special. Slow service on the weekend - I called for the takeout orders and they said it will take 10 minutes. I ended up waiting for almost 30 minutes. While I was waiting next to one of the table the waitress (short hair lady) was cleaning...She was annoyed she YELL "EXCUSE ME" and stared at me because I was in her way!!! She was SO RUDE!!!!!!!!!! Food was ok. Not so friendly host and waitress. Taiwan Cafe and dumpling house doesn't pull crap like this. Wait staff are more friendly there.
(1)Kit A.
Wow this place is delicious! The soup dumplings were perfect and the mini pancakes were so good. I didn't know what to expect when I came in, but I'm sure glad I tried it out!!! Unfortunately the service was not so good. They never ended up bringing water or more tea so I was extremely thirsty (especially after having salty food). I also had to ask a few times for our check. The sitting is a little cramped, but overally I'd definitely go again!
(3)Sophie P.
Love the pancakes here! Food is more than decent every time I visit.
(4)Chris W.
Dropped in on a Monday night for dinner, before heading over to see Blue Man Group. Had the soup dumplings and pork with leek (pan fried). My daughter also ordered Beef w/ Broccoli and Chicken Lo Mein. I'd say the dumplings were better and I probably wasn't eating the soup dumplings correctly but it's a place I'd go back. Service was 'OK', not warm and fuzzy but courteous. By the time we left (6:45) it was filling up w/ locals.
(4)Naveed J.
Deceivingly cheap for the high quality of food..
(4)Paul H.
Ok...so I read the reviews I bought into the "forget GDH" remarks... but I gotta say I am just not buying it. Now I will concede that with our party of 6, we had a hell of an easier time ( and a bit more elbow room) here... but what we made up for in room and a lesser wait we paid for in taste. The xiao long bao were good...not great...the veggie dumplings were rather dry on this particular visit . My wife ordered the sesame chicken and we may have well been in the suburbs. I had some seafood lo mein and it was average... not your standard msg laden dark burb noodles mind you..but nothing to write home about either. Everything at the table besides the pork and crab buns seemed like pretty average chinese fare. I would be thrilled if we had a place like this on the Cape... but to make the trip up... well not so much.
(3)Terry B.
B I just ordered the xiao long bao here. Just to try out some Boston xiao long bao. It didn't disappoint! Slightly on the greasy side but tasty soup and meat. The service was kinda slow although it was only like 11AM. No customer service .. I don't expect much from Chinese places but still ... no smiles or anything haha
(3)Tempe T.
We just dined here last night and... yum. Just loved it. I was in the mood for some dim sum so we got the vegetable and the seafood dumplings. Vegetable dumplings were good, the seafood ones were better, and best of all were the spring rolls. What. They put cinnamon in there, folks. CINNAMON! Try them! They come with two different dipping sauces, one of which must've been the sweet and sour though it had a hint of apple taste to it. Fogettabouttit. As an entree we split the shrimp asparagus with the sa-cha sauce which, if I had to try to describe, I'd say it was a roasted garlic-butter sauce with something in it that looked like brown sugar but was milder than that. At any rate, I recommend the place highly. The ambiance is charming, the tea flows freely, the service was super-attentive, and the food was deLISH.
(5)Joanie L.
My 2nd time here was a private party but even then, the food was excellent. Great leek dumplings and soup dumplings, veg fried rice was tasty, decent teriyaki stick and noodles, good scallion pancakes.
(4)Liz Z.
I've been eating here constantly during my trip to Boston. Scallion pancakes are my favorite ever. Delicious, with the perfect texture and amount of scallions. Doesn't get much better than this where I'm concerned. Pork & leek dumplings, beef & cabbage dumplings, fried wontons, sausage fried rice, spring rolls, wonton soup, miso soup- all super tasty. The dumplings are particularly great. I've always had friendly service, with dine-in or takeout. Everything has come out quickly, middle of the afternoon or during the dinner rush. My one negative about Dumpling Cafe is how you need to hit a $15 minimum to use a card- not a fan.
(4)Skennenrahawi-Phil C.
Dumpling Cafe - Chinatown Boston MA USA dumplingcafe.com The service was excellent, fast and efficient. Dumpling Cafe is on the edge of Chinatown across from Tufts and the Floating Hospital for Children at New England Medical Center. I tried Dumpling Cafe without any prior research or referral from a friend. The menu was quite extensive and there's a wide variety of flavors and food available. I ordered take out for myself and a friend who's Taiwanese. I ordered the Crab Rangoon, Taiwan style grilled sausages, Taiwan style pan fried dumplings, Pork Fried Rice, Beef with black pepper and the Sesame Chicken. My Asian friend requested "Beef Lomein" which wasn't actually on the menu. The hostess was happy to make a variation on the lomein dishes which were available. I was surprised at how fast the food preparation was- even with our dish substitution - I waited less than fifteen minutes - on a busy night. The food was excellent - perfectly prepared, no MSG and delivered with a smile. I would definitely recommend Dumpling Cafe and plan to go again the next time I'm in Boston's Chinatown.
(4)Anna I.
Since 2010, Dumpling Cafe joined the Chinatown food scene (695 Washington Street, Boston). A faux terra cotta warrior at the entrance with a red scarf welcomes you. Everyone from the hostess to the waitstaff is very helpful and efficient. Perusing the whole dining room, a bamboo steamer is seen on every table. A must have dish is none other than the mini buns juicy with pork and crabmeat filling ($6.50 for 6) or xiaolong bao aka soup dumplings. To the novice, you must carefully lift the plump dumpling with your spoon without puncturing it. Then carefully nip the top before gingerly slurping the hot, rich, delicious and flavorful broth that doesn't need the accompanying dipping sauce. Finish by eating the lovely crab and pork contents left in the dumpling. By far, this is the best xiaolong bao around and the secret is out. Next comes the oyster pancake with gravy ($5.95), which is a delicious egg and starch pancake studded with a generous portion of oysters and slathered with a slightly sweet red sauce atop some greens. Another interesting Taiwanese street food for the adventurous eater is the grilled duck tongues Taiwanese Style ($5.95). Four skewers holding four marinated duck tongues each. Obviously there is not much to eat here, so it is more for bragging rights. But be careful of the small cartilage. It is fun to also try the Grilled Chicken Skin ($2.95), which is rarely seen in Boston. Finally the Taiwan style braised eggplant ($9.95) is a perfect blend of slightly spicy sweet sauce with pleasantly soft eggplant, a great combination with plain white rice. Dumpling Cafe is definitely worth a visit, eager to serve all customers and even late night snackers until 2am.
(3)Mitchell L.
NEVER GO HERE! I ate here and the service was horrible. I got food poisioning, don't go here unless you want to get sick. I thought this place would be better but I think ill stick with the REAL dumpling house down the road.
(1)LuluandDaquan B.
We love this place after dining here for the 3rd time last night!!! It was hard for us to like to this place since we felt a loyalty to Dumpling House, but this place has seriously won us over with the food. 1. Cafe is newer and so much nicer, House is just grimy and over-crowded. This really makes for a different experience. I think atmosphere is pretty important though so that depends on the person. 2. Food is as good if not better than Dumpling House. We are obsessed with Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and have eaten them numerous times but I think they taste a lot better at Cafe. The skin is thinner, the soup is tastier, and so was the meat filling. Other dishes were great at cafe too. 3. Slightly better service at Cafe. So yes, Cafe wins in our opinion, and we will be coming here for our dumpling cravings in the future!
(5)Barbara L.
Tonight was my fifth visit I believe to the Dumpling Cafe and it's official I love it! The food is delicious. Some of my favorites include the scallion pancakes, the pan fried seafood noodles, the final and most important thing is the juicy mini buns, it is basically a dumpling with a really awesome soup inside. Hand downs the best thing on the menu. Last weekend I was in there with my friend and we ordered pork buns and our order got messed up and we got served these instead so amazingly good, that I had to come back for them a mere five days later. The only issue with this place is that the service is inconsistent. Sometimes we go and it is awesome service other times it takes forever for the tea or water to get top off, or like the other night when our order got royal screwed and I would have been highly annoyed had I not been stuffing my face with the mini juicy bums at the time. I think part of the issue is there is this one guy that works mostly alone at night and since it's open late there are quite a lot of customers and he mans the tables alone for whatever reason. While the service is sub par I will be coming back for more just because the food is so awesome.
(4)Victoria C.
The food is great! The soupy dumplings are definitely delicious. BUT, their service deserves only one star. I have been there multiple times with okay service (always SLOW) but in my latest visit, the owner made me so angry I had to walk out. It was lunch time and the crowd started coming in. I agreed to sit at a table which the owner left her own lunch there. I was alone so didn't really mind. Then with the owner's lunch still on the table, they sat another woman down. We smiled at each other politely and understood the situation. But then, the owner wanted to sit two more guests down at this table. Both of us politely declined and felt it would be too awkward to have three parties at this tiny table. The owner then said, "the RULE is each seat can have one person!" (or something similar) I was hungry and not in the mood to argue so I stood up and walked out. I love good food and can put up with bad service for it. But, if they continue to treat customers rudely then they don't deserve any business.
(2)Rebecca P.
My husband and I were visiting from Houston, TX and stumbled across this gem as a late night find. Being a couple who seek out new, GOOD food we were wary, but very pleasantly surprised! Based on the reviews here, I was not expecting much and was shocked to find that most were absolutely wrong! What we ate: Beef, Pork, Seafood, and Veggie dumplings (steamed) Pros: Very quickly seated (although it was about midnight). Open until 2am (most of Boston shuts down by 11/12 - which is terrible if you're looking for a night life!). The servers were VERY attentive. The BEEF and PORK dumplings were the best I have ever had. My husband (a "foody" would say they were easily some of the best he's had) Seasoned VERY well and the sesame soy sauce they pair them with is divine and really accents the dishes in an extraordinary way. Cons: It was difficult to find someone who spoke enough English to answer a few of our questions. We live in Houston and frequent the "China Town" here and are used to foreign languages/different ethnicity's, but it was difficult to order and ask about the menu. The only reason I did not give this restaurant a 5 star rating is because everyone has room for improvement, but I would mail order these dumplings if I could!!
(4)Callan C.
I've been to dumpling cafe twice and have had generally the same experience both times. The menu is extensive. The friends I have been with are obsessed with the mini juicy buns with pork. They are little dough packets with a kind of pork broth inside. They are alright, but I haven't found myself craving them all the time. Worth a try, however, you may love them! Service isn't very good. The food comes out fast but once the food is out you have to fend for yourself. No refills of the tiny water glasses. It can get bad when you've finished your sodium-packed meal and are trying to siphon out the few drops of water you have left in your cup. Bring a water bottle! Also, be prepared if you are with a group - they only take two credit cards per bill! Prices are reasonable, environment and food are standard. Enjoy!
(3)Jenny C.
What does it mean to be a wannabe? Oh yes, to be a less cool version of something that already exists. If one can't already see the resemblance between Dumpling Cafe and Gourmet Dumpling House, then she'll see it on the menu, where both restaurants devote a small section for dumplings (despite being named for dumplings). So, let's start with the positives. The waitress wasn't too attentive, but she was really funny. We had to ask her several times for water, but hey, can't really expect much. It's Chinatown But the good things end there. No matter how excellent the service is, one goes to a restaurant for food, and the food was just not good. We got the Xiao Long Bao, and the filling was really mushy. The taste was off, and the dumplings were overcooked so the skins had holes =no soup inside =sadness. The frozen Prime Food ones are better. We also got the stinky tofu, and it was a very funny experience, but I can't really judge it because my gag reflex refused to let me try it. I wanted to, but I just couldn't..... Then came the $21 three entree special. We got the pork chops (overcooked and too salty) , a spicy fish dish (that was okay, but was loaded with MSG and too salty as well), and watercess with garlic (which was the best dish of all of them). Overall, Dumpling Cafe seems like the failed child of Gourmet Dumpling House and Cafe de Lulu, trying to copy the good aspects of both and achieving none.
(2)Tiff L.
The food offered here is pretty much the same as the Dumping House. I'm actually glad they opened another restaurant because it was always impossible to find a seat in the Dumpling House.
(3)Julie T.
I must say, I'm a little shocked I didn't feel the same way as everyone else. Like many others, I too compared my experience with Gourmet Dumpling House and personally? I actually still like the House better than the Cafe. The flavors are lacking here and although it's a lot more spacious and clean, I just feel like something's missing. Maybe it's because I go to the House so often that they know my name and I feel more comfortable because of it. Shrug. The menus look almost exactly the same, but the tastes are so different. Example: I like starches so I like the very doughy texture of the soup dumplings. The service was eh. We sat there for a while before anyone came to take our order. It wasn't super packed either. And it was a while before the food came out, but in any case, I've made up my mind. This is just not the place for me.
(1)Ashley L.
I got there around nine with two of my friends and they seated us after saying they were closing in an hour and were very distant while we ate. Other the that the food was great and cheap. I would definitely go back when I have more time to eat.
(3)Hubert H.
I actually like this place very much. We had the fish soup stew Sichuan style, very spicy, very flavorful, carries a 'punch' and the portions were decent. We also had a mustard green with dried tofu dish, which was interesting, because it also came with edamame, which I thought was a little disappointing, since I don't really like edamame. I will assume that the English translation was inadequate. There is a great debate as to whether whether this place holds up to the Gourmet Dumpling House. I think my taste buds tell me that this place is a little more heavy on msg than the GDH. I do think that you get a greater variety of stuff at GDH as compared to here. I look forward to following Josephine L's recs and trying their XLBs. The service isn't great - always need to keep on egging the waiters to pour tea and so forth. But you will come here for the food, not for the service.
(5)Elbert L.
I have been here once a week ever since they have opened a month ago, and each time they continue to impress me. Their Soup Dumplings are the closest thing to the ones I had in Taipei here in Boston, you cannot skip these if you come to this restaurant. I did not like the ones at TC or DH, their wrappings were too thick. I know people complained about service but hey, it is Chinatown after all, so it is expected, but I think they are more attentive than other places nearby. Their business is picking up briskly, each time I observed more and more people waiting for a table, so get here quickly before it becomes too popluar!
(5)Heather G.
I think I was destined to dislike this place from the initial exchange. We came in, we were seated, and 2 minutes into studying the multi-page menu, a waitress came over, pointed to something on the menu, and said "Here. General Gao Chicken." Yikes. What was it about me that signaled to the waitress that I was looking for the General Gao Chicken on the menu? Who knows, but it immediately put me on the defensive. Did we come for General Gao? No, we came for dumplings. We ordered the spicy beef with bamboo because I just love the crunch of fresh bamboo after eating down the rectangular slices from a can for so long. The dish was definitely spicy, and delivered the assault to my taste buds I was looking for. My date ordered the beef fried rice as stomach-filler, and while I generally don't like fried rice, this was much cleaner-tasting than the greasy, salty, brown-colored Americanized Chinese version. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed the colors in this dish were white (rice) and green (veggies and herbs), and while this was not a mind-blowing plate of rice, a dish of Beef Fried Rice rarely is. I appreciated that this didn't sit in a congealed lump in my stomach all night. This was a great supplement to the meal and paired well eaten with the beef with bamboo dish. Because my date was a non-pork eater, we were limited in dumpling choices. I wanted to go for some soup dumplings, but had to settle for the cabbage fried dumplings instead. These were underwhelming, tasted fried, and had no real discernible flavor inside. I cannot fault the restaurant for this, however, because you really shouldn't come here for pan-fried cabbage dumplings - you should come here for soup dumplings! Lastly, we had an order of scallion pancakes with beef. Sadly, the sliced beef inside was only lukewarm, and instead of the hot, fried, crispy-outside-but-chewy-inside texture I normally get from this dish at other restaurants, the entire dish was room-temperature, which caused the fried dough to get, well, doughy, mushy, and gluey. A gentle squeeze to the exterior also caused the pancake to ooze with grease, and I will certainly stay away from this dish on my next visit. Though the restaurant was not busy when we arrived (nor became busy/slammed as we were there), the server rushed us to order, checking in every 35 seconds or so to ask if we're ready. The meal was tough to enjoy, as we had about 3-4 different servers checking in at 2-5 minute intervals throughout the meal (to hurry us along?), making conversation with my date a near impossibility. I understand that the restaurant culture is going to be different at a restaurant like this, but I don't get harassed nearly as frequently at Gourmet Dumpling House or Taiwan Cafe. Honestly, I doubt I'd choose to come back here over GDH or Taiwan Cafe ever again, but if friends were going here, I would be amenable to tagging along.
(2)Alyssa K.
Food was super tasty. I wouldn't say its anything special. Except for the juicy dumplings. The juicy dumplings made it worthwhile. Very casual
(3)Joey C.
Ahhhhh this is what it's suppose to taste like. Not like that other joint down the street, supposedly the "original" "DC" is bigger, cleaner and tastes WAAAAAAY better. What more is there to say? For Boston it's pretty good. Everyone is comparing to NY, but you can't! So for what it's worth, this is the joint for TW style grub.
(4)Sara S.
Lets be very clear, if you are going to eat at Dumpling Cafe, understand that you should only be going for the dumplings. I wish I had ordered take-out. HOLY TERRIBLE SERVICE. Once i was seated I was ignored for about 15 minutes, then 3 different waitresses tried to take my order? I tried to order a drink from two different waitresses, they both acknowledged me and my order...then never came back with my drink. The most disturbing part was that both the bowl of dumpling dipping sauce was slammed down (splattering on me and my belongings) along with my dumplings on the table on top of my papers that I was reading and began to move. The rating i give them is strictly for their soup dumplings which were absolutely delicious, they are different from Gourmet Dumpling, but to be honest they weren't outrageously better or different, i'd rather go to Gourmet Dumpling any day.
(2)Raymond W.
Sorry sex shop shoppers, Dumpling Cafe is now in town. If you can't wait for soup dumplings at Gourmet Dumpling House, Dumpling Cafe is a good alternative. I came in for lunch after an early movie and got the lunch special and an order of soup dumplings with some friends and were seated immediately. The soup dumplings were hot, the skin wasn't too thick or thin and had the right chewiness. The fish and vegetable dish wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was a good value and slightly lighter fare was essential.
(4)Loan V.
So my friend and I had wanted to go to the Gourmet Dumpling House but there was such a long line we decided to go to the Dumpling Cafe. We were seated right away which was very niced. Today we ordered the scallion pancake, mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat, a large miso soup with tofu and veggies, and sauteed flat noodles with beef. Out of very thing we ordered my favorite was the sauteed flat noodles and the mini juicy buns with pork and crabmeat. I didn't like the scallion pancake since it was chewy, I felt they needed to fry it some more giving it a crispy outside. The miso soup with tofu and veggies was kinda bland, it could have used a little more miso. Although I didn't like some of the dishes we ordered but the biggest problem I had with the place was one of the staff member. I'm not sure what the lady's name but this waitress kept walking pass our table and opening the steamer that the mini juicy buns were in. I understand she wanted to removed some of the dishes but I felt that that was rude.
(3)Irene Y.
definitely a much more upscale tawianese restaurant than some of the others in the area, but if you know how to order you can avoid spending a pretty penny. :) instead of doing the traditional family style where you share all the entrees, you can order any of the individual noodle dishes and be full and satisfied for about $6. i tried the taiwanese pork chop noodle dish and was pleasantly surprised at how authentic and delicious it was. my fiance and i fought over the pork pieces, so perhaps learning how to use your chopsticks quickly will benefit you greatly! the noodles were soft and chewy and served with a helpful amount of spinach. the soup tasted like a very mild chicken broth, but definitely comforting. loved my experience there and would definitely come back again!
(4)Stephanie S.
This place is SO much cleaner than most of the noodle places here in Chinatown. It also has a better atmosphere. The soups are delicious as is everything else. I like the pan-fried noodles. They are also quick to refill your hot tea. The place is usually more packed than Pho Pasteur across the street, and I think its due to the quality of food. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)stephanie c.
Was super excited for this new dumpling restaurant. I love dumplings and noodles. Came here for dinner and must say, it beats Gourmet Dumpling House hands down!! So much cleaner than GDH. Spacious and less wait, always a plus. Service was actually pretty good, maybe cuz it was slow that night. Had the XLB. Yummy!! They provide the vinegar/ginger that is supposed to compliment XLB which GDH did not provide. The skin was just right, thin enough to hold the soup, and not too thick so you eat a ton of skin and less meat. Perfect. My friend and I devoured it all. The soup was sooo delicious. Had the beef noodle soup. Delicious and not as oily as GDH. The beef was super tender, melt in your mouth quality. Huge bowl for only 6 bucks!! Tried another chicken dish with 3 "special ingredients". Also yummy. All of this, we stuffed our faces, had leftovers-total was 22 dollars!! Great food. Cheap prices. Clean restaurant for chinatown. Def a fan and am so happy they opened. Will be back soon!!
(4)Oiyan P.
These soup dumplings are not the best I've ever had, but they are the best in Boston. For all you fans of Gourmet Dumpling House, you are all suckas! The dumpling skin here is fresh, smooth, and thin. The soup and dumpling size are ample! The other food is pretty decent too. The service is so so, but what do you expect? It's Chinatown! There's usually not much of a wait, unlike at GDH.
(4)Christine L.
This place was actually not bad when they first opened a year ago. But the food quality and service has really gone down ever since then. Maybe it really depends on what you order.. It does have a nicer atomosphere than Dumpling House, though. Cleaner and bigger. Not really sure why it's called Dumpling Cafe when their dumpling selection is limited and isn't even that good. If you've been spoiled with good dumplings, you wouldn't be impressed. The filling is overchopped. The skin is probably not made from scratch or the proportions were off. But that's not the point. Point is when your food is mediocre, the service should at least be half decent to make up for it. The waitress who served us the other day was really rude. First she made us move to a smaller table to accomodate a bigger group. Then when she delivered our scallion pancakes, I asked her if they could heat it up a little more because the dough was still a little raw inside, she bluntly told us that it's not raw and that's just how their scallion pancakes are. Ridic, isn't it? Didnt want to argue with her cuz we didn't want to waste any time. Later on she just dropped off the rest of our orders (dumpling and pan fried noodles) right next to us without saying anything. In general, I don't expect much from restruants in Boston's Chinatown.. but I do not tolerate rude service.
(1)Sidi L.
since they support lunch specials，the line is long...but their food are good. recommendations：soup dumplings，tomato shrimp with egg，peppers with beef
(4)Biyu Z.
Terrible service!!!! I brought my friends and mum to this restaurant , we ordered dumpling and they served us until we finished all the other dishes!! And finally, they automatically charged us 18% tips without asking us !!!! We asked for the explanation and they just ignored us without even saying sorry. This is the worst experience I've ever had in chinatown. I won't go there anymore and nor my other friends. There are a lot of other options than this one.
(1)Ryan K.
Great dumplings. The Taiwan style are my favorite.
(5)Tina L.
Love this restaurant. The food is excellent, very fresh, and very spicy, too. The menu looks great, and there are a lot of choices. Love the dumplings and tofu. I can't wait to go back again.
(4)Shuang C.
Grilled chicken skin 3stars. Interesting to try, not much flavor, mostly you just taste the sauce. Beef stew noodle soup. 1 star. The beef sucked, soup sucked, noodles sucked. Don't bother. Taiwan style pork chop noodle soup 3 stars. Soup was bland, noodles sucked, but the fried pork chop was REALLY good. Pork and crabmeat juicy buns 3 stars. Too salty for my liking, although better than GDH.
(3)Chris R.
We started with the scallion pancakes and taiwanese dumplings - both good choices. The shrimp and asparagus satay was the best; came out fresh and hot, with the asparagus nice and crispy. General Gao's chicken was excellent. Overall, a good place to fill up before hitting the theatre, and pretty inexpensive. On the negative side, the decor and soundtrack wasn't elegant or anything special, but that's not why you come here. The food is yummy.
(4)David C.
Gourmet Dumpling House, I am so sorry for betraying you. I will never do it again, I swear! My friend and I were starving and didn't want to wait the 20-30 minute line. 2 blocks later... Dumpling Cafe. If you've ever met me, you know I'm a dumpling champ. Dumplings... you and I have a special bond (get in ma belly). Actually, I have no idea where this thought's going... on to the review. So my friend and I ended up here after we didn't want to wait for GDH. 10 minute wait for a table, not too bad. The hostess and her waitstaff had no idea what was going on nor inter-communication skills, almost giving our table away to people that just walked in from the street. So we ordered some dumplings, of course including an order of xiao long bao (soup dumplings). FORTY-FIVE minutes later! "Molly, when do you want to walk out?" "... 5 more minutes?" "k, sounds good" Aaaand of course, two mins later, they come out. Xiao long bao = overly salty and too much gelatin (sorry, secret to soup dumplings is out) Other dumplings = eh Service = I've never seen so many people turning left, right, raising their hands trying to flag down their waiter for water/tea/bil. Dumpling Cafe, you get the 1 star for having thin skins on your xaio long bao and the tea woman was very expedient.
(3)Jen H.
As it has already been said, this is dumpling CAFE not dumpling house. They are two separate establishments I send all of my friends and family to Dumpling Cafe when looking for a place to eat in chinatown. Their pork and crab juicy buns are AMAZING. I have never had a better bun anywhere in Boston. These buns are incredibly juicy and flavorful while having a very thin membrane on the outside. I've had dumpling house's buns on several occasions and they just don't compare. I'm also a huge advocate for dumpling cafe's bamboo tips which are slightly spicy and perfectly crunchy. As for their service, it isn't good, but I find that to be a good thing. In my experience, the better the service in chinatown, the worse the food! At Dumpling Cafe, the food will come out whenever it is ready, regardless of the order you think it should come in, and sometimes parts of your order get overlooked. However, if you share your food family style, as I often do with friends and family when in chinatown, this is hardly a problem. I also recommend family style sharing because most of the dishes come in a portion with just one thing (such as when you order bamboo tips, all you get is a plate full of bamboo tips and nothing else). If you remind the waiter/waitress of a forgotten item, they are quick to bring out the plate and are very apologetic. Overall, not a huge deal. Seating there is in fact, one person per seat. It never has bothered me to sit next to strangers. It gives me an opportunity to see what they are eating and asked what they ordered so I can try it too! Besides, this type of seating is, in my experience, common in the smaller places in chinatown.
(5)Sam W.
I would advise people not to go to this restaurant. The service is horrible and the staff is extremely rude. I was eating there this weekend. We were sitting at the table waiting to be served for about 15 min and no one attended to us. During which, there was a full table of waiters and waitresses just chatting to each other, glancing at us then looking away. Ordering, waiting for the food and the bill was torture and was very frustrating. We left a tip of $10 for 6 of us (which i think was generous considering the horrible service), and as we were walking out the waiter cursed at us and said "i hope they get hit by a bus".
(1)Espresso T.
This place has the best xiao long bao in Boston, and I have had a lot of xiao long bao in Taipei, Hong Kong, mainland China and back here in Boston and NYC. And, the food here is actually quite cheap. Its xiao long bao is MUCH better than the Gourmet Dumpling House (also better than the Taiwanese cuisine restaurant in Chinatown). In fact, it is better than some of the famed xiao long bao places in NYC too. Not all of the dishes are worth 5 stars, so I am giving this place a 4 star. If you stick with the right dishes though, their food is very good and I highly recommend this place. Best dishes from here are: Xiao Long Bao: The wrapper is thin and the soup inside is plentiful and tasty, as this dish should be; the meat also tastes fresh (Gourmet Dumpling House's version has very thick wrapper, not so tasty soup and dull tasting meat) Braised beef soup noodles: Tasty broth and they give you a lot of tasty beef as well (large portion and under $6!) Lu rou fan (braised pork on rice): a typical dish you see on the street in Taiwan; they do quite a good job here Most of their other dishes are still fine, though they are just not 4 or 5 star dishes that I would rave about.
(4)Eric S.
This place has delicious dumplings and smells like heaven when you walk in ..Damn i was skeptikal about ordering from here due to the looks from outside kinda weird looking..But inside its a whole different story..The place is small and reminds me of a small hut like type restaurant that you would find in china,Taiwan,Japan,cambodia..ETC ..You get the picture!!..i will be back to try other items which look very good but wonder if my westernized appetite can handle what they offer and the fish looks very fresh...
(5)Ryan M.
I came across this location on a trip to the Wilbur Theater. It's right around the corner, and conveniently located right near a parking lot. I'm a huge fan of the scallion pancakes. They are delicious! I usually get the beef and broccoli, and the pork fried rice is delicious. I don't know if every place is like this in Chinatown, but it feels very authentic to me. The tea is strong, the soup is good and plentiful, you are served with chopsticks and only receive a fork if you ask for one. There are ACTUAL Asian people dining here, which is a very good sign. Sometimes I drive in to Boston just to have dinner here. Give it a try.
(4)Alyssa R.
I went to dumpling cafe last weekend with some friends. We had a large table with a lazy susan, which is super convenient for sharing dishes. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. Service was attentive. I think this restaurant had a more diverse and creative menu than most other Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants in the area. Go there to try something new, or for an old favorite. Try the mini steamed pork buns (soup dumplings), or the fried shrimp! I'll be back next time I'm in Boston!!! :-)
(5)Nini G.
WORST. SERVICE. EVER! I've been to Dumpling Cafe before, and while their food is pretty good and their service consistently mediocre, I didn't think it would ever be awful enough to open a Yelp account just to warn the world of their existence. If you go for lunch or dinner, you'll get service, though probably you'll wonder why the staff all wear a permanent grimace. Lower your standards, enjoy the food, and walk out satiated. If you go at 3AM...well, just don't go at 3AM. You'll get treated as if you somehow owe them your firstborn child because they're doing you such a favor by serving you food that late/early. So you better tip them well...even if they 1. Make you wait...bring you the wrong order...tell you they are out of what you ordered so you either take the alternative (even if you physically can't eat the alternative) or you're outta luck...tell you they don't have time for you when you ask them about your order, that it must've been your mistake and not theirs...make you wait some more... 2. When you ask for tea, tell you that the table behind got the last pot...then proceed to bring out 5 more pots of tea to other people 3. Roll their eyes at you when you ask for your water to be refilled because you've been waiting more than an hour and your water has never been refilled 4. Tell you to never come back because you refuse to pay the 18% auto-gratuity they gave themselves, even though they were only serving (or in this case, ignoring) 2 people. Don't worry Dumpling Cafe, I'm happy to oblige. I will NEVER come back. So, unless you just graduated from anger management and want to test your newly found skill of patience, I say go somewhere else in Chinatown. There are plenty of other restaurants with just as good, if not better, food, and definitely a better attitude. And if it's 3AM...go get some pizza instead.
(1)Catherine Y.
I came back here for dinner tonight and I just had to write about it right away! This place was packed tonight. So service wasn't amazing, but I'll let it slide for tonight... This time I ordered the crab and pork soup dumplings and they were amazing. Yes I've had Joe's Shanghai soup dumplings growing up, and all I wanted was to have some, so I ordered it, hoping for the best and I have to say, Boston, you delivered! I also ordered the rice cake dish with pork, and this too was really yummy. I was also looking around to see what other people ordered and I feel like there are so many more authentic dishes I should try next time!
(4)Carl W.
First of all, I am of Taiwanese descent and found this place by looking for Taiwanese cuisine that I just can't get in NE Ohio. I tried the spicey beef noodle soup with an appetizer of oyster pancake. The soup arrived first and it was pretty good: slivers of beef and hot green peppers in a delicious beef broth with nicely firm noodles. The oyster pancake was MIA so I had to ask the waitress about it--she thought I was asking for the check but then understood and went to check on the pancake. I almost wish it didn't come!!! NASTY. Egg topped over a layer of corn starch goop with about 6 small oysters somewhere in between. Some weird variant of oyster sauce on top. That is nothing like Taiwanese cuisine I have ever tasted!!! I was expecting flour encrusted, fried oyster with green onion that is typical in Taiwanese cooking. I should have played it safe and gotten something more typical like the steamed dumplings. "Never have seafood at a steakhouse" or similar words of wisdom comes to mind here.
(3)Emmi Z.
I've eaten here a few times and the food is a) timely and b) very, very yummy! Their Chilli Beef Stir Fry is the spiciest I've had in Boston and their noodles are very good. Ironically, they lose a star because I wasn't impressed with their dumplings - everything else I've tried on their menu is DELICIOUS though! (Greasy, but Delicious.)
(4)Sandy H.
The xiao long baos here are so much better than the ones at the Gourmet Dumpling House. The dumpling skins are thinner so it makes for an all around tastier bao. The meat inside was really juicy, meaty, and flavored well. We also ordered the fried flat noodles with beef, but I would have to say that the other dumpling house made that dish better. I will definitely come back here for the xiao long baos.
(4)Tamar A.
It's kind of a given that in any cuisine, in any dish, the dumplings are going to be the winners. I don't know what it is about stuffing filling into dough, but goddamn if it doesn't hit any spot it comes near. So why not capitalize on these delectable little savory squishes and make them the main attraction? I'm only peeved that I didn't think to do it. I mean, picture it: you're trudging through the slushy cold of Boston Winter in Chinatown, and you come upon this warm, red little beacon. You sit down in dark wood and order yourself some tummy-warmers. You spoon a soup-fulled dumpling to your lips, bite a tiny tear into the top and race the broth as it dribbles out in a pool of warm, oily bliss. Slurp. Chew. Repeat. Sigh.
(4)Rachel T.
This place uses a LOT of MSG. I also had chicken gristle in my steamed chicken dumplings. Both experiences seem pretty sub par for what I would expect of a new Chinatown restaurant.
(1)John C.
I would likely have given Dumpling Cafe three stars, had I not come in with high expectations. While DC may offer some of the best dumplings in Boston, that might say more about the uninspired Chinese options in Boston than it does about the dumplings at DC. I found them quite passable, but far from exceptional. What you will definitely get, though, is at least authentic Chinese. Just not necessarily transcendent Chinese.
(2)Aboud D.
The should call it the Chinese Dump Cafe. Definitely not hygienic. Barely involved wait staff. Tables desperately need refinishing. The beef and cabbage dumplings were good enough with thin dough. The hot and sour soup too salty. At least the beer was cold. 3 stars for food, 1 star for ambiance and cleanliness.
(2)Cindy K.
So glad that we have a new Taiwanese restaurant in C-town that is actually GOOD! The menu is very extensive and has all your typical Taiwanese dishes. We tried the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and they were average but probably one of the better ones I've had in Boston. The pork kidneys and sesame oil were soo good. This is a very typical taiwanese dish and even though its a very simple recipe, it takes skill to make this dish come out good. I was very impressed. I hear the noodle soups are really good but I didn't get a chance to try so will definitely have to try that on a cold day. Also, the lunch menu looks AWESOME! So many choices and not just your typical "Chicken w/ Broccoli" dishes.
(4)Shannon P.
Lunch specials tasted great and were quickly delivered. This is important due to the numbers of customers that start funneling in! The place is small but grab a menu and start dumpling treat-or-treating. We only had dumplings and were not disappointed. It was part of a multi-spot plan for our picnic and it was great.
(4)Markus B.
Great Xiaolongbao and good Stinky Tofu and Oyster Pancake. Food at least as good as Gourmet Dumpling House. Service just ok but not worse than other Chinatown restaurants.
(4)Catherine S.
I've been to China, and the food (and environment) is as authentic as you can get. Make sure you know how to use chopsticks if you come here; they didn't bring us any silverware, which was fine for us (though we didn't ask, so perhaps you could request forks and knives). The soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) taste exactly like the ones I ate in Shanghai. We also got some noodles for a little more substance, and were surprised at how flavorful the dish was. If you want to experience Chinese cuisine without the 12-hour flight, this is your spot!
(4)Becca H.
Another review singing the praises of the mini juicy buns, plus the roasted duck buns which were also fabulous. Service can be poky at times and they forgot our side order of rice but the food still made it all worth it. We were only visiting for 4 days but ended up going twice because the food was so wonderful. Definitely going back the next time we're in town.
(5)Rina A.
Fast service, neat surroundings and great soup dumplings (xiao long bao). will be back :)
(4)Andrew H.
This is my favorite resturant in Chinatown. I have been at least 5 times, and everyone i have brought has loved it. The juicy dumpings are a must have - the broth is delicious, the skin is thin and tasty, and the meat is well cooked. Always comes to the daily steaming hot. Other good appetizers include the scallion pancakes (pretty standard but crispy and tasty) and the mini duck dumpings - skin is a little thick and doughy but still really tasty. I've enjoyed all the dishes I've had and the portions are perfect for sharing. Favorites include: beef with mixed vegetables, the mustard greens with garlic, mango chicken (sauce is a little thick and sweet), and the lobster with garlic and scallions. Service can be hit or miss, but they are usually pretty attentive and helpful with ordering. I love this place!
(5)Anna T.
Soup Dumplings! Finally a place in Boston that can make it the way I like it! Thin skin, soupy w/o the gelatin gooey-ness, and fresh filling. 4 stars are for just the dumplings. Porkchop w/ rice - 1 star tasteless & dry minced pork that goes w/ the rice, weird tasting preserved chopped veggie, oily cabbage...the only redeeming point is the fried porkchop which was marinated thoroughly but wasted cuz it was hard to eat w/ all the hard tendons and bones...the soy sauced egg was also okay (Blue Asia cafe still leads for me on this dish) Oyster Pancake - Never really liked oyster pancake this one was okay only cuz I tasted egg (hahaha I'm biased w/ anything associated w/ egg), also not as oily as TC, and the sauce was okay Service - I have to admit they really tried and I think they should continue...it's a rare sight in Chinatown lol. Our tea cups were refilled promptly, asked us before removing the finished plates, asked us if it was okay to give us the check, very courteous. Interior - definitely way more spacious than the other two taiwanese restaurants Price - All this for $19 shared between 2. Would go back to get the soup dumplings and try other dumplings & the stewed beef noodle.
(4)Q S.
At first I was super duper excited at the sight of a brand new (and good looking) restaurant in Chinatown. Dumpling Cafe. Makes me crave dumplings. I always wondered why people name restaurants certain things but then don't really deliver on that front. A "dumpling cafe" should have more than just five varieties of dumplings. I was disappointed after I looked at my menu that it wasn't really a dumpling-exclusive restaurant like I had hoped. The menu here is almost identical to the one at Gourmet Dumpling House (also misleading and not made of dumplings!) and similar to Taiwan Cafe. Even though this place is new, you're not getting a lot of new variety in Chinatown. Here is my food review: 1. Scallion pancake: yes! a not-so-greasy version just done right. It doesn't have oily air bubbles like the ones from other restaurants and is pretty tasty 2. Hot & Sour fish soup: give it a try! The fish I had seemed a bit over cooked and wasn't soft and flaky like it should of been, but the soup itself was delicious 3. Veggie dumplings: these are better than the ones I've had at Gourmet Dumpling House, but you only get 6. A bit steep. 4. Pork & leak dumplings: didn't try these, but the bf said it was good 5. Seafood dumplings: It was ok. Could of been better without the imitation crab. They should make mini buns with the filing instead, it would taste better. The dough was a bit overcooked. Service: We came here around 6:00pm, so the restaurant was more than half empty. They had a lot of servers and they hovered around while you ate. The minute your plate was empty, someone swoops in and takes it to the kitchen. I'm assuming all the over-attention is because the place is new, but it's distracting when you're having a conversation and every two minutes a rotation of servers are asking if you have questions about something, need something, or want something to be taken away. But can't complain since other restaurants in Chinatown does just the reverse.
(3)Nicholas A.
Amazing soup dumplings and General Gao's (Tso's) chicken. Ranked too low on Yelp.
(5)Maria P.
My friends and I have been here a few times. The beef noodles were ok, they made it with flat noodles and a dark sauce. The beef wasn't high quality but it was an inexpensive meal so maybe my expectations were too high. My friend's vegetable soup was quite disappointing, it seemed like they had just thrown all the vegetables they had on hand into the stock pot and brought it out. They had a good fried pork with plain rice garnished with some fried bits on the rice. This was the best thing I've had here so I'll go back to try this. It was a good fry job, not too oily but crisp. Service was decent even though it was packed late at night and in the afternoon lunch hour. Our waiter was a little slow while it was empty though I guess they work faster when they are at capacity as opposed to when there's just a few people. It's a small space decorated sparsely. I'd recommend a few other places in Chinatown over this one but if this is your only option order the fried pork with rice.
(3)J C.
Food was decent but the service was awful. Was totally rushed. Waitress trying to clear away dishes before we were even done with them. Never going back.
(1)Maria V.
Let me begin by emphasizing the consensus of all of the other Yelpers: the xiao long bao, aka "soup dumplings" or "mini juicy buns," as listed on the menu, are AMAZING. I fell in love with them immediately after taking my first bite of the delicious tender wrapper and tasting the wonderful broth inside. I tried the crabmeat and pork version of the XLB ($6.50) and really enjoyed the pairing of the two proteins. The crabmeat provided a tanginess balanced by the pork, and the texture of the filling was soft and warm from being held in the broth. The pork was of good quality and wasn't too fatty nor chewy. The dumplings themselves are not exactly "mini," and 6 come with each order, so this dish would be great for a lunch or light eater. I enjoyed the Dumpling Café's XLB much more than those of Gourmet Dumpling House, mostly because the dumplings at GDH usually arrive pre-punctured and/or burst when you try and pick them up. :( The broth and filling were also better. My boyfriend and I ordered the XLB, the pork and leek steamed dumplings ($6.50), and the sauteed flat noodles with beef ($6.95), and shared all three dishes. All were enjoyable! The pork and leek dumplings were tender and tasty, with nice fresh leeks and good quality pork stuffed inside translucent wrappers. Two sauces, a sweeter oily sauce and a ginger-infused vinegar one, were included for dipping purposes. We concluded that the vinegar one went best with the dumplings, but both were tasty and it was nice to have the choice. The sauteed flat noodles with beef continued the restaurant's winning streak of surprisingly good quality meat for the price point. Sauteed with beansprouts, fresh leek, and chopped onion, this dish was a medium portion size and paired well with our dumpling choices. It was a bit oily for my taste, but I'm very picky about that and still enjoyed the dish. The restaurant is very clean, especially by Chinatown standards, and there are two neat bathrooms in the back of the restaurant. The waitstaff were polite but distant, which wasn't surprising and we didn't mind. We arrived at the restaurant around 8pm on a Wednesday and did not have to wait more than a couple of minutes for the table to be prepared. Our dumplings arrived very quickly and were nice and hot. As an added bonus, each person receives tea at this restaurant when seated, and it's free! I will definitely come back here for late-night eating (the restaurant is open 7 days a week until 2am) and to try the 3 entrees for $21 combo with a group! The only negati
(4)Adam P.
This place made me happy. We ordered xiaolongbao, san bei ji (three cup chicken), zha jiang mian (noodles with black bean sauce), and yuxiang qiezi (eggplant with garlic sauce). The zha jiang mian was probably a little better than average, the xiaolongbao were just right, and the san bei ji was a bit below average. After we got through a "ten minute" wait that was more like 25 minutes, the food was overall quite good. I believe that the restaurant is somehow tied to Taiwan Cafe - both serve Taiwanese food, although Dumpling Cafe has a bit broader of a menu and slightly different recipes. It has a decent interior and is a good place to take others.
(4)J K.
i was in search of some soupy soup dumplings and i am sooooo glad that i dragged the bf here with me. there was another option but i read through some other reviews and it seemed like this one was the winner with less waiting time and better soup dumplings. (i judge the soup dumplings by the consistency of the shell, the amount of juice in them, and the overal flavor). dumpling cafe is a winner. the prices were fair (as most chinese restaurants prices are) and the service isn't much different than that of any other chinese establishment you'd frequent - order, eat, and go - and ask for things along the way when necessary. i'm going to miss the soup dumplings here because the broth just spilled all over my plate when i took a little bite into it. i had to ask for some bowls because they were THAT juicy. the skin wasn't too thick and held up really well when picking them up and all the dumplings were consistent with the amount of soup they each had in them. i'm jelly and now waiting for a joe's or dumpling cafe to pop up in san francisco. the closest i've been able to find is kingdom of dumpling and while they're delicious there, the soup in these STUMPS any that i've EVER HAD, EVEN FROM JOE'S in NYC. i mean they're called soup dumplings - get some soup in those suckers! ... sad face ... now to find some recipes and make these myself. 3 orders of soup dumplings (1 of which were a crab mix) scallion pancake was good but nothing really special $24 + $5 = $30 for 2 not bad and definitely worth it for the heartwarming soup filled dumplings.
(5)Emily N.
The best dumplings I've had. The pork or the pork and brand soup dumplings were amazing. The General Gao chicken was damn good, too.
(5)Bean C.
This was my first time at Dumpling Cafe, on Christmas Day, the busiest day for Chinese restaurants. I think they have been listening to the complaints about service, because I found the service to be pretty good. We were given a choice of seating as soon as we walked in the door. We opted to sit in the back, at a large round table with another party, a group of young ladies. It worked out totally fine. What I was hoping for happened. I was able to get some advice as to what to order. Don't leave without having the xlb, they're fantastic. We also loved the roasted duck buns. The ladies were all having large soup bowls of meat and noodles, as well as the xlb dumplings. Next time, I'll get one of those as well. The method seems to flag down the server when you want the bill, which came as soon as we got her attention, which was v. quick. I'm putting this place in the rotation, can't wait to return!
(4)Kalun L.
Searching for the best xiao long bao is a side hobby of mine. I always order it whenever I see it on a menu. Sometimes, I am rewarded for taking the risk like yesterday. I stopped by Dumpling Cafe for lunch yesterday and I was pretty happy with their version of these soup dumplings. One order gets you six delicious dumplings, each a little larger than a golf ball. My four criteria for a good xiao long bao are: 1. Thinness of the wrapper. In this case, it was just thin enough to contain the soup without bursting. 2. Amount of scalding hot broth contained therein. Here, there was plenty of it. Yay! 3. Flavor of the broth and pork filling. Perfect. 4. Size of the dumpling. A point taken off because the entire dumpling spilled over the sides of the soup spoon (more on this below). Eating xiao long bao requires a little instruction, lest you burn your mouth and spill the precious broth everywhere. First, if you do not know how to use chopsticks, learn before you venture forth to eat xiao long bao. Now, understand that xiao long bao is necessarily made to order, so don't gripe if your appetizer of dumplings follows your entree. When dumplings arrive gingerly pick one up and place it in your soup spoon (this is a little harder if the dumpling spills over your spoon). Sprinkle a little of the accompanying ginger vinegar sauce over the dumpling (you can dip the dumpling in the sauce, but you risk tearing the skin of the dumpling and spilling the payload of broth). Now carefully bite a little hole on the top of the dumpling, then, because the broth is hot, gently slurp out the broth. This will tell you all is right with the world. Eat the rest of the dumpling and repeat. I also ordered the pork liver and kidney noodle soup. I love my offal and I was very happy to see it on the menu. The broth for the noodle soup was a pretty good chicken and ginger. The noodles unfortunately were just kind of meh. Service was brusque, but that's to be expected in a Chinese restaurant. The bill with tax and tip totaled $15.
(4)Maryam D.
The soup dumplings here are delish and definitely one of the better ones I've had in Boston (I'd even say better than my favorite, Gourmet Dumpling House). Unfortunately, that's where the praising stops for me. While nothing is terrible, I can't help but compare to GDH. The bad: - The watercress w/ garlic was soggy and disappointing. - The pork and leek dumplings were awful. - The good: - soup dumplings!! Thin dough filled with yummy soup and pork. - a hot pot beef short rib dish (sadly don't remember the name, but it was soo good)! The beef just melted in your mouth and was very rich and savory. - I tried two noodle dishes as well, both ok. I go with my friend who always orders in chinese, so I don't know many of the names for the dishes I've tried. She tells me that this is more authentic and homestyle Chinese for her, and prefers to GBH.
(3)Good M.
We had to tell them to turn down the top 40's crap they were blasting away throughout the dining room. Their despicable attitude and service aside, let's talk about the food; We ordered all their signature dumplings and they were inadequate at their best. If we wanted frozen dumplings we would buy them at the grocery store. They are supposedly known for their dumplings right? I think not! And their meat and seafood dishes tasted more Cantonese than Taiwanese. Luckily my work paid for dinner, otherwise they'd never catch me through the front door. Go to Taiwan Cafe instead for Taiwanese cuisine.
(1)Kevan W.
ATMOSPHERE: Standard chinese restaurant décor. Nothing really to speak of. 3/5 SERVICE: This is the greatest weakness of Dumpling Cafe. While the quality of the food is great (see below), the service is very poor. The waitresses are inattentive, it once took three requests to get a glass of water, and refills don't come easy, even on days when the restaurant isn't busy. Because of these problems, this is the very first restaurant I've been to where I refused to leave a sufficient tip one day. I know, I know, it's very rude, but given the shoddy quality of the service it just felt appropriate at the time. If it makes you guys feel any better, the manager stopped me before I left and pointed out that I didn't leave a sufficient gratuity. Now that was just embarrassing! I'm always sympathetic to the difficulties of working in the restaurant industry, but other restaurants don't have these problems. 1/5 PLATING: There's nothing particularly special about the plating. Nothing good or bad, just nothing to really to be said. 3/5 FLAVOR: The biggest strength of Dumpling Cafe is its food. For its price, the food is very tasty, and they're also able to manage a very large menu with dishes of at least three or four regional styles of Chinese cuisine. The flounder dishes are tender and succulent, and I instantly fell in love with them. The Xiao Long Bao, soup dumplings, are a specialty of Shanghai and are always a delight. However, what Dumpling Cafe lacks is consistency. This isn't a terrible problem: there've just been instances where the sauces have been thickened a little too much, or the dishes were slightly overcooked. One other notable issue was the Shrimp and Tofu dish, which had a great deal of nicely seasoned silken tofu, but the shrimps were small, scant, and slightly overcooked. Despite these problems, overall the flavor is very good. 4/5 OVERALL: This is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the poor service really sours the dining experience. On the other hand, the food is quite good quality for its price, and the lunch specials are great if you're a hungry student who wants very tasty and very authentic Chinese food for low cost (I would recommend you get takeout and eat it at home: much less frustrating). Seriously, try the flounder dishes (except the sweet-and-sour flounder: terribly overcooked) and the Soup Dumplings. For me the biggest question though is: Would I take my parents here if they visited? My answer would be absolutely yes, and despite the score I give here it'd be one of the first restaurants to go to! 3/5
(3)Sasha B.
Seriously the best xiao lum bao in Boston! The skin is thin and the soup has a great flavor. I enjoyed these tasty dumplings with a side of sauteed green beans with dried shrimp, also delicious. Less oily than the veggie dishes you get at most Chinese restaurants here, more similar to how they are traditionally prepared. Also, you get complimentary tea (as you should!). You don't get a pot at your table, but our cups were constantly refilled. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Dejan M.
My friends and I found the food here divine. For the first time ever, I'm actively craving an eggplant dish. We've covered a fair sample of the menu, ranging from soup dumplings to the spicy Szechuan seafood medley, and everything tasted delightful. My friend who frequently visits Shanghai was impressed by the food authenticity at Dumpling Cafe, though obviously the portions are bigger here. The place is not small, but it's cramped. Expect to sit quite close to others and touch neighboring tables as you ease into the wall seats. But it's worth it because of the amazing flavors you'll enjoy. The only nitpick is that some dishes are spiced up enough to overwhelm the actual food taste. They're not too spicy to eat, they just feel like they'd taste the same even if squid was replaced by beef.
(5)Marlecka M.
Very busy place. Don't come here if you want & expect friendly warming service. These waiters/waitresses are serving so that you eat in peace with you family/friends. However, if you want to catch their attention, make sure you're loud and noticeable. I went with my boyfriend's family, and we agreed to "trying new things" So we ordered Fried Stinky Tofu..... WORST IDEA EVER! hahaha It was an experience though, it smelled HORRIBLE (a bit like feces.) I didn't dare try it, but the others did and they said the taste stuck in your mouth... ick. We had the Salt and Pepper Soft shell crab, which was VERY delicious. The Calamari was nice too. We also ordered Steamed Watercress, which was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly. And then there was soup... A hot pot of bubbling pig intestine and pork blood soup lol (told you we were adventurous.) It wasn't that great... usually when one cooks pork intestines you're supposed to boil it in Oolong tea to get rid of that intestine taste... But these guys didn't do that... We also ordered a big bowl of rice, but the waitress came only with 4 small bowls of rice, and we were thinking "ok, she's probably bringing out the other 4..." NOPE, we were left with 4 bowls of rice and had to share.... they do have a nice menu with a lot of variety
(2)Amber S.
This place was a disaster
(1)Jenny G.
Last week while eating at Pho Pasteur, I glanced through the window and found my self wondering if this place was new. My boyfriend told me it had just opened a few weeks ago. So when my college friend from Denver was in town for the weekend, it gave us a perfect reason to try Dumpling Cafe. We ordered the Pork and Leek dumplings (fried), the sesame chicken, sauteed flat noodles with beef, and the mango chicken. After what seemed like only five minutes, our food came right out! Delicious and Big portions. The sesame chicken was divine, not overly greasy just crispy. The mango chicken was packed with flavor and huge slices of real fresh mango. Everything we ordered was super yummy. Definitely will come again! Oh and ... They have the best crab rangoons ever! They're not folded into some weird shape. But who cares if they just look like triangles if it means there's more filling inside. When I got the rangoons to go the hostess even asked me to tell her if there was anything I don't like about them (for the future).
(4)John X.
They have the best xiao long bao in Boston. If you want some of these cheap delicious delicacies, this is the place to go. Their other entrees are not bad either, but definitely get a few long bao before heading out.
(4)Chris B.
Really liking this place -- only 3 weeks old, but definitely has their act together. Late brunch at 2pm on Sunday resulted in delicious dumplings, a pork appetizer, and a lunch special. Here are a few thoughts: 1) This place seems to prioritize "more healthy" food -- the sauces are going to be less starchy and lighter, and the fried foods are less fried. Tofu with scallions and veggies resulted in very nice, lightly fried soft-tofu in a thinner sauce. Dumplings seemed to have less gelatin. 2) Soup dumplings have a very nice, thin wrapper -- I love having less dough here. Combined with less gelatin, I'm very happy with these. The tradeoff is that the soup seemed a little more oily than I was expecting (probably from chili oil, though), and the filling was more like a meatball than not. 3) The owner mentioned she had formerly run a Chinese restaurant in New Hampshire (I think) -- so this is an experienced team behind the restaurant. No wonder, given they've only been open 3 weeks but had a happy, well-run & full house. 4) Interior is nice and happy -- fairly big space, more Californian aesthetic than Boston. 5) You can get the lunch special ($7.25?) on Sundays! I really like this place -- it's going to be my new go-to place in Chinatown, beating out Gourmet Dumpling House.
(5)Alex S.
I love their noodle soup. It is cheap and fast. I have not tried any of their dumplings simply because their noodle soup is good. Recommendations: The taiwanese pork chop noodle is authentic and the pork cutlet on the side is very tasty
(4)Harry H.
Stopped in for dinner on a fall weekend and we were quoted a 10-minute wait, which quickly grew to nearly a half-hour as we waited outside amidst an Elizabeth Warren rally. We were seated and asked on three separate, not-far-apart occasions if we were ready to order - we still weren't, and the constant interruptions didn't help. We came here on the recommendation of a Chinatown resident so I don't knew it the tip was skewed White, but I tried to right that ship with an order of a few apps (preserved egg & chilled tofu, chilled jelly fish, grilled anchovies Taiwanese style), salt & pepper calamari, and some seafood dumplings. Received no preserved egg with my chilled tofu though the dish I did get was pretty good, albeit aggressively seasoned to the point of overpowering the dish. Liked the dumplings dipped in the sauce but to a level nowhere near approaching the point of them being eponymous. The rest of the apps were solid, though enjoyed without tea since the first refill a minute after we sat down. Service on the whole was brusque at best as we sat at the table abutting the fish tank and we were rushed out the door to turn the table. A pretty substantial amount of satisfying food, but not sure the addictive and nicely peppered calamari dish can really warrant the $79.13 pre-tax for three.
(3)Katrina W.
Simply the Bomb!! Best whole in the wall noodle/dumplings cafes I've been to, which says a lot cuz I'm Asian.
(5)K T.
Their Mini Juicy Bun with Pork is the best in town! If you don't mind of your fat in take, their gill chicken skin Teriyaki is also surprisingly tasty. Their lunch special is a great deal too, include a course, rice and soup. What more can you ask for!
(3)Ida C.
I didn't try Dumpling Cafe for the longest time after it opened because the giant photos of the food decorating the wall outside made it look kind of like a cheap diner. Also having memories of when that area was part of the Combat Zone didn't help either. However, after walking in, I realized it's actually quite nice inside and wouldn't mind having a birthday or graduation dinner party there. Since Dumpling Cafe is a Taiwanese restaurant, I generally try order typical Taiwan-style dishes. While I've only made my way through a small sampling of their menu so far, I have tried and really liked C4 Roast beef with Scallion Pancake (a "Chinese burrito" as my friend calls it), M8 Taiwan Style Eggplant, and A3 Fried Stinky Tofu which is possibly the best stinky tofu in Boston. The picked vegetables and the sauce they serve with it make the whole dish more than the sum of its gloriously vinegary, sweet, salty, and stinky parts. But the real star of the menu has to be the Mini Juicy Buns aka "xiaolongbao" (C12 or C11 for versions with and without crab meat). Thin wrappers that don't break spill the delicious juicy porky innards!--a hallmark of a great xiaolongbao and definitely the best I've ever tried in the Boston area. Every time I go to Dumpling Cafe, I see each and every table order a basket or two or six (not kidding at all!) of these. They provide metal tongs to pick up the xiaolongbao, but don't try to grab the buns by the base or middle because the "teeth" on the tongs will pierce through the skin there. Instead, grab it by the thick topknot--trust me, it will support the entire weight and the buns will not break. It's kind of like magic sometimes. While the xiaolongbao are enough of a reason for me to go--and I can't imagining not ordering them while there--there have been a few misses in the menu. A4 Chilled Chicken with Chinese Herbal and Wine Sauce tastes and smells strongly of wine and little else. B10 Grilled duck tongues (we were curious, darnit!) was mostly flavorless bony meat with a little bit of bottled teriyaki sauce brushed on top. I've also tried N15 Szechuan Style Flounder which is a direct competitor to the popular dish from Gourmet Dumpling House. Dumpling Cafe's version is larger and currently a dollar cheaper and also comes served in a dramatically bubbling cauldron over a tiny Sterno flame. But I still think Gourmet Dumpling House's version tastes better a bit better. However, Dumpling Cafe's xiaolongbao beats the ones from Gourmet Dumpling House by a large margin. I'm really so glad I tried this restaurant and can't wait to see if I can uncover any more gems in their menu.
(4)Ann G.
A great, affordable meal every time with fresh ingredients. I love that they are open until 2am. For an excellent meal, order the mini juicy buns with pork, the pork and leek dumplings, and the Szechuan style flounder.
(4)Steve N.
went here yesterday around 3pm. the space is nice, new and clean. i understood what some people were saying about the slant to the floor but we were seated in the back half so it wasn't even noticeable. we started with the grilled duck tongues, chicken skin and chicken meatballs. the chicken skin while having a good flavor was pretty flabby with no discernible char, ask for this one to be Well Done. the duck tongues were OK but rather small. Taiwan Cafe's duck tongues are much larger and plumper making for a greater meat to cartilage/bone ratio. the meatballs were decent but would of benefited from some type of dipping sauce. for dumplings we got the juicy pork with crab, the beef with chive and the pork. all were very good but the juicy dumplings (aka XLB) arrived with most already being punctured which is one reason why i like my XLB with a thicker skin than most, i think Taiwan Cafe's are Spot-On. we also got the beef with long horn peppers and while packing a bit more heat than Taiwan Cafe's didn't have the level of flavor. an order of watercress with garlic was just OK. the greens went dull green rather quickly and the whole dish could of used a shot of vinegar or at least some salt. the rice was serviceable. we'll definitely be back to explore the menu a bit as it's pretty large.
(3)Amit A.
This place is open till 2AM, we got in around 12, I think haha..We ordered a noodle plate with tofu and vegetable dumplings. If you are vegetarian you'll have a few options to choose from. Nothing more to say about this place, its ok, nothing great
(2)Juan S.
The decor is nice and not overwhelming, it doesn't try to distract you from your food or the people you are eating with. As my friends and I looked at the menu and went around suggesting to each other what to get my friends realized that I had never EVER had soup dumplings. SO we ordered them. We did order other things, and to be perfectly honest with you I have no idea what they were, I ate them and I enjoyed every last dish. But I have no recollection as to what they were. Once I tried the soup dumplings everything else was meaningless. to me. Don't get me wrong the other dishes were great too, but man these soup dumplings were delicious enough to run off with the whole dish for yourself and not share. The "shell" or the dumpling part, is nice and soft. and once you open the dumpling up and put in some ginger and sauce, you suck the juices out of it before you hog down that mouth watering dumpling. The filling is obviously soupy, with a sweet and sour taste. The sauce that you add is a bit vinegry(probably because it is vinegar),but not overwhelming. After this day I went on a spree of trying out other soup dumplings. I have only tried a couple more, and I have to say I keep coming back to this place, Dumpling Cafe, to eat them here.
(5)Annie C.
Meh. I've had better. ...And better is about 2 blocks away. (Go here: Gourmet Dumpling House). FOOD: If you're going to a place called Dumpling Cafe, I would assume that you want some dumplings. While this place has a small assortment of dumplings, none are particularly stellar. The shaolin bao are too heavy (even when they are freshly made) and the skin tastes slightly off (too chewy or maybe too dry?). SERVICE: The service is slightly better (i.e. friendlier) than what you'd expect in Chinatown but it's slow ... which makes the mediocre execution of the food inexcusable.
(2)Ray A.
Like others I excited to see a new place near me in Chinatown so decided to give it a try. However, I was very underwhelmed with the food -- not sure if it's stuff they'll work out or not, but given the other amazing places I'm unlikely to try again (i.e., I don't think there's any comparison between this and Dumpling House, which has been consistently good the 20-30 times I've eaten there). Of course maybe it was what I chose to order. Had a craving for General Gao's chicken -- the sauce was overly sweet and almost tasted synthetic. Could barely get through it (my favourite chinatown general gao's is chau chau city). Also had sauteed noodles with mixed vegetables. Noodles were overcooked and totally lacked flavor. They had also told me they have broccoli in them but instead had spinach. I thought maybe this would be a creative twist I might like, but it didn't work at all. I also ordered the shrimp skewers and prefer to peel off the skin, legs, etc, but they were almost stuck on making that a cumbersome experience (once done though the shrimp was decent). I actually think it's a one-star but will give it a little benefit of the doubt for being brand new.
(2)Al A.
Tasty dumplings! Good location. Meh service. Relatively cheap.
(4)Busy L.
Came here with my Mom for an early lunch after getting back to town at Logan. This is a newer Taiwanese style restaurant in Chinatown and a nice addition. Very similar in style to Taiwan Cafe. Food was very good. My mom loves dumplings and says the steamed dumpling with the soup inside (forgot what they're called) are the best in Boston and better than the ones she's had in NYC or China.
(4)Helen S.
We LOVE Dumpling Cafe...and even that might be an understatement. The food is extremly affordable and always delicious, especially the juicy pork buns, which they are known for especially (and the beef teriyaki skewers are fantastic!!) There is usually a wait, but it moves fast and it 100% worth it, and the waitstaff is also very nice and accomodating, considering how busy they are. We have been there many times, and have no complaints!
(5)Rob E.
Came here for the first time for takeout. They only give 6 dumplings and they were only ok. The hot and sour soup was only ok as well. Also, the girl gave me the wrong dish in my takeout bag. I think the dumplings and hot and sour soup are better at gourmet dumpling house.
(2)Lala L.
I really like their steamed dumplings....too bad the service is horrible. It's about one of the better place to get the xiao lung baos in Boston. Yummy steamy dumplings with pork filling wrapped with wicked thin dough, bursting with the broth when you bite into it. yum-O. (try not to burn yourself).
(3)Sweet T.
This review is strictly for their soup dumplings. After a late night and obviously unfruitful search for char siu bao, we came here and ordered some dumplings to go. Waiting for the T at Boylston and too hungry to wait, my boyfriend and I dug in and immediately regretted not buying more! These things are delicious, filled with a tasty broth and a small but satisfying meatball. Will be back for more.
(5)Jordana S.
I lived in Taiwan a few years back and really missed xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. The xiao long bao are the real deal, and the guotie (half fried, half steamed dumplings) and tsong you bing (scallion pancake) are also excellent, and very authentic. We tried to order our favorite chicken dish, la tze ji din (pan fried spicy cubed chicken with dried hot peppers), which was not on the menu but when we asked the waitress assured they had, but what ended up on our table was in fact gong pao ji din (kung pao chicken). That said, it was still very good, as was the yangzhou fried rice, which is white and fluffy and not brown and greasy like you usually get at Chinese restaurants. But really, order the xiao long bao, they're amazing.
(5)Tim W.
This place is just okay. The dumplings are average. Compared to other soup dumplings, Dumpling Cafe's were extremely fatty. Actually all the food we had was extremely fatty. The noodle soup we ordered literally congealed after sitting there for a couple of minutes. The soup dumplings had balls of fat drip out if they were not eaten immediately. However, it did have good flavors. Like I said, this place is just okay. Nothing to wait in line for though. Worth a trip but not a return.
(3)H T.
Food is equivalently good to Gourmet Dumpling House on Beach St in Chinatown. If you're looking for a bit more of an authentic taste of Chinese food, you'd come here. The space is very small. The general services provided by the waiters and waitresses are not very good and it's very typical in most Asian restaurants. This restaurant is not very creative in terms of their business name as well as the dishes they served (including the dish name on the menus). All the dishes I can get at their place is all available at Gourmet Dumpling House. Regardless, the food tastes good for those who like to experience more authentic Chinese dishes.
(3)Courtney T.
This place gets some serious points in my book because we stumbled in past closing time (after 2am on Thursday), but the place was still full and we were graciously seated. I got the seafood dumplings which were ok (I think I prefer pork ones) but my bf got the flat noodles with beef and it was SOOO GOOD. The beef was cooked really nicely, a little on the rare side, tossed with scallions, bean sprouts, and those amazing flat noodles that are so good for soaking up booze. Super cheap too. Thumbs up.
(4)Dave O.
Really good chinese in Boston's Chinatown. Try the stir fried beef with Chinese Long peppers. The juicy mini pork dumplings were fabulous. Service is slow as expected in Chinatown. Reasonab;y priced and a fun atmosphere. I would recommend over many other Chinatown spots.
(4)Alan Y.
This is a pretty decent place to get reasonably priced and tasty "taiwanese" food. I would give the food here four stars, but the service drags the overall rating by one star. The waitress practically yelled at my to move my cup, despite having moved it sufficiently for our incoming dish. That left a really sour impression, despite the food. The xiao long bao's are really great; the skin is thin and there is ample soup inside of them. The rest of the food here is also decent. The long horn pepper soup with julienned beef is an absolute bargain for 5.95 (I often get it for take-out). The broth is tasty, the peppers are fresh, and they it with ample meet. The Mango chicken here is pretty good, as is the long-horn peppers with julienned beef. I didn't really like the twice-cooked pork, as it was extremely oily and the pork contained a lot of fat. It seems like most of the dishes here are really oily, even when compared to other chinese restaurants.
(3)Michelle L.
Love the Dumpling Cafe and would take it over Gourmet Dumpling House any day. Skip the lines, and come here for xiao long bao, noodles, and my favorite- oyster pancakes. There are only 2 things I fault this restaurant on, which may or may not bother people. In complete Chinese fashion, the service is quick and prompt, but you will not get that smiley friendly service. The second thing is, it's hard to figure out what you're ordering from the menu. Sometimes the names of things are helpful to decipher what you're ordering and other times things like "FuZhou noodles" don't help at all and you're at a gamble for ordering. The prices are decent and the food is quite yummy. Definitely one of my go to places for a warm meal.
(4)Sara H.
This is the first place in Boston where I've actually had the Shanghai Dumplings the way they're supposed to taste. So good! And the Taiwan noodle soup with pork and vegetable is delicious as well. I highly recommend this place.
(4)Kristina C.
I live at Archstone (the high rise in Chinatown) and have sampled many of the local restaurants. I am completely hooked on their mini steamed buns with pork and crabmeat (soup dumplings) and I have started referring to them as crack dumplings. Their scallion pancakes are amazing-- thin, not overly fried, and full of flavor. Dumpling Cafe blows Gourmet Dumpling House out of the water. Obvi this is not an expensive restaurant and you wouldn't go here for ambiance on a hot date but if you want to eat some delicious dumplings then this is about as good as it gets in Boston's Chinatown. If dumplings aren't your thing, every time I have been here the wait staff has been helpful in pointing out popular items to others eating with me. But, I usually get take out and enjoy the deliciousness in my own home.
(5)Sarwar R.
Stumbled upon the place after deciding we didn't want to brave the long line to get into Penang. Overall, a very good experience. - Not a tiny space, but the tables are crowded together. We were seated almost immediately (despite it being new year's eve), but had maybe six inches between us and the next table. Clean, well lit and well staffed - Huge menu - not generally a good sign, but in this case, actually worked out for us quite well - We didn't do the dumpling or the soup. Should have looked at the Yelp reviews to see what everyone was raving about. However, was not disappointed with what we got - Ordered the shrimp skewers and shrimp pancake w/gravy as starters. Both were EXCELLENT. The grilled shrimp were large, sweet and crunchy. The shrimp pancake was a near perfect substitute for the roti pratha I would have gotten at Penang. - Wife and I shared the Kung Pao Shrimp (how pedestrian, I hear some of you say) and the crunchy noodles w/seafood. She asked for no squid in hers. The noodles were perfect, and the seafood 'broth' and jumbo shrimp on the plate did not disappoint. The Kung Pao Shrimp was about as close to authentic, based on experiences in China, as I have seen stateside - Would have been a great place to go with a larger group so we could have sampled more dishes - Amazing quality for the price. Sub $30 meal for the two of us
(3)Gabe C.
These are the best xiaolongbao in Boston. ("Mini Steamed buns with pork" or C11 as they're known at Dumpling Cafe) As the name suggests, this is a place to go for dumplings. We came in with very high expectations for the xiaolongbao, having heard great things. We were not disappointed. Both C11 and C12 (xiaolongbao and the variety with crab meat) were excellent with C11 slightly better than C12. The fried pork and leek dumplings hit for par and the dry fried beef chow fun we had was slightly below average. Since the name of the restaurant implies that the focus should be just on the dumplings, I give 4 stars for a great dumpling experience. When you're craving xiaolongbao, skip the other chinatown choices and head straight for Dumpling Cafe.
(4)Ben A.
The food was quite tasty, came with a large party and they sat us quickly. Quite cheap for the amount of food you get. I went with a group of 8, we ordered the dumplings, C5-C12, some other entrees and ended up costing us around 10 bucks a person plus tip. Strongly suggest getting all the dumplings just go in and ask for them, they are absolutely delicious.
(5)Mara M.
Came with a friend claiming that Dumpling Cafe has the best soup dumplings in Boston. Bold claim given that I'm a die hard Gourmet Dumpling House fan. We had the soup dumplings, duck dumplings, a beef soup, and a scallion pancake. Upshot? The soup dumplings may nudge out GDH's by a hair - the skin is not as thick and the soup is somewhat more tasty. They are also less crowded, which does become a problem at GDH. However, all in all, I'm sticking with GDH unless the lines get way too long.
(4)Amy C.
It was my turn to choose a place to eat today, and I thought of Dumpling Cafe because it just opened up not too long ago. It was a MISTAKE! Pro: One star for seating us promptly and giving us tea and menus. Conssssssss: -The tables and chairs were inches apart from each other. I was pushed and shoved at least 50 times from waiters walking back and forth serving food,placing orders and other patrons trying to leave or enter their seats. -Ordered 4 dishes, taiwan style pan fried dumplings, mini steamed buns with pork, shredded beef with long horn peppers noodles soup, and taiwan style wonton noodles soup-the beef noodles soup came in about 5 minutes, (in my head, i was thinking, YES! im starving, my food will arrive any second now, i was WRONG)....i sat there watching the boyfriend take mini bites of his noodles while we wait for the other food...5 mins past, 10 mins past, 15 mins past, others that came after us got their food- we finally got attention from a waiter and asked where our rest of the food was, and he was like 1 dish? we were like NO, THREE dishes. he was like, okay, and walked away. another 5 mins past, the owner comes by and asked if everything was okay. We just glared at him with our hungry eyes and said, where's our food?!! he apologized and said he would check on it, but he end up going back to the cashier station and stood there. THANKS for checking up on our food boss! After a few mins, the rest of food decided to come, and my wonton soup was wicked bland...there was absolutely no taste to it. Also,I did not get to enjoy the dripping soup from the dumplings because they were all popped some how! how do you enjoy soup dumplings when there's no soup?!?! ARGS! So, if you want to be crammed up in a fire hazardous place and wait forever for mediocre food, this is the place to go.
(1)eric u.
best chinese food in the city. i've tried the best dumpling place in san francisco, this place is better. beef with longhorn peppers is great as well as just about everything else i've tried on the menu. sure the service leaves a bit to be desired. i don't care.
(5)Mark M.
I used to go to Gourmet Dumpling House because their food was passable and they had a mediocre Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) that somewhat reminded me of Taiwan. Then I tried the Dumpling Cafe which blows GDH out of the water. This is easily the best Xiao Long Bao in Boston, and it rivals some places in Flushing, NY. The rest of their food is also excellent. This is easily the best Chinese food in Boston and one of the best kept secrets in Chinatown, as the lines of people pile up to get into Gourmet Dumpling House - suckers!
(5)Graham K.
Ate here for the first time after reading the reviews on yelp. I'd say the reviews are about right. 3.5. I would have given it a 3.5 but we can't on yelp. Great dumplings as expected and pork noodle dish was good. I would go back, but I won't be in a big hurry. It is slightly above average. It is clean and the wait staff are polite.
(4)Doris K.
Really great dumplings with average main dishes. We had almost every dumpling that we could get our hands on in this place - from the pork and leak to the xiao long bao. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more variety of dumplings but what they did have was good. I really liked the thin skin of all the dumplings and the meaty insides. We also ordered the Szechuan fish stew which lacked flavor - Gourmet's is better. There was also an order of pan fried noodles with vegetables which I didn't care for...I wasn't the one who ordered it either (^_^). At around $6 for 6 dumplings the price seems a little steep but it's better than having to make these things at home by myself.
(4)Loren S.
I read about Dumpling Cafe from a food blog called SeriousEats.com and had to give it a try on my recent trip to Boston. Here in Austin we don't have many dumpling houses so I was excited to get some chopsticks around a warms savory vegetable dumpling. My boyfriend and I also ordered the scallion pancake and a tofu and vegetable stir fry. All three dished were really good and hit the spot after a long day of sight seeing around Boston.
(3)KoreanSoup S.
Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are good here. 4 stars Shui Jiao not so good. They taste like they came from my freezer. 2 1/2 stars. Overall 3 stars. but very happy to have another xiao long bao in the city!
(3)Kathryn A.
Dumplings are 5-star. Everything else is 3-4 star. Why the 2-star review? Because if you seat 2 of us, hand us our menus and - instead of taking our orders - ask us to move to a table of 8, already occupied by 6 - well, guess what? YOU DESERVE A 1-STAR REVIEW. But your dumplings are divine, my little dumpling, so I'm giving you a 2.
(2)Hana N.
Once I cheated on Gourmet Dumpling House and went here. Never again. Though much more spacious, the service was terrible. My friend ordered noodles with pork and was served some awkward (looking and tasting) soup instead. We tried to clarify our order, but they got mad and made us pay for the soup that we didn't eat. They were NOT helpful. The only saving grace was the good dumplings. I'll never cheat on GDM again.
(1)Stephanie Y.
Cute little bustling place. My friends and I came here after church on Sunday morning and waited for about 20 minutes for a table. When there's a window looking into the dining area, you get very hungry and you start salivating at everyone's food. I took this time to observe what others ordered and tried to find it on the menu. Of course we had to start with the xiao long bao!!! The dumplings were juicy and piping hot! Unfortunately for a few of the dumplings, since they used parchment paper instead of lettuce, it stuck and ripped the poor thing. Juice and everything came spilling out. It was quite a sad moment. We also ordered the pork and mustard green rice cake, which is a traditional Taiwanese dish. I also ordered a beef noodle soup to share with shanghai noodles. Gotta love asian food. It's cheap and very filling.
(4)Thy L.
You need to know what to order here. Some stuff is really good and some stuff is not so good :( THE BAD: Xiao Long Bao - no no. The skin is too thick and rough. The soup is okay and the filling is okay. Not too spectacular. But maybe I'm snobby, I think there are no good places for Xiao Long Bao in Boston. I always have to go to Joe Shanghai in New York. Hot & Sour Soup - Four words: Stay away from it. Salt & Pepper Pork Chops - MEH. Just go to a Cantonese restaurant instead to get this THE GOOD: Fried Wontons - VERY GOOD. Get it. You'll understand. A bit oily, but delicious. Noodle dishes - excellent. The noodles are hand-made. You can tell by the inconsistency in sizes, which would not happen if a machine did it. The shanghai fried noodles and beef noodle soup were both good. Braised Tofu - not bad at all. Very appetizing gravy/sauce. I will definitely come back to try some of their more special dishes like the "hot pot" style stuff looks good.
(4)David A.
Well, let's start with the obvious: it's much better than panda express. In fact, it is much better than most standard chinese-american restaurants (yes, I realize it's taiwanese). It is also of a slightly higher tier than many Boston C-town institutions, like China Pearl. I've only ordered take out here for lunch during the weekday. based on what I've seen from table-diners, it may be even better for those that stick around. The flavors of most of the entrees are best described as "fragrant". Portions are med-large and totally sufficient, even for a big oinker like myself (metaphorically speaking, i'm not that big...) Of course the xiaolongbao is a must. After that, there is a little noodle dish called Fuzhou tucked away on the menu that is exceptional and very much unlike a typical chinese noodle dish - a fact most likely chalked up to it's being specifically taiwanese. The dumplings are all quality. I have yet to explore the menu extensively, but am working on it. Somewhere in my Dumpling Cafe future is the sauteed pig's blood. The fact these guys put this on the menu, should tip you off to the restaurant's above average authenticity. Check it out!
(5)Corona W.
Unlike other restaurants in Chinatown, the seafood dumplings here are actually just that - seafood dumplings. Many dimsum places/ restaurants in Boston use pork as an ingredient in almost every dish. While many of you may not mind, it's problematic when you are a pescatarian like me. Don't even bother asking the ladies who push around the carts because they'll tell you its seafood only when it's not. Anyways, the dumplings here are delicious and the skin tastes home made. My friends have also raved about the meat dumplings and xiao long baos. The basil eggplant dish at Dumpling Cafe is far inferior to the basil eggplant served at Taiwan Cafe. Other dishes here are likewise, just ok. Bottom line - go here for the dumplings and go somewhere else for food.
(3)Renee R.
Soup dumplings are amazing- and the Taiwan hot and sour soup is one of the best I've had! Our service was great and our server even offered suggestions- just ask them what they recommend! Our bill was $30 for 2 - cant beat that! Will definitely be back
(4)Hung C.
The food was ok. The server and owner, didn't seem to care much about the customers who were dining. Or even came over to help, sat there for a good 15 min before we had to asked someone to help us. During the dining, all the servers and owners where talking so loud you can't even hear all the other customers in the place. The owners was just sitting at a table near the register eating peanuts and talking very loud. Don't suggest anyone to go here!
(2)Rick M.
Xaio Long Bao... or soup buns... or mini juicy buns... or pork "soup" dumplings. So many names for one delicious little dumpling! Try to pop an entire dumpling into your mouth and it bursts with flavor and well... soup! This place does a good job on their dumplings. And the Roast Duck Buns are wicked pissa good too. Service was standard for a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Next time I come in I'll try a few other dishes but definitely can't go wrong with any of the dumplings and buns here!
(4)Clare Z.
The dumpling and bun in this cafe are really good. I like the Mini Juicy Bun's taste and various kinds of soup.
(4)Alexandra S.
fast service, great price, delicious food. I read a lot of reviews on here complaining about the service, but seriously? what do you expect? they want you in and out as fast as possible to make as much money as possible and honestly, it doesn't seem like they'd miss you much if you didn't come back again because the line was out the door so obviously they're doing something right! capitalism at its finest. maybe take the first date somewhere else and come back here when you're not trying to impress. now that I've said that, moving on. I ordered spring rolls, pork and leek dumplings, general gau's chicken, and pork fried rice. it could be concerning how quickly they brought the food out but upon digging in, I knew immediately it was very fresh. The pork fried rice was really good. It seemed like they maybe used less oil than other places do so it wasn't as sticky but delicious nonetheless - some might think it is a little too salty but I can't get enough salt so I was happy. The dumplings were also delicious. Brought out later than the rest of the good and very fresh. I really enjoyed the general gau's chicken. Sometimes I shy away from fried chicken because if it sits it can get hard and hard to chew but this was perfectly done. Happily heading home with plenty of leftovers.
(4)Stella W.
I am not sure what the hype is all about. I was here once for lunch and once for dinner. The lunch specials are great and probably more worth it than dinner. The food is ok, nothing too spectacular. The green onion pancake is not crispy enough and the sauté string beans is too oily and not cooked well. The only dish I would recommend there is probably the fried flounder with ginger and green scallions. The service wasn't that great and since we went on a Sunday night for dinner, we felt like we were rushed all the time. They automatically add 18% gratuity to your bill. Tip: everyone in your party has to be there before they will seat you.
(3)Mr F G And Ms M S.
Don't order the noodle soup here. It's horrible! It's so bland! We had to add so much hot sauce & other condiments to make it decent to eat. If we have to write a review based on our noodle soup alone, we would've given a 1 or 2 stars. It's 3 stars because of our family who was also with us for dinner says their dishes were pretty good. Everyone was enjoying their meal here except us. If we ever come back here again, we would definitely stay away from their noodle soup. The service here is decent. We definitely can't complain. The place is small & it was busy when we were there.
(3)Natalie P.
Came here to try to XLBs. Disappointed. After one or two, they actually taste kind of gross. The dumpling shell is thick and sticky. Not delicate like I prefer my XLBs to be. If you've had great XLB from Asia or din tai fung you know what I mean. The pork inside was questionable. Not very soupy. Not even sure if it was cooked through either. 2 stars at best. Probably only really gets a 1 in my opinion.
(2)Daniel C.
I came here for a late dinner (7pm) after doing some research on Yelp. I never been to Boston's Chinatown and was pleased to find that it was an easy walk from my hotel. Upon finding this place I was surprised it was packed, and even more surprised to be seated immediately, across another customer getting ready to leave. Tables were not yet cleared which was awkward. In terms of food, the entrees I ordered are 5-stars in quality. Mini Pork Buns (Xiao Long Bao) were a misnomer - they should be called Da Long Bao since they were enormous! Easily double the size from Din Tai Fung and other places in SF Bay Area, but with the same excellent rich broth and juicy pork. I also ordered Beef Brisket Noodles with Spinach - excellent broth, very tender and juicy brisket, and good use of spinach and pickled greens. Noodles were chewy, which is how I like them. Minor quips is that the tea was a bit bland. I ordered a coconut boba tea (to go as a dessert) that was pretty good, except pearls were a bit bland. Service was decent but I can't help but feel its a bit erratic with seating folks and moving chairs and tea pots from table to table.
(4)Erica K.
More popular than any bar in Boston, this place is out of this world. All joking aside, drunk Chinese food is the way to go. We ordered beef with pepper, soup dumplings, pork chops and I got rice noodle soup. The broth was so good, it's a little salty, but I love salt. The pork chops were incredible, crispy and had a nice ginger taste, and the beef with peppers was good and spicy. Service is kinda terrible but it was 1 in the morning, the line was out the door and I had a happy tummy.
(5)Edward W.
Food was good, but not amazing. My only gripe with this place was the service. Now don't get me wrong, I know that Asian restaurants are known for their quick efficiency so I'm not expecting 5 star service. But I had to wave down the waitress 5 times to get 2 cups of water, which is sort of ridiculous considering the place wasn't even packed when I went. Also most watery tea ever. Now for the food: Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) - easily best thing ordered. Very juicy and authentic. Taiwan Style Eggplant - aka with garlic, basil, and black bean sauce. Pretty good, but liked the one at Taiwan Cafe better as I think they overdid the sauce a bit and I could only taste sauce. Beef and Chicken with Basil - Good, but again not amazing. I don't know if it's because the eggplant was so saucy, but I thought this was a bit bland. Portion though was generous. I'll consider coming back and trying other dishes, but at least for this time, the only dish I found worth re-ordering was the xiao long bao.
(3)Arlyn S.
The mini juicy buns are amazing. I like the pork and crabmeat and the plain pork buns. The juice pours out and can burn your chin if you are not careful. We went three days in a row after discovering it walking late night in Chinatown. The lunch specials are a good value. If you buy the appetizer combo. Choose three appetizers instead of getting fried rice. This will leave more room for dumplings. The braised short rib soup with spinach and noodles has a great sweet and salty taste to it. The wonton soup was ok. Get the short rib soup instead. It's flavor profile is worth the time.
(4)Vincent H.
Came here for dinner the tonight and thought that it wasn't too bad. Probably lucked out cause there was no wait with the rain. Seafood Fried Rice and Beef Pan Fried noodles came out really fast. Adequate portion and hit the spot. Xiao Long Bao on the other hand was definitely something different for me. Felt like XL Xiao Long Bao's. Also would it hurt if they gave out more than one sauce plate? I'd like to toss some chili on mines and I know some of my friends don't like spicy foods. Lastly what's up with them not leaving a teapot work us? Also there's a $20 minimum for card.
(4)Thomas L.
The first warning sign was no boneless spareribs. But ok, I found several other items on the menu that seemed appetizing. - pork fried rice - pork/leak steamed dumplings - spring rolls - chicken wings - crispy chicken strips The pork in the pork fried rice was very soft and chewy; not quite the consistency I was looking for. The rice was flavorful, as were the peas. The sauce on side was helpful for that added bit of flavor. The pork/leak steamed dumplings were the highlight of the meal. Very tasty pork/leak combo, juicy, and hot. The dumpling dough was good. The spring rolls were very pedestrian and nothing at all to write home about. Nothing really jumped out at me here. The chicken wings weren't good at all. I'm not even sure they were cooked all the way through, although they were extremely hot on the outside. I couldn't quite pinpoint the sauce that they were garnished in. Doesn't matter, it didn't make them any better. The crispy chicken strips were decent but overall not that crispy. They were a mix of white and dark meat, which was nice. But, they were lacking. We left half of them on the plate. We arrived right before a lunch rush, but service was still subpar. We had to ask for water and tea refills. My plate was dirty, although it might have been a water stain from the dishwasher.
(2)Sarah C.
Food is great. Customer service is still awful. Will I go back? Unfortunately yes because they do make the best soup dumplings. We pointed out to the manager that we found 2 ant like bugs in our wonton noodle soup. He quickly removed the plate and told us that the vegetables were probably not rinsed thorough enough. That was it. He was scared that will make a commotion and other customers will find out. Geez
(1)Anita L.
Within the 3 times I came to this restaurant, my first experience was okay. They got me my food everything was an in and out experience however the last two times was absolutely terrible. The same waitress that served my party was rude, didn't know her menu and got our order wrong. And when we explained to her kindly that theres a mistake she took the plate away and started talking trash about us thinking that we couldn't understand. What also threw me off was the fact that on the check that they printed out it already included the tip. So when they print out your receipt for the card she told me to write the tip in the tip part of the receipt. So she practically forced me to tip her for the bad service.
(1)BostonBestEats X.
Having only recently moved back to Boston, this was my first visit to what is apparently a one of the better restaurants in Chinatown according to those in the know. I first discovered Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings or "mini juicy buns" as Dumpling Cafe more evocatively calls them) at the legendary Din Tai Fung in Taipei, and it's pretty much been all downhill since as far as dumplings go. Maybe the Shanghainese invented soup dumplings, but the Taiwanese perfected them. But as for XLB in Boston, Dumpling Cafe's renditions are probably as good as it gets. However, the real reason to go to Dumpling Cafe appears to be the rest of the menu, which is some of the best Chinese (or more accurately, Taiwanese) cuisine I've enjoyed in Boston. Our Saturday Lunch group of Chowhounds enjoyed: 1) Roast Beef with Scallion Pancake ($7.75) ~Whether this is a specifically Taiwanese version of the ubuiquitous pancakes most Chinese restaurants serve, I couldn't say. But it would make a delicious lunch sandwich, with the crispy fried pancake wrapped around tender, thinly sliced beef, raw green onions and hoisin sauce. Not as standout as some of the other dishes, but well worth ordering again. 2) Twice Cooked Preserved Pork, house-made ($11.85) ~My favorite course, the tender slivers of pork belly are pickled in-house, and stir-fried with leeks. Not only delicious, it was actually a beautiful looking dish as well. 3) 3 Essence (aka, 3 Cup) Duck Tongue in Clay Pot ($18.85) ~3 Cup Chicken is classic Taiwanese, and something I love. But with duck tongues??? I will try almost anything once, but for some reason duck tongue is something that has always scared me. However, I had heard this was a must-try dish at DC, and I'm so glad I finally overcame my timidity...this was DELICIOUS! Admittedly, a little complicated, even annoying to eat, because there is a cartilaginous bone in the center of each tender little tongue. But I eventually worked out a trick for stripping the meat off using my tongue and teeth. Maybe I should make a YouTube video? Maybe not. But once you figure out the trick, they are no longer so annoying to eat, and actually quite addictive. 4) Braised Chicken Meat Balls ($11.45) ~A dish I would have never ordered if it didn't come recommended, this turned out to be another lovely dish. The meatballs are light and almost airy in texture, but with a nice slightly crispy sear on the outside. Framed with baby bok choy, this is also a beautiful dish. 5) Mini Juicy Buns with Pork ($7.75) ~An ancient example of molecular gastronomy (just try to guess how they get the soup inside!), as I mentioned these are decent enough examples, with fairly thin yet strong skins and a flavorful broth. Do read up on how to eat them, or you will end up with soup on your shirt or a burnt tongue, or both. Much better than the thick-skinned monstrosities that are served at what is otherwise the best Taiwanese restaurant in Boston, nearby Taiwan Cafe. 6) Taiwan Style Pan Fried Dumplings ($7.75) ~A Taiwanese acquaintence makes what are the best dumplings I've ever tasted, with the distinctive open ends allowing the meat stuffing to peak out. These are not in that league, but tasty, and the favorite dish of at least one of our number. Afterwards we went to nearby Xinh Xinh for an excellent avocado boba shake (a Taiwanese invention, although XX is Vietnamese).
(4)Kim S.
The restaurant was typical of an eatery in Chinatown. Tables and seating were cramped in the small area and guests are quickly seated with strangers to minimize wait. We were seated next to a couple that was obviously on a date. It was kinda weird at first to overhear their conversation and menu selections but I quickly got over it. To my surprise, the diners consisted mostly of western clientele ordering Chinese delicacies such as intestines and tripe. Kudos to them... I don't even eat that! We were served tea in a large clay pot in large cups. That was pretty handy because I hate having to refill the typical small cups. Although we placed orders for apps and dumplings to start, everything came out at once at "Chinatown" speed. Staff is always in a rush but gets you what you need if asked. I don't mind it so much because it means a shorter wait time for a table, food and for your bill. For starters, we got the steamed duck bun, mini pork bun and fried crispy chicken strips, Taiwanese style. It seemed like everyone else ordered the scallion pancakes but we opted not to. The duck bun was very flavorful and there was plenty of meat filling inside the warm bun. I liked that it was lightly grilled on the bottom for a nice crispy texture. I made the mistake of NOT letting the Mini Pork buns cool down and the piping juices exploded in my mouth. The large pieces were a bit bigger than "bite size" it was more like two bite size, if there's such a thing. The Taiwan style crispy chicken strips reminded me of fried catfish with a cornmeal batter. It was addictive. Although I saw fried red basil on the dish, I couldn't taste it on the chicken. For dinner, we went the family style route and split a few dishes. I wished I referred Yelp before our visit. I was overwhelmed with the extensive menu that had appetizers, grilled dishes, dumplings and buns, noodles, braised soup, beef/chicken/pork/seafood/vegetable specials, Chef;s specials and lots of other authentic Chinese food that I've never heard of but wanted to try. This menu was NOT for the faint of stomach, after all there were dishes that had blood pudding, pork intestine, pork blood, duck tongue and frogs, just to name a few. The salty fish chicken fried rice was very good and affordable at only $ 7.25. We wanted a side vegetable dish and was bummed to hear they ran out of pea pod stems. The waiter suggested Chinese broccoli so we went with that. It was good but I think the price was a bit steep at $ 11.35. The pork belly was reminiscent of Cambodian/Vietnamese 5 spiced braised pork belly stew made from thick soy sauce and sugar. The consistency was the same just that it didn't have the strong anise and black pepper seasonings. I was thrown off by the chicken with garlic sauce. I imagined a chicken breast stir fry in an oyster and garlic sauce. Instead there were strips of chicken, scallion, dried wood ear mushroom and bamboo. It was quite different and on the sweet side. Dinner was very good and I definitely want to be back to try the other 200+ menu offerings. I definitely want to try some of the casserole dishes as well as the hot pot items.Our bill total was $68.64 Crispy Chicken Strips Mini Pork Buns Chinese Broccoli Shredded chicken in garlic sauce Salted Fish Chicken Fried Rice Special Duck Bun Pork Belly Taiwanese Style 2 diet cokes It fed four of us and there were plenty of leftovers...until Next time! **NOTE I'd try to go between 11 AM-4PM next time when they offer a combination special. You can get 3 dishes for 21.95 and there are 59 choices to choose from. Great deal! For food pics mami-eggroll.com/2014/09…
(4)Nancy C.
Went here again for lunch with a lot of friends; we ordered mainly off the lunch special. There were 7-8 of us so we ordered 2 xiao long bao orders, beef with long horn peppers, string beans, watercress with garlic, pork belly, flounder with ginger and scallion, ma po tofu, fish fillets, twice cooked pork, general gao's chicken, egg with shrimp and tomato, and various other dishes I don't remember. Typically I'm not a huge fan of lunch specials because they tend to be very Americanized. I did try the flounder, watercress, beef with peppers, and the pork belly - I have to say all of those were pretty authentic and some even tasted similar to my mom's cooking. The best dish was the beef with longhorn peppers. I'm a huge fan of spicy food and have a high spice tolerance, and this was actually pretty spicy. It wasn't too greasy either, which I appreciated. Coming in a close second was the pork belly. Tender and flavorful and drenched in a delicious sauce, both this dish and the previous one are similar to what my mom and aunt cook for holidays. The flounder was a smaller portion than most of the other dishes but was decent - it was flavorful without being too salty and the fish was pretty fresh. Egg with tomato is a dish my dad often cooks but I was disappointed to see that this dish was too sweet (they must've added a lot of sugar). The watercress was very oily but also very tasty. Same goes with the green beans, though the watercress is far more authentic and probably healthier. As always, the xiao long bao are a must try, though they seemed to be not as good as the last time I had them. I liked the soup the lunch specials came with - it's not your typical egg drop or sweet and sour soup. Instead, it's a simple soup made with pork broth and has chunks of daikon (if you're lucky). The lunch special also comes with rice, thank god. Overall, all of this food only cost is $15 per person after time. Honestly, where else but Chinatown could you find such a good deal? Personally, I'd come here again for dinner because as good as some of these dishes are, I wouldn't order them again. I'm mostly a fan of the huge steamed fish. But if you want a very cheap lunch that is good and will fill you up (and a lunch special menu that had something beyond your typical Americanized Chinese food), Dumpling Cafe is the place to go.
(4)Khunravin H.
I've been here many times. Every time I go service is always great. It gets packed quickly here. Seating is very limited. So limited that sometimes you have to share a table with other patrons. So why would one come here? For the mini pork soup dumplings of course! I mean they have other food too, but it's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason.. If you need help learning how to properly eat a soup dumpling, there's plenty of help on blogs and on YouTube. I'm not particularly good with handling chopsticks, but a girl I was seeing taught me how to hold the dumpling for consumption. Anyway, do stop by here, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Myan T.
We usually come here for lunch. Overall meals are pretty good. Dumplings and steam buns are pretty fresh and enjoyable. They have an inexpensive daily lunch special from 11-4 for $7.50 or $7.95 a plate that includes rice and soup. Service is prompt and they always make sure the table are kept clean. There are a few downsides. One being that this place is pretty compact and you occasionally have to squeeze your way out. Secondly that if it's packed there is a good amount of wait time. They also serve beer and wine until 1AM!
(4)Shani T.
Really a 3.5 star rating. So let's start by saying I love efficiency at restaurants, and Dumpling Cafe totally nailed that aspect. All our dishes came out quickly and that definitely deserved my nod of approval. Now, I don't go to places in Chinatown expecting great service, but I expect, I don't know, some sort of politeness at least? My boyfriend and I walked in for an early Sunday dinner. We got seated quickly with our menus with little talking, which was fine. I opened my menu and began browsing, and after a couple minutes I motioned at our cups when I made eye contact with a waitress and she came by to pour us tea. She definitely didn't care much for how she was pouring the tea--it was super sloppy and she overfilled my boyfriend's cup before proceeding to overfill mine and spilling the tea on the table and somehow, on my foot (I had my legs crossed so my left foot was slightly out from under the table I guess). The waitress disappeared quickly to grab napkins without us asking which was good at least, but when she came back she threw down the pile of napkins on top of my menu. Um. Okay. I was kinda reading that. Anyway, we end up ordering two orders of xiao long bao (soup dumplings), an order of Chinese watercress, and an order of salt and pepper pork chops. All of this done with barely any acknowledgement from the waitress. 1) XLB--these were actually super awesome. I would even say better than a lot of places in NYC. Definitely the largest XLB that I've received at a Chinese restaurant. Each order comes with 6 and man, and I almost regretted the fact my boyfriend and I ordered two orders (not that we didn't finish them, they were really good!). The skin is doughy, but still soft and easy to bite into. The broth is quite good and seriously, I can't get over the sheer size of these. 5 stars for sure 2) Chinese watercress--I was really in the mood for a good vegetable dish and I love kong xin cai so I decided why the hell not, let me pay $12 for this. It definitely satisfied my craving. The garlic was cooked perfectly to season the watercress and the veggies weren't too salty. Still, $12 for this is a reaaaaally steep markup... It also takes like literally 2 minutes to cook. 4 stars, due to the price 3) Salt and pepper pork chops--also a very large portion. Not too salty, not too peppery. A bit thick on the breading, which I could taste a little more of the pork. Overall though, not bad. 4 stars If I had to judge Dumpling Cafe strictly based on quality of food, I would give a 4 star rating. The service though was just so subpar to the point of bothersome. At some point I asked for two glasses of cold water and the waitress turned around and walked away before I even finished my sentence. Yeah, she knew what I wanted and got it for me, but it's kind of just common courtesy to, I don't know, let me finish talking? I did all of the ordering in Chinese too. Anyway, I guess I would come back here for the food. Kind of reminds me of Shanghai Asian Manor back in NYC, just not as friendly.
(3)Miriam S.
We got the beef and long horn pepper - delicious! And the mini juicy pork dumplings - amazing! We ordered the seafood fried rice that was really mediocre and asked the waiter for a spicy chicken dish, he recommended mango chicken. It was a way too sweet mess. Do not get the mango chicken. The service here isn't great either haha. Just order what they are famous for and enjoy!
(4)Theodore T.
I've gotten food here twice now, both times for dinner, takeout. Most recent visit I tried the egg fried rice, Taiwan eggplant, spicy pork chop, and soup dumplings. No complaints, food has always been hot, tastes good, and service is fine. Seems busy for dine-in usually.
(4)Karen W.
My friends and I must have come on a bad day. Or maybe things are usually like this. Communication problem: We ordered 2 steamed pork buns, salted fish and chicken fried rice, and Taiwanese style noodles. They gave us the rice and noodle dishes, but instead of the pork buns they gave us pork dumpling. (I remembered we said steamed pork buns because we joking about buns as we ordered.) The waitress who gave us the dumplings saw our confused expressions, but walked away. So we told another waitress and she took it away. No apologies, but that's okay because we got our buns in the end. Food: Everything was okay except for the Taiwanese noodles. There was an excessive amount of vinegar and salt/sauce in it. I can't tell if this taste is Taiwanese style or not, but it was extremely salty and weird. Social grouping: I am not sure if this is normal, but the workers were always in a group socializing either at the counter or near the bathrooms. It was hard to grab their attention when we needed something. The tea: Our tea was not refilled unless we asked for more tea. After getting one of the workers' attention and letting her know we wanted more tea, she gave us a teapot of hot water. When we wanted to tell her or another worker we wanted tea and not water, everyone was in their social group again. Incense: We sat near the incense holder. A worker lit the incense. I personally do not like the smell of incense, but I had to suffer since we were already eating. We smelled like incense afterwards. I thought if they were to have incense in the restaurant, they should at least light it before the restaurant was opened. Instead, they lit it when everyone was eating. We were there around noontime. Maybe it was supposed to be some common sense knowing that they have incense in some consistent manner, but I never got the memo. The bill: They included tips in the bill. 18% gratuity. I ate with three other people... Overall, I did not feel comfortable eating here. I cannot tell you if I would recommend this place or not since you may like that specific taste of Taiwanese style food, hot water, and/or the smell of that specific incense, but just keep in mind of things that may happen such as what happened to me today.
(1)Dan R.
So first off, my friends and I went here two nights in a row - so think about that. The szechuan style flounder is AMAZING. It is served in a simmering bowl of spicy goodness and cabbage over a flame. It's super hot so don't burn your mouth on it at first! There is something in there that finds its way to my bites sometimes that's weirdly numbing/bitter with an almost concentrated anise flavor? If you know what that is, hit me up, I don't like it. We think it may be the pieces of pepper? Scallion pancakes are too thick/doughy but I'm ok with it because I just get some of their other magical treats like Juice Buns (DIVINE), proc dumplings, and pea pods. My friends and I love to come here after a late night working in our restaurant and fill the table with food and over eat, all for like $20 per person including a fat tip. I like it and will continue to come here for tasty food! Servers are pretty indifferent but we have had the same one a few times now and she has grown to like us which is fun.
(4)Christine T.
Daughter enjoyed the Mini Juicy Pork Buns...visiting from LA and we ended up going here three times during our 8 day stay...will come back if we're ever in Boston...plus they're open late...the noodle soups are pretty decent too
(4)Katy M.
I heard rave reviews of this place, but I got takeout and must say I was disappointed. The food was good, but not great. I got the roast beef wrapped in scallion pancake and the mini juicy pork buns. While the roast beef was delicious, the scallion pancake wasn't very flavorful (it did make for a good sandwich though). The mini juicy buns, while savory, were a little too soggy at the bottom, making them difficult to eat without making a mess (I know there is a special way to eat them, but it didn't work for me here). Not bad, but there are better places in Chinatown.
(3)Raymond W.
The soup dumplings were okay, skin was too thick and dried out too quickly. Service was fast. So fast that the waitress kept taking away our tea pot and did not return with a fresh pot. They were also quick to put on an automatic tipping charge of 18%. Ouch.
(3)Cheeba C.
Yummy delicious. Waitresse can be pushy, but you're in Chinatown. Soup dumplings are great and general gau's chicken was crunchy....yeah!!!
(4)Lee B.
We went here and asked about the ingredients of an item on the menu, to ensure that it was free of shellfish or prepared separately from shellfish, as my wife has a very severe allergy. The waitress assured us that there was no problem, and they could accommodate. We wound up in the emergency room that evening because our "vegetarian" dish had NOT been clear of shellfish. AVOID this place if you have an allergy.
(1)Gigi L.
I've been to a few Xaio long bao places in Boston and this has to be one of the better restaurants serving this dish. The skin is still thicker than the proper version, but not too shabby since it holds the soup inside of them. Also tried the beef chow fun which was just average at best. I ordered what sounded amazing--the fried oyster pancake, but it was disgusting. DO NOT ORDER THAT! Trust me!! Prices are average, service is average.
(3)Zachary D.
I'm addicted to their Shanghai noodles with chicken and mustard greens. They also have best soup dumplings I've ever had hands down! Can't beat the prices either. Don't bother going anywhere else in china town for dumplings or noodles!
(5)King Y.
Sadly disappointed the last time we went. We were really looking forward to lunch here. There are a few problems First the xiao long bao was too salty. It doesn't really hit you at first, but after a few, it becomes clearer. I don't know if they changed their recipe, or maybe we just got a bad batch. Still a disappointment. Second the service is not appealing at all. They are happy to put you at tables with other guests. I understand I have a choice, and this is doable and understandable when it is crowded and there's a wait. However, they clearly set up their tables so that they can put multiple parties together. This tells me they care more about revenue than they care about customer satisfaction. I really don't want to hear my neighbors' conversations or have them hear mine. And all at the same time trying to pretend we can't hear each other Third and not last complaint is the wait staff are rude especially to non-mandarin speakers. Sad to see Food is 3.5 stars Service is 1 star.
(2)Steve X.
THis place is your classic Chinatown service. Horrible service. Good thing is they open late so if you are in Boston, stop on in and get your fix of dank chinese food. But don't expect much. I didn't. Their dumplings are of such small portions, as are their other dishes. So if you are not sober, this is your place. If you are sober, try something else.
(2)Dean B.
I'm sure it is a difficult thing to successfully run a high volume, late night Chinese restaurant in the middle of Chinatown. Well, this place has got that process down to an art. Their soup dumplings, of course, are to die for. The teriyaki duck tongues are a winner in my book. So is the combination pan fried noodles and scallion pancakes! Wash all that down with some Tsingtao beer or two, pay the very affordable bill, and you can tuck yourself in for a good night sleep!! If you're craving late night soup dumplings in Boston, this is the place to be!!
(5)Young P.
Don't wait in line to go to Gourmet Dumpling House. Just come here. It's owned by the same guy and they make everything the same (well except for the spicy flounder soup which I will explain more in detail) Soup dumplings - Yes. They taste exactly the same. Why? Because it's made by the same people. Don't get me wrong. If you are visiting Boston, then dining at Gourmet Dumpling House is a must experience. However, if you live in Boston and you've been there many times, don't wait in line to eat there. It's a waste of time because down the block you can come here and eat the same food at the same price and the best part is there is no line because everybody is waiting to get into Dumping House!!!! More about the flounder soup... I will admit, dumpling house's fish soup is much thicker and delicious. Here, it's still pretty good but it doesn't have that deep, thick taste which is a bummer....so if you really like the soup, just go to dumpling house. But for everything else, just come here. I highly recommend pork belly Taiwanese style. this junk is delicious. its so fatty and juicy and comes with vegetable at the bottom and really well complements the fat. oh and the sauce that they use to cook the meat is out of this world.
(4)Rufio R.
Great spot for authentic Chinese food. I ordered beef fried rice, soup dumplings, and scallion pancakes - everything was delicious! Based on eating soup dumplings at many other places, I can say that this place had one of my favorites because of texture, temperature, and taste. Highly recommended and great for groups!
(4)Abhishek C.
Excellent mini pork buns. Very good and fresh rice cakes with pork. I particularly enjoyed the green tea bubble tea milkshake. The fried calamari were average. Price was very reasonable and ambience was above average. Will definitely visit again especially for the soupy, thin shelled mini pork buns....
(4)Leo C.
Last time when I went there with my son, this place Suprised me. I can't believe how terrible the servers was. When we walk in they just ignore us and playing there phone till we ask them for a table.The food was pretty good and it's reasonable. But the way they served was disrespectful, instead of put the food they throw the food on the table. And after we asking for our bill, the server just stand there. I thought she was trying to have conversation with us, but she just stood there until we put on our money on the bill!!! WTF? This's the first time also the last we eat in here!!
(1)Jorge C.
Terrible customer service. I stood around for 10 minutes before they even acknowledged me. Both the door person and the waitress were unfriendly. I've been there twice and have had the same experience both times.
(1)Gabriella L.
Worst customer service ever! Came in here to order takeout. We were sitting down in one of the empty tables to look at the menu to see what to order and everyone was rude. They told us we cant sit down on an EMPTY table just for us to figure out what to order. We just left. Not worth the time or money.
(1)Rich L.
Nice try, Dumpling Café. Your establishment is very quaint, servers were nice, and service was good. But the food was "A-OK" at best. Soup dumplings were on par with what I expected. But the pork chop noodle soup, jellyfish, spicy noodles and other dishes we ordered lacked some flavor. I come from New York where we order this kind of food regularly. And I'm sorry to say that New York wins out on this food battle.
(3)A H.
Let's get the ambience and experience out of the way first... It's a small (maybe 40 seats), mostly run down place. It reminded me of the type of lunch joint that factory workers may have gone to 50 years ago. The wait staff hovers to get you to hurry up and order, and when finished eating, hovers to get you out. I suppose it's understandable... they want to turn tables, which are shared with strangers. Now the food... The dumplings were excellent a 10 for sure. Scallion pancakes about a 7. Crispy chicken at least an 8. I would hope to go back with a group of 4 or 6 so that we may experience many other choices from a menu that doesn't stop.
(4)Amanda W.
Racist towards African American women and Italian men. The biggest issue, the bill included 18% gratuities for a dinner for 2. This wasn't an option, it was in the bill, but not for our white and and asian friends sitting at the next table!! When asked why? There was no explanation. Along with no attention and pieces of our meal missing . So we outsmarted them which wasn't hard! We asked for a separated check without the gratuities and that we would put it in. They got no tip! #racistsshouldgooutofbusiness
(1)Paul T.
Authentic Taiwanese. The stinky tofu, potstickers and Taichung steamed meat ball made me shed a tear. Smell, texture, taste "to the land" or as if you were there as the Chinese idiom says. It even came with some sappy mandarin pop songs for accompaniment. Jin ho jia. Gai ho. If you don't know what that means, you must eat here and find out.
(4)Heesun P.
I ate Kung Pao chicken. It was good. But there was kinda trouble when I paid! I should have to paid back my change but clerks didn't make right calculations even their attitude was so rude. That was a horrible service :(
(2)Victoria S.
I went here for lunch with a few friends and was expecting a typical lunch that you would get in Chinatown, but that was not the case. We were seated at a table and the first thing I noticed was the dirty, stained plate right in front of me. I switched it with a plate from the next table over so that solved the problem. We ordered a salty fish and chicken fried rice, Taiwanese udon noodles, and steamed pork buns. Somehow, they managed to mess up our order and gave us regular dumplings, so we told them we didn't order that and they took it off our table without saying anything. Not even a sorry for messing up our order? The rice dish came out first and was decent, not great, but also not horrible. We then received the udon noodles, which had a horrible sauce that was too vinegary and salty. When we finally got the steamed pork buns and were halfway through out meal, the staff decides it would be a great time to light incense. I understand it's an important aspect of Chinese culture, but WHY DO IT RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO EAT LUNCH??? The smell of the incense ruined my appetite and made not only the food taste worse, but also leaves you smelling for the rest of the day. This place doesn't open until 11am, so why not do light it before people come into your restaurant? The service of the staff was inattentive as they were all just standing around the cashier chatting up a storm. We asked for more tea, but instead received a pot of hot water. They include 18% gratitude on the bill, which I did not think they deserved, so instead we tipped a tad bit less. I will not be returning here again. There are PLENTY of better places in the area to get better quality food and service.
(1)Joanna Y.
If this were a review on their soup dumplings only, this place would receive 5 stars. I like that the consistency of the wrap is the perfect amount of thickness. The soup inside is flavorful. All 3 orders of our xlb came out in one piece, no leaking soup dumplings here. Whenever I go to gourmet dumpling, at least one xlb is popped. Although the soup dumplings are great, I need other dishes during my meal for the variety. We ordered the following dishes as well, but was not nearly as impressed. - schezuan flounder soup: At gourmet dumpling, I like ordering the schezuan fish soup. It complements the dumplings very well. Unfortunately, the schezuan flounder soup here is quite bland. Not spicy or rich enough for my taste. - pan fried noodles: crispy and tasty noodles. Not a bad choice. - taiwanese pork belly: juicy and good sauce. Very fatty if you like that stuff All in all, not a bad place!
(4)Rachel K.
The dumplings are still fantastic, but service this past weekend was horrid. I had to ask for waters twice, and the check three times. Additionally, we ordered two sets of dumplings and they only came out with one. We were in a rush to be somewhere and didn't have time to order another by the time we could flag our waitress down. We left hungry and were disappointed.
(2)Steffi L.
One of the most disappointing Chinese restaurants I have been to in Boston. As someone born to Shanghainese parents who made regular trips to Joe's Shanghai in NYC, these soup dumplings were barely passable as "restaurant quality." The only worse soup dumplings I have had were frozen ones. They were also far too expensive. The prices are also absurd for Chinese food - my boyfriend and I were charged almost $15 for a simple vegetable dish, which would normally go for $8 in NYC. Overall, I would not come back, as it does not provide great value for the price they charge.
(2)Minju K.
Ironically the McDonald's across the street is closed and this place is open till 2am (Thank youuu) Their xiao long bao (soup dumpling was so good) also their sweet and sour soup was amazing I would totally come here again for late night food
(5)Juan C.
Food wasn't that great. Wish they would speak English. Very hard time understanding.
(2)Samantha A.
Awesome soup dumplings!!!!! Best I've had outside of NYC!! Although I do wish they were a bit cheaper or you got more than 6. Best bubble tea I've found so far, too!
(5)Jennifer G.
Decided to try this place out since I was in the area. Looked like it was pretty busy, so couldn't imagine the food to be terrible. I probably wouldn't come here again. I ordered a wonton noodle soup and wasn't very impressed. It was pretty bland and left me feeling really indifferent. Service also wasn't great, servers can be rude.
(3)Melissa O.
Food was good but don't order the fried rice, you will definitely be pissed when a plate of white rice comes out and you're charged $7 for something that comes free at most places.
(3)Sunny C.
Soup dumplings are okay, but really doughy. Something didn't quite taste fresh about them; it tasted a bit sour. Water spinach stir fry in sa cha sauce was really tasty. Service could be better in terms of friendliness. Servers and hostess gave off the impression it was such a chore to be there.
(2)Christine J.
wow are they going downhill!!! im so sad to say the quality of food/service is no longer as good, WHY??? the XLB looked funny, something went wrong with the dough it looks like. and the spicy fish lunch plate was so damn salty, it tasted like preserved fish. :( and to make it worse, the server dumped all the leftover dishes (totally diff tastes- 3 cup chicken and spicy chilli fish) TOGETHER IN ONE BOX. that is it. they need a heads up on what they're doing before they lose all the customers they've accrued over the last few years.
(2)Alexandra M.
This place is kind of insane. You better get everything you want to order in right away because they won't be back and they have a million other things to do before stopping for you. I got the scallion pancake which was quite dry, even when I smothered it in soy sauce. I also got Taiwan style eggplant which means garlic and basil (we had to look it up). The basil was left in and impossible to eat--so avoid it!
(3)Nandanie S.
Chinatown, you've struck again. My first visit at Dumpling Cafe was on a warm Sunday afternoon after a day of shopping and the movies. I was hungry and wanted a nibble. This nibble turned into an all out smörgåsbord of all things yummy, courtesy of the Dumpling Cafe. We ordered beef and scallions, scallion pancakes with roast beef, and then dumplings. Oh dumplings. I CANNOT believe that I've never had a Chinese dumpling before... I've had Thai dumplings and they're just not the same. I'm a clumsy eater...let's just say that I'm clumsy in general. I even told my husband this when we first met just to get that out of the way. Eating dumplings was a whole 'nother type of clumsy. To me, it was an art form. I watched Annie C, and followed suit. These dumplings were soupy, tasty, and just damn delicious. I was a little upset when they were gone... Not to downplay the other dishes... the beef and scallions dish was rustic, well prepared, and full of flavor. The scallion pancake with roast beef was crispy, tasty as well, and something I'd order time and time again (and we did...). The orders are huge and great to enjoy family style with friends for lunch/dinner. So the second visit was after a BollyX demo on the esplanade. I said... "What could I possibly want to eat after BollyX-ing it all day? Dumpling Cafe. And so we got the scallion pancake with roast beef again, chicken with eggplant (deeeelicious), and 2 orders of dumplings. One order had crabmeat and the other was the original recipe. Both were superb, but I prefer the original much more than the crabmeat ones. I think that after this visit, I was a pro at eating dumplings (at least I thought so haha). I loved the chicken with eggplant...the basil that topped it off made it so good. Service was quick and attentive. I got a laugh out of the girls when I said that I walked into the kitchen instead of the bathroom. The cook found it funny too. See?? I'm clumsy. Told ya...
(5)Deb E.
Not amazing but not bad. Used to my shanghai style fix in nyc but this was ok for Boston. Kept it simple with two orders if xlb(crab & pork) and an order of pan fried noodles with beef thought about scallion pancakes but way over priced at $5.95. Xlb was hot - no lettuce on base of steamers so challenging to remove without ripping the soup dumplings. Broth was flavorful but not as unctuously porky as the ones at shanghai cafe in nyc. Pan fried noodles: skimpy on the noodles for the price - ok flavor - I'd call these average. Bonus points for hot tea, friendly service and no line on a Saturday at noon.
(3)Daniel L.
I don't know why they only got 3 1/2 stars review. I stumbled on this place by accident. Their dishes are really good. I tried the xiao-long bao, duck bun and beef noodles. The price is reasonable too.
(5)Ivy T.
Interesting when we had to share the table. The dumplings were slightly too big. We got the pork and crab along with pork and mushroom. Both pretty good, but hard to eat due to the size. Dipping sauce was really good and loved how they out in slivers in fresh ginger. We ordered winter melon stir fry which was light to eat and pretty good.
(4)Ale P.
Small little joint in Chinatown where you can get some pretty good eats. Stopped here for lunch twice recently when I was visiting family in Boston and was quite impressed. I do recommend ordering the XLB, or xiao long bao, also known as soup dumplings! They were flavorful and tasty on both occasions. Though I think the wrapper could've been a little thinner. We also got the Taiwanese style spicy eggplant. First time: amazing! Second time: wayyyy too sweet. So they might have a little consistency issue there. Which is a shame since I would've given this place 5 stars... We also ordered some salt and pepper squid, which was really good. And the Taiwanese noodles stir fried with seafood was very tasty. I would definitely stop by whenever I visit Boston again!
(4)Amy L.
I don't like to post negative reviews but the way this place handled my order made me. I was looking for some Asian dinner takeout when I walked around the area the other day. A first timer to the place, I read their menu and asked the guy at the counter about a couple of dishes and told him the names of a couple of dishes I was interested in. When I reached the end of the menu, I asked the guy how many dishes were already on his list and whether he could repeat the names of the dishes so that I could place my order. Instead of going over the list of the dishes, this guy printed out a credit card charge slip and said, "sign it and I will tell you what you have ordered." What?! I told him that I had not decided yet and need to know what is on his list. He insisted that I must sign the slip to pay him before telling me what is on my list. Then another woman said that all of the items had been sent to the kitchen as I spoke with the guy early on and nothing could be cancelled at that moment. She also said that if the take out order was placed over the phone, they will repeat the order to the customer but since I was at the store, they did not have to. I was tired and did not want to pick up an unnecessary argument. So I signed the slip, which was almost $50 for a single take-out dinner. Now coming to the food part: They are mediocre to the most if not totally disappointment. I can make better dishes or at least use the right ingredient to make the Fuqi Feipian. To sum up, the food would get a 3 star and the service and attitude get them a 2 star deduction. Conclusion: Try the Malaysian place next door, Penang. Much better food for the price and no coercive sale tactics.
(1)Karan R M.
Oh, Dumpling cafe how I've missed you these past few months. This was my go to chinese place when I worked in Downtown Boston. I remember being here during graduate school but I was reintroduced to the place by a colleague. The best thing about this place is their ability to customize your food. I gave them specific instructions on how I want my food cooked and it was presented to me exactly the way I wanted. Also, their ability to multi-task even in a huge customer crowd is awesome. I'd recommend this place highly.
(4)Elica I.
My husband & I love their soup dumplings & yeung chow fried rice! I do like some of their other dishes, too, but these two dishes are always good. Service is like any other Chinese restaurant. Definitely not a 5-star service. I only gave 4 stars as they changed their jelly-fish & garlic dish ... not sure what happened, but I was really sad when this particular dish was no longer palatable.
(4)Lillian C.
Came here with a group of friends on a Thursday. It was pretty full, but we didn't have to wait too long for a seat. I like ordering family style and sharing so I can try different dishes and that's what we did. We ordered: XLB: very big, hot, and juicy. I liked the flavor, but thought the dough was a little too thick. Flounder hot pot: very flavorful. Not too spicy, went well with the rice Stir fried string beans: lacking flavor and was just OK Mushroom and bok choy: very fresh vegetables and I liked the gravy on the vegetables Spicy intestine and pig blood hot pot: A little disappointed in this dish... was lacking in flavor, items, and the sauce just way too thick A pork dish: This was a tangy pork chop dish... one of the best things I ate that night. Pork was very well cooked and the sauce was so tasty. For the price and quality and quantity you get for this place I'm definitely a fan! I'm already counting the days until I can go back...
(4)Harsha G.
The service was horrible. The waitress even asked for a higher tip when we were leaving.
(1)Gigi H.
Our usual favorite Gourmet Dumpling House had way too long of a wait tonight so we thought we would give DC a try, that wasn't a good idea. It's not that the food was gross or anything, just not as good as our favorite. We ordered the exact same food here as we do there just to compare. The two restaurants are supposed to be owned by the same people that own GDH but the chefs are definitely different. First we ordered Taiwanese Hot and Sour. The soup was a miss. It had too much cornstarch and resembled snot and had too much salt and not enough vinegar. I also like my hot and sour to have a bit of black pepper and/or white pepper but this soup was seriously lacking. I was able to have a couple of sips after adding half a cup of hot tea to it. The next dish was pork with bamboo tips; again, too much cornstarch. The meat wasn't finely shredded like I prefer. I make a much better version of this dish at home. Finally our order of pork and leek pan-fried dumpling came out. While I did enjoy seeing large pieces of leek on the inside, the dumpling itself was not crispy at all, only a small area of it was actually fried and the rest was soggy. The dipping sauce did not have shreds of ginger like GDH and could use more seasoning considering how bland the filling was. We also ordered some scallion pancakes. I like that they weren't as greasy as GDH BUT they were really lacking in flavor and the dipping sauce that accompanied them did nothing to make them taste better. In fact, it was the same dipping sauce as the dumpling sauce. They are supposed to be different. At GDH, the sauce that is served with the dumplings as lots of ginger in it but the sauce for the pancakes has lots of coriander, which gives a fresh flavor to the oily pancakes. We won't be eating here again.
(2)Will C.
I prefer this place if I am in the mood for mini-juicy dumplings in Chinatown. I don't like waiting in line for the other place so I come here instead. Mini juicy dumplings are great here, hint of ginger and juicy. As for some of the other dishes, I'd recommend to sticking with the basics like lo mein or fried rice. The other dishes are alright.
(4)Iaroslav M.
just had lunch here. Food is good,but service is horrible. I work in the industry and i expect the service to be good no matter how cheap or expensive the food is.After the waitress took my order and brought my food -She didn't said a word bringing my soup (ok,ill take it),then bringing my main meal she just put the plate on the table and walked away. How rude!im your customer, not an animal. Even if your English is sucked just say basic"enjoy" or "here you are".I didn't expect her to check on my meal of course (not existing thing in 99% of Asian restaurants ).On the top of her performance she brings me my bill while im still in the middle of eating without saying anything. I don't know who would tip her on the service like that. Doesn't she realize that tips are her income?Ill stop by for take out only.Maybe.
(2)Eric C.
I was eager to introduce the SO to something different within the Chinese restaurant world but didn't really know where to start within the Boston Chinatown. We found this place called the dumpling cafe so we figured we would try it out. For those of you who do speak Chinese and are looking for a place to go they speak Mandarin. As per my norm, I quite frankly ordered way to too much but I really just wanted him to try everything! We got the Xiao Long Baos that surprisingly still had the soup in them. They were piping hot but once sufficiently cooled were a burst of flavor in each mouth. Do you know how to eat these? you should first carefully pick them up with your chopsticks to prevent them from bursting. Bite off the top so they can cool and pour some of the vinegar and ginger sauce inside and eat it. You'll think you've died and gone to Shanghai. The next dish was the salt and pepper pork. Easily a favorite for anyone coming in. They have west lake beef soup as well but unfortunately the SO hates cilantro because of the weird genetic issue making it taste like soap. This was followed by a giant clay pot with mifun and lobster... more of a soup than what I was expecting but delicious nonetheless. This is a solid 4 stars. Not OMG I gotta have it but definitely a solid place to introduce a friend to real-er Chinese food. Parking across the street in the garage =)
(4)Wen-fai F.
This is my go-to place for soup dumplings (xiao lung bao) in Boston. The skin is incredibly thin, soup incredibly flavorful, and the meat is well-seasoned. I take my Chinese friends and family who are out of town to Dumpling Cafe and it never disappoints. Their pan-fried dumplings are also terrific. I've tried many other dishes here, noodles, oyster pancakes, vegetables, tofu dishes. Everything is decent but nothing I've had is a real stand-out other than the dumplings. One thing I really liked was the oyster pancake with gravy. Prepare to share this though, as it is pretty oily! I like that Dumpling Cafe never has an absurdly long wait; the longest I've had to wait is 30 minutes, and that was with a party of 8 people on a Saturday night. As far as service, it is a little difficult to get the attention of the wait staff during peak hours. I've had to go up to the register to pay the bill before because it took so long for someone to come to our table. I really don't mind that though.
(4)Jimmy B.
When I'm drunk, I think of this heavenly oasis in the middle of the night. Absolutely delicious when flat-out drunk, although to be fair, I've been here when I was "fairly" sober at the end of the night, and the food was STILL amazing. As all the other, numerous reviews have said, you MUST get their xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Any will do - go with crab, pork, hell, just go crazy and order two of each. For beginners not understanding the craze of soup buns - they are basically bigger dumplings with delicious broth inside. You bite off the top, drink the soup (careful, it's scorching hot!) and then add some black vinegar and ginger and munch away to your heart's delight. Absolutely amazing! As a side note, their flat noodles w/ beef is also very good! A nice complement to the soupy buns, so it's worth a try. And a side side note - don't expect great service. The service staff have limited english and care only about bringing you food, getting your money, and clearing your table all within 5 minutes if they could. Which, in most cases, isn't bad, but don't expect any memorable drunk conversations with the staff. At the very least, there's plenty of other drunk patrons that can fill up that void if need be (these conversations make great stories, trust me).
(5)Al G.
Make sure the lobster is cooked. It was jelly like...we asked for it to be cooked some more...then got attitude from the head guy and reheated (still jelly clear) lobster. The biggest issue was the overall filthyness overall. Try other options first.
(1)Celin W.
3.5 stars. Tried two dishes here. The shanghai soup dumplings (xiao long bao) which was very good! Rich, juicy, the skin wasn't too thick, and very flavorful. Tasted very legtimate and I was impressed. A 4 star kind of soup dumpling. I think it's slightly (very marginally) better than dumpling house and Taiwan's cafe soup dumplings, BUT so slight that I'm good with eating at the other two places too. Also had the shui zu yu (hot sauce fish / szechuan fish). While it came in an impressive metal bowl with a small fire at the bottom, it really was not that tasty. Here I can firmly say that dumpling house (cambridge)'s fish is much better. Gourmet dumpling's fish is also better. The fish here wasn't bad by any means, decent, though overcooked (too soft), just lacking in the szechuan punch. Hence reducing the rating to 3.5 instead of 4. For those who know Han Dynasty, Han's fish is definitely way better. Again, Dumpling Cafe is very decent, service efficient , menu extensive, and looked very popular on Friday night. Not sure I would go back for anything else other than the xiao long bao.
(3)Jake L.
4 stars for the soup dumplings alone (they'd surely be 5, but the rest of the experience just didn't quite deserve it)! Those were amazing, and we will definitely come back just for those. The rest of the food was average - I've had much better Chinese food (though I've had worse as well). I'd recommend coming for the dumplings though, I could definitely have made a meal out of them, and forgot about the Vegetable Lo Mein, Stir Fry Beef Noodles, Scallion Pancakes and Chicken Peking Style. None were bad by any means, but no stand-outs either. Also have to give props for taking my friend's severe peanut allergy into account. They were very accommodating.
(4)Lester L.
The location is very convenient, but there are definitely reasons why this restaurant only had a handful of people during a weekday lunch hour: the food is mediocre, the ambience is questionable, and the service is horrible. The scallion pancakes had the texture of cardboard. The soup dumplings were below average, at best. The menu is uninspired and doesn't have anything interesting or new to offset the mediocre quality. The staff was, for some reason, compelled to blast teenie bopper hits at a volume a tad too loud to ignore. Finally, the waitstaff never returned after dropping off my food: the small cup of tea I was given went by too quickly, and I could have easily used 2-3 refills during the course of the meal. I will not return to this place and would not recommend it.
(1)Lauren H.
(I think?) this is the only place in downtown Boston where you can get Xiao Long Bao. They're very tasty, most likely can rival New York's Chinatown dumplings. It's a small cramped space, but the table turnaround is quick so you're not waiting for long if it's crowded. In addition to having their Xiao Long Bao, I also had their Ox Tail soup which was great! Nice and collageny, just the way I like it. My S.O. at the time had their egg drop soup which he enjoyed, not much to note about anything else since we only came here for a quick snack. Well worth it though.
(5)Clara L.
Communication fail on this visit. After I ordered my delicious dinner and spent the prerequisite $20 to make a credit card payment, they brought the bill and when I showed the plastic, they told me cash only. Machine broken, no heads up, no signs on the door saying cash only, nada. Womp womp. Because I'm a jerk, I only had $15 in cash on me and I had to run out to get cash, which was super annoying. Delicious food still, but always be prepared to pay cash here is the lesson I'm taking from this visit
(2)Emily A.
I'd been here once before when the line at GDH was too long. Got the soup dumplings and fried pork and leek dumplings and they were great-on par with anything else in Chinatown. And I was with my friends, having a great time, so in our good humor we kinda laughed off the bad service. Even when the waitress spilled water on me and my friends when refilling our glasses, and refused to speak to us or look us in the eye, we let it go. Didn't seem that bad. I couldn't really ignore the terrible service today. The food I had this time around was not good at all. Don't get the mango chicken. It's artificial tasting, too sweet, and doused with sauce. Also the bubble tea is icy. Obviously their specialty is the dumplings, so I don't hold it against them that my entree was subpar. Especially considering the size of their menu-it's hard to make 9 pages' worth of excellent, invariably delicious meals. Once again, the waitstaff was aloof, cold, and blatantly uninterested in common courtesy. I've never been the type to get mad at unfriendly waitresses. I don't expect them to crap rainbows or radiate warmth. But actual eye contact and verbal communication would be swell, so I know that they've heard me. TL;DR If you're gonna go, go in a good mood with a big group. And stick to the dishes they're famous for.
(2)Elaina C.
great place! we stopped by on a thursday night around 9:30 PM and mostly all the other restaurants in Chinatown were closed but this one was bustling. It was packed and we even had to wait a few minutes. We got the chicken wonton soup which was great but the dumplings are AMAZING! we got the pork ones and the meat inside was so flavorful and tasty... I definitely recommend! reasonable prices as well
(4)Tanya Y.
Fun fact. On a recent busy night we were seated at a larger round table with people we did not know. By the end of yet another amazing meal (btw. convinced that Dumpling Cafe has the best soupy dumplings in Chinatown!), the boyfriend and I became acquainted with a mirror image couple of us! We shared food, travel stories, and ended up talking with these strangers for an additional hour or so even after we were done with our meal. Cheers to good food and good company!
(4)Yang L.
If there is a no star option, I will definitely choose that. The waitresses are very rude in this restaurant. And the food is just so so. I will never never go to this restaurant again....
(1)Xiaowan W.
Food is just OK. I wanna talk about their service. Last time i signed the bill and paid about 14% tips, cause the service was pretty average or say " not good". The waitress who was about 40 years old, rushed to my dining table and forced me to resign the bill and said " the lowest should be 15% tips", then she still stood there supervised me pay her enough tips, collected my plates without asking my opinions. Wow, thats sooo low.
(1)Andrew R.
Been here several times, and it's hit or miss. Sometimes the food is amazing, sometimes it's perfectly mediocre. I'd mention particular dishes, but I've felt this ambivalence about them too. It's good, and I haven't found better in Chinatown, but it's not amazing.
(3)Judith M.
This place just continues to amaze with excellent food, fantastic staff and unbeatable prices. Every single thing we've ever ordered has come out fast, hot and DELICIOUS. I cannot get over how perfect their dumpling covers are, toothsome, tender, tantalizing. SO GOOD.
(5)Jimmy H.
Bad service server was so rude never came back and checked our meal food was very good also asked for a coke then he came back and slamed the soda on the table i know some times others have a bad Day but never been treated so rudely..
(1)M M.
My friend from Taiwan ordered for me, so I'm not sure exactly what the dishes were called, but I believe we had the pork soup dumpling. You nibble a hole in the dough and slurp out the incredibly rich broth...wow! Beef noodle soup had incredibly tender beef and rich, delicious broth. I stole a bite of a dish that looked like beef with chinese broccolli(?). Sorry to be scattered on the dishes, but I suspect that just about anything you get here is going to be great! The teacups are large and they left the teapot for us on the table. seating is elbow to elbow, but that's Chinatown - embrace it!
(4)T D.
First time eating the pork soup dumplings (mini juicy pork buns/xiao long bao), and they were DELICIOUS. Somewhat of an art to eat and not burn your mouth or spill the delicious broth inside, but definitely worth it. My whole table just ordered the dumplings. 6 dumplings per order. One member of our party ordered 2 orders for himself, and he said he could have eaten more! Service was okay, and restaurant ambiance was typical Chinatown, but everything is quickly forgotten once the dumplings arrive.
(4)Dan G.
Unfriendly staff, but what do you expect in Chinatown on a busy Friday night around 11? Anyways, the place is small, but we didn't have to wait for very long for a seat. You will most likely share a long table with others. Whatevs. We ordered the soup dumplings which were sooo delicious. I've never had them, but they are delicious little pouches filled with broth and spiced meat. LOVE it. We also ordered chicken terriyaki meatballs which we were surprised at how yummy they were and how much they give you, garnished with a green vegetable along the side. Yup, I will definitely go again when I am in the mood for dumplings but all the dim sum places are closed!
(4)Wael B.
Food and dumpling were good. The bubble tea was okay. Only reason I gave it 3 stars the wait staff was rude and very slow and they messed up our orders twice. We had constantly flag them to order food and even ask for water that we didn't even get at the beginning when we sat in our table.
(3)Shabby D.
This place is amazing. It makes up for ALL the terrible Chinese food places in this city. The soup dumplings are to die for and the eggplant with chicken is the most amazing dish I have ever eaten. The scalion pancakes, wontons and chicken low mein and also amazing!! I could eat here everyday. Aaaaammmaaazzzing food!!
(5)Luigi S.
Basic. Ordinary hot and sour soup. blah dumplings. decent squid. busy weekend in town but felt like just going through the motions with the menu. good tea. friendly service
(2)Francesco R.
Every time I come to Boston this is the place I wanna go first. I think today I have paid my 5 visita since Juky. Their food is scrumptious and compensate the rudeness of the service, the only reason why I didn't give them a 5 star rating. Who cares about the service when the food is great?!? Today we had chicken with eggplants, my favorite dish, different types of dumplings ( another must order dish) scallion pancakes, spring rolls and fried chicken all our orders were delicious
(4)Andrew Q.
Good xiao long bao have become increasingly easy to find in America, but I love them all the same. Dumpling Cafe has shorter lines and still solid dumplings. Their other dishes are likewise solid. Prices are generous, though portions are surprisingly small for a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant has a crowded layout, and even saying that is being generous. I'm a skinny bastard, and I could barely squeeze past other tables to mine. Service is fine for me, but I speak Mandarin, so I might have in-roads. It's a bit difficult to get their attention though; I occasionally have to pull the potentially insulting hand wave. So it goes, I suppose. I like this place if only for the vastly shorter wait time. Solid food, but not necessarily my first choice in Boston's rather saturated Chinatown.
(4)Wei S.
Went there yesterday afternoon around 4pm. It was not busy. Waiter was okay and the food is fine. Juicy buns tasted a little bit sour which are not suppose to be like that. But the hostess in pink was terrible! She sat by the dinning table for the entire time playing her phone. She saw us after we entered the restaurant, but she decided to stick her butt there and not to greet us. We thought she was a customer at the very beginning. The same thing happened to another couple too. No body in the restaurant helped so they got had to find the table by themselves. It's not a welcoming restaurant.
(2)Sophie P.
Great dumplings!!! It's not much of an experience here, well what can you expect when it's in Chinatown? The servers are really quick in taking your order and bringing out the food. Things to get: Pork and leek soup dumplings Pork buns (not like modern pork buns between a fluffy bun but in a twisted top dumpling) Both for only $14! Hard to find deals like this in Boston.
(3)Luci N.
Went here last night for food and boy was it delicious! Scallion pancake is not oily and the mayo shrimp was the best I've ever they put the right amount of mayo I love it and will come back for more food!
(5)Jiyea C.
Yummy xiao long bao. DO NOT GET BOBA HERE. IT IS POWDERY AND GROSS. These are the only two things I tried here so I can't on much else. Service was kind of inattentive, but it wasn't bad.
(4)Isabella G.
Don't get me wrong the food is good, and always fresh. But the customer service is seriously lacking. The waiters are unfriendly and I always seem rushed when I go, whether if it's with a group or alone. Whenever I go in they always seem to have a problem taking cards, and it gets really annoying. I would consider this place cash only. But back to the food- I always get the wonton soup. It's very good! The broth is very flavorful, but light, and amazingly clear for the flavor it has! It also has raw spinach that has become freshly wilted from the warm broth, so it's still a little crunchy. Yeah, I'm into it. Oh! And the wontons themselves, are really good! The dumpling skin never breaks, and the stuffing has a lot of flavor as well. I would consider the prices fair, and even a little on the high side. I'm used to large portions at Chinese restaurants and really getting a bang out of your buck. But the portions aren't that large, especially if you want to dine family style. They have a good lunch combo deal though!
(3)Meghan S.
SERVICE IS HORRIBLE! I have never had such rude waitresses as I did here. Food was okay, but the experience makes me never want to come back.
(1)Chris M.
I really wish metro Detroit was a dumpling town but while I wait for this to happen I have Dumpling Cafe in Boston. Steamed or Fried, simple or crazy they have them all. They have a very large menu with just about everything on it. Be prepared to wait and when you are seated be ready to make friends because they pack you into whatever seat is open. Only downside is that the place is a bit warm but its a small price to pay for a great soup dumpling.
(5)Megan D.
The mini juicy buns with pork. That is all. Nothing else matters.
(5)Andrea B.
Don't come between me and my soup dumplings, unless you want to die. Is that an exaggeration? Not really. I may be a huge slob when I eat them, but regardless, I mean business! Day or night, there is no time that I will say no to a soup dumpling invite. I don't care if it is 80 degrees out and I just came from an intense workout, I will still want soup dumplings! And yes, I have done that, by the way. They are the most wondrous things that I went far too long without ever trying. And let me tell you, Dumpling Cafe is where you want to go to pop your soup dumpling cherry. It's seemingly always busy, and it is open until 2 A.M., in case you live nearby and get a craving. Thanks to some expert guidance from Annie C (thanks, girl!), I got a crash course in soup dumpling consumption. Place a dumpling on your spoon with the pair of tongs that are provided. Add soy sauce if desired (I personally feel like the dumplings are tasty enough that any additional sauces are rendered unnecessary). Then, take a tiny bite out of your dumpling so that you can slurp out the soup from inside! Be careful, it is HOT!! You will probably find that the soup is so delicious that you want to gobble the whole dumpling up in one bite, but I don't recommend it. Your poor burnt tongue and mouth will not thank you. Then, once the soup slurping is complete, you can proceed to eat the outside of the dumpling, as well as the meat. That's the part where I tend to get sloppy. But they're so good that I want to get them in my mouth (and belly) as fast as I possibly can, so manners tend to fly out the window. I've tried the pork soup dumplings and the ones with pork and crab meat, and found that I prefer the former. The crab meat didn't really do much to add to the flavor. All of the above may seem obvious to you, but as a total newbie, that lesson was much appreciated! I've tried a variety of other dishes here, none of which were all that memorable by comparison (except the scallion pancakes, which are excellent). Everything is reasonably priced, and more than reasonably delicious, so Dumpling Cafe has quickly become my favorite spot in Chinatown. Oh, and random tip for people who are like me and prefer to pay with plastic at restaurants - they accept credit cards, but if you're looking to split the bill, they won't divide it up between more than two cards. Plan accordingly. Bring cash if you're with a bigger party!
(5)Ann K.
Mini juicy pork buns = mini juicy pork bombs! They are packed with so much flavor, and if you're not careful, they'll explode and gush everywhere. Get the buns. Delicious. The 'special mustard greens with edamame bean curd sheet' is also a nice salty treat. And bacon lovers, try the grilled pork teriyaki, which is essentially fat, juicy bacon on a stick!
(5)Pat F.
I like to go there for the juicy steam dumpling, and pork chop noodle. Went there a few times with my friends. The atmosphere was fine, food was good, but the service was terrible. The wait staffs were so rude, and not very helpful.
(2)Gyumin L.
Their food was okay, but okay does not mean it's great. It was average for a Chinese restaurant. One thing I want to mention here is their horrible service. My waitress was very unpleasant, seemed like she was very irritated at something which made my last couple hours in Boston very uncomfortable. She did not even smile once, and she kept talking to me in Chinese even though I told her that I do not understand her and constantly answered her back in English. It is usually understandable situation, especially at busy Chinese restaurant, but her impoliteness was just enough to make me feel horrible and go sign up for Yelp to write a review. Tea was never refilled, bill was given even before I finish the half of my dumplings, then forced me to move my stuff over; I know, I can definitely do that, not a big deal, but she could ask me first instead of just bringing people in without a word. I'm definitely not going to recommend this restaurant to anyone, and I believe no one deserves this kind of service.
(1)Seth C.
Seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the service here. To borrow a phrase: Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown. I've eaten at a lot of the little spots in Chinatown, and the service is usually indifferent at best. Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't really know. Luckily there's an easy solution to this problem: Order the soup dumplings. You're at Dumpling Cafe, after all. ...although they're called something like "mini juicy buns" on the menu. While you are eating these ungodly delicious dumplings, you will cease to care about the level of service, or about anything else in the world. Except how badly you've just burnt your mouth maybe, so either be patient and careful, or suck it up and flag down that inattentive waitress for more water and beer. Fewer and shorter waits for a table than at Gourmet Dumpling House. Calibrate your expectations about service and atmosphere, and order correctly, and you will not be disappointed.
(5)Idy T.
For a restaurant named Dumpling Cafe, it is surprising that dumpling selections only consisted a small part of the menu. Nevertheless, the dumpling is so good and juicy! I tried the xiao lung bao, pan seared dumpling, and taiwanese sausage. The xiao lung bao was so juicy! The skin for the dumpling with thin and perfect. I don't like it when the skin is too thick. The juice in the xiao lung bao was full of flavor. It was really delicious. The pan seared dumpling was also pretty good. But I wished that they seared the dumpling a little more. I like it when it is a little crispier. The taiwanese sausage is also really good. I like taiwanese sausage because it is a little on the sweeter side in comparison to chinese sausages. The service here is not that great but it is what one expects eating at a Chinese restaurant. I would come back again for their xiao lung bao. I highly recommend it. But be careful to not burn your tongue when you eat it because when it is fresh out of the steamer, it is super hot!
(4)Michelle C.
Updated review: Another bad experience at Dumpling Cafe. The vegetable dumplings, stuffed only with a chopped green veg., were tasteless. But they did have an unexpected crunch--of sand or grit. Apparently the greens had not been washed. The waitress offered to exchange these dumplings for chicken dumplings, but the mgr. vetoed this gracious offer. Poor customer relations. BTW, the tea is just yellow water, and the soup had no taste except salty. I don't understand why this restaurant is so popular. First review: The roast beef pancake looked so good at the next table - golden brown, looked crispy. But the 'roast beef" was inedible. It was all gristle. I complained to the waitress, who referred me to the cashier. She apologized, said something like it was an unusual occurrence. No offer to waive the cost. Then she short-changed me a few cents. After I asked to see the bill, she gave me the rest of the change.
(1)Donna S.
I love the mini juicy pork buns and will eat the entire order myself. Service is not the greatest but the prices and food make up for it. Other good options are the noodles with minced pork in black bean sauce
(4)Collins F.
My Taiwanese friend swears by this place. The food is quick, good, hot, tastey and has a great price. I usually get the dumplings and some rice with a beer. I wish they had a full bar, but I'll take it. It's location is great because you can find some watering holes near by after for a night cap. I love that I never feel full after eating here - meaning more room for adult beverages.
(4)Mary T.
I have been here a couple of times and ordered their xiao lung bao (soup dumplings), dumplings, and other items on their menu. I like all of the items that I have tried so far. The beef noodle soup is one of the best in Chinatown. The crab meat xiao long bao is very fresh and juicy. The service is not bad either. This is my go-to place for late night cravings of chinese food!
(4)Patrick C.
One of the better places in Chinatown for soup dumplings. The food here is very good, but god almighty is the service absolutely abysmal. With waitresses walking away as they take your order, taking the order incorrectly, never checking up/refilling drunks, and picking up plates as you're still eating, be ready for a pretty awful service experience. I've tried very hard to like this place, but the two times I've been here, the service has been consistently bad.
(3)Kirsti G.
My husband & I decided to try Dumpling Cafe after we had heard from our friends over and over again about how good it was. We were searching for some NYC worthy soup dumplings & this is the spot! They were very good, much better than we had tried at other places in Chinatown. We also got the stir-fried beef & veg noodles, they were just as good or even better than the dumplings! Would definitely recommend anyone who is visiting to order the noodles. 4 stars because the service was poor.
(4)Francisca W.
heard mixed reviews about this place and, as someone who usually errs on the safe side, never was tempted to try -- especially when there are already TWO known places within a single foot hop distance that guarantee good quality of similar food. but since a friend who has been was recommending, the adventurous spirit in me agreed to give it a shot. sat down and instantly wanted to complain about a waitress (it so appears they work as a team without dedicated tables). the 3 of us were seated at a table of 4 but all the tables were flushed against each other to make a super long table. there was a group of 2 sitting next to us at another 4-seater. friend decided to ask if she could put her pocketbook on the empty chair next to this couple instead of putting it on our 4th empty seat. the couple agreed graciously, but I don't know what this waitress was staring at her for, even trying to glance into her bag...maybe see what valuables in there that made her need to keep it close? regardless, it's none of your biz, and that nasty expression on your face did not make a good first impression. don't you worry, when this couple leaves, I'll make sure I grab my friend's bag back to our side so you can seat other customers. (Turned out we left first so kinda a moot point - her expression, that is.) then the same waitress came to take our order. i was glad that pretty much was the last time i had to deal with her. the other waitresses that came to our table afterwards was more friendly...probably a reason why they still got the usual tip. we were not hungry (after 4-6 ice cream at scooper bowl, one tends not to), so we ordered 2 things of dumplings, a hot and spicy soup, and a braised beef soup noodle. none of that impressed me. dumplings was bordering on tasteless; braised beef was not tender and flavor was ok (who knows if they're using packaged soup base?). the hot and spicy soup was probably good in the winter time as it was soooo spicy it made us all sweat and killed all our tastebuds -- maybe that's how it's supposed to be so i'm not complaining. i just got a soda and soldiered on. place was starting to fill up even for a week night...i see why they had to do that long table setup (fit one more table at the end to generate more revenue;.flexible for bigger parties), but i don't really appreciate that. I know the other two dumpling places are cramped in their own ways, but at least I would suck it up and return for their food. this one...between the wait staff attitude and food quality, i'm not quite sure when, if ever.
(3)Shin M.
My family comes here every time we visit my sister in Boston. We always order a lot of food because there's so many of us. I'm an ABT so I don't know the names of most things so I will just put what I can remember. Ching Tsai- it's good, but it needs more oyster sauce! Xiao long bao- This is pretty good, especially with the vinegar/soy sauce! There was some kind of fried lobster dish... the seasoning was really good Beef chow fun- not much taste to it but I still loved the texture of the flat noodles That's all I can really remember and name off the top of my head... Every time we come, we have reservations but it takes forever to get a table even with the reservation. They even sat us at a round table with 3 other people who were near finishing their meal... awkward.... they need to get this part straight. Also, my mom tipped a certain amount (don't remember how much, let's say $30) and the server went up to her and said "Hey, this is not X%, you need to tip 1 more dollar!".............................. REALLY???? You gotta chase after $1? And how rude of you to even ask??? I would've given this a 4 star for its food but it gets a 2 star because of the poor reservation process and that extremely rude server.
(2)Stefan B.
Really good for being in Boston. Boston just seems super white and I was shocked they even had a place for xiao long bao here... Din Tai Fung is better. The broth tastes kinda... Less brothy and more soupy here than dtf. Like they added salt or powder or something to this one. Plus the skin is a little too thick. But it's still good. It will appease your cravings. Plus I think they put more soup here. The dtf ones are more delicate. Stingy with black vinegar and ginger... Service is meh but it's a popular Chinese place... Popular places are bad service and Asians always have bad service (as an Asian I can say this) Totally exceeded my expectations :+) I thought boston was just white people who like dunkin donuts and red Sox and patriots... I mean it still is but they have this! Pro Lots of soup Good xlb for being in bawston Con Not as good as dtf (soup inside taste less natural) Service meh (but popular + Asian is not a good combo so you should know this) Wait (only 5 mins when I was there but it can be bad)
(4)Monique S.
I came here with a friend who ordered everything. We had rice noodles, with chicken, a variant of spinach, and soup dumplings. She made great choices and was able to communicate in the same language as the waiters with ease. The food came out quickly and was very filling. As I ate my lunch, I realized I was there before. This place stays open, and I ended up here after midnight one night. I was not happy with the sesame chicken I had that time, but this time made up for it all.
(4)Raymond M.
The service blows, it's Chinatown. If you expect it you'll only be disappointed. So brush that aside as they brush you aside (see what I did there?) and you will be ok. Focus on the food! I always get the mini juicy pork buns. They're supposed to be a bun but most people see it as a dumpling. Sometimes I get two orders along with a few other things. I have the most experience with the Szechuan Style Founder and those juicy bun/dumplings. I like the fish, it goes well with a side of white rice. I've been to a few places that make this I don't have a preference but the sauce base is more liquidy than other places that make it thicker. I'm not into the soupy part of it as I only eat the fish and the peppers so it doesn't bother me. Careful with the juicy buns when hot. It's like molten lava if you attempt to eat it whole or even just suck up the juices. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before attempting to eat. Most important part!! Don't tear the skin! it'll all leak out and it won't be the same! Put it on the soup spoon they give you and you now have a choice to make. Either bite a small hole in the side of it and suck the juices out and then eat the dumpling or just put the whole thing in your mouth like a savage and munch away! It'll be like a big gusher and this is why it's important it's not scalding hot anymore because if it is, you're gonna have a bad time.
(4)Alex A.
Last time I went out to this place with two friends, we consumed something like 12 orders of soup pork buns between the three of us. No shit. Seriously, this place is great. To this day, I don't understand why there isn't a crowd of people numbering in the hundreds gathered outside this place every day, cheering each time the doors open. It's seriously that good, and if you know anything about Chinese food in Boston, you owe it to yourself to go here and pig out like a disgusting piece of shit at least once. It's sort of a rite of passage.
(5)Erin T.
3.5 stars The food is ok. The only reason I come to this place is because their juicy dumplings. I can't say much for other dishes but the last time I had the "house special clams & pork w/chives" and "spicy calamari" they are a bit salty for my taste( so is the juicy dumplings) I would come back but not as much as I would like since I am not a big fan of "sharing table" with strangers.
(3)Paul W.
The soup dumplings are to die for!
(5)Jason B.
Dumpling Cafe: widely regarded as the best restaurant for soup dumplings in Boston. This would be reason enough to come here. But fortunately for us, there is a whole menu full of stuff here that constitutes "reasons to come to Dumpling Cafe"! They'll accommodate a whole group of folks for a birthday dinner, which is good, because Dumpling Cafe was where we went for my recent 3X'th birthday (which is what I'm calling it now.) The beef with longhorn peppers is a huge win, especially combined with scallion panckaes. The vegetables & garlic are fantastic, the oyster pancake...my god, I sound like Emily G. That's for good reason - we let her order for the table when we came here because she knows her Dumpling Cafe! Soup dumplings with black vinegar are the winningest of winnings. I don't know how to be more effusive with my praise of the lovely food here, so I'll compliment the servers - they're attentive and quick with refills of the lovely giant cans of Sapporo. Hooray for Chinatown!
(5)Kimberly Y.
We have been here several times now. The food is pretty good. The service OK, which is pretty high for Chinatown standards. We mainly come here for the XLB which we like better than the other XLB place in Chinatown. They also have some good rice plate deals like the pork chop over rice and chicken drumstick and thigh over rice that is reminiscent of a whole in wall place I used to frequent in NYC's Chinatown that is no longer there. But this place is much cleaner! Good food and good prices. Can't beat that!
(3)Joyce D.
If I could give this place no stars, I would! This has got to be the worst restaurant I have ever been to! The food was not great and it was very oily. The service was horrible and the waitresses were very rude. No one wanted to give recommendations as to what to eat. You're probably wondering...so why did you stay? Well, it was late and we were tired from walking all day and this was one of the closest places open near out hotel. Anyway, we ordered the rice with egg, noodles with chicken and various dumplings. The waitress took her time taking our order and then it took longer for the food to come out. The food when it arrived did not look that appealing. The noodles were oily and the rice was still a bit hard. The dumplings were okay, but the waitress did not tell us which was which and she gave us our dumpling sauce late. The place is somewhat clean. It looks very run down and could use an upgrade. The customer service is beyond horrible! The waitresses are not helpful and they even tip themselves! I bet they do that because of how horrible their service is! You know what, I should have crossed it out and put a big fat zero and gave them a real tip... "treat your customers well for money tips!".
(1)Todd K.
there are so many amazing restaurants in Chinatown. This is not one of them. I must have picked a bad day on Tuesday. The ma po tofu was almost inedible. Not sure what the vintage was of the gelatinous, too salty, very nasty sauce, but it took a day to get the taste from my tongue. This was not some local specialty, as I've had ma po tofu in many different restaurants many times before and didn't think that it was something that could be mangled, but they did. I wouldn't describe it as spicy, it was simply gross. The dumplings were mediocre - not thoroughly steamed and as a result, crunchy at some of the seams, and nothing special. Service was disengaged - they never came by to ask how it was.
(1)Emily G.
The soup dumplings are still the best, but I'd be remiss if I didn't update my review to talk about all the other things Dumpling Cafe does well. That's right, this place ain't no one trick pony, almost everything on the menu is a winner. If you found yourself dining with weirdos who didn't want XLB, order some twice cooked pork, beef with longhorn peppers, flounder in chili sauce, mixed vegetables with garlic, pork and leek dumplings, the Taiwan style rice cake, the oyster pancake with gravy (plus a steamer of soup dumplings for yourself), and some tallboys of Sapporo so everyone will leave happy and full. Then you can go find new friends - friends who don't say ridiculous things like "no soup dumplings."
(5)Zhongbing Q.
Just let you know, this restaurant charged 18%Tips by theirselves without a warning. The service is absolutely no good, never ask what else do you need and even not full fill your water. The last thing, be careful with the back of your credit card, one waiter there like turn your card over even he is not the guy charge for money. The restaurant has the in front desk person do the payment, I was ask him what is so interesting and why you need look the back of my card? (If it is the signature, I think it is the business for the in front desk person)
(1)Jessica W.
I've tried Dumpling Cafe, Taiwan Cafe, and Gourmet Dumpling House. I LOVED Dumpling Cafe. The soup dumplings were actually better than Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe. The skin was much thinner!!!! However, I thought the actual meat and soup in the soup dumplings were a little salty.. but still the best I've had in Boston! We also got the beef wrapped in scallion pancakes which was even better than taiwan cafe. The scallion pancake is less oily, but still just as delicious. We also got the pork over rice dish which was really good as well. Will definitely be stopping by this when I'm craving my Taiwanese dishes next time :)
(5)Kandi A.
I came strictly for the dumplings at this place. The veggie were to die for and then my life was forever changed when I tried my first soup dumpling. I will never be the same. Also ordered satay chicken and veggies. It was pretty good but over salted. That's the only downfall of this place.
(4)Jillian W.
I came here for lunch with my mother on a weekday around 1PM. I have to say that this is the worst restaurant in Chinatown. The restaurant wasn't that busy and yet the service was still unacceptable. Not only that, the food wasn't that good either. We ordered soup dumplings and it came out in literary a couple of minutes after ordering. Usually it takes around 15 to 20 minutes to make so you know that something was not right. Also, the waitress didn't give us any sauce for it and when we asked for it, she rolled her eyes and walked away and brought it to us. You know the dumplings comes with it so don't act like we're asking for something extra. 10 minutes into lunch the dumplings became cold and inedible. We also ordered a mustard green and pork soup dish with rice cake. They cooked it instead of putting it in soup. We tried to explain that we ordered the soup version but she again scoffed at it and said that we didn't order it that way. Seriously, what the f*** is her problem?? So we just finished our meal (not enjoyable at all) and paid the bill. Before leaving we put the tip on the table and immediately our waitress came over and grabbed it on the spot and left! No thank you, no smile, nothing! Can I say what a total b****? That was the only time she actually moved fast. Yeah...not coming back even if you offer to treat. To the "waitress", if you don't like your job, just quit, nobody is forcing you to stay there. You want the money, you have to EARN it. Would not waste time and money with this restaurant. If you want dumplings, I would just over another 5 minutes to either Gourmet Dumpling or Taiwan Cafe.
(1)Madelyn Y.
The juicy pork buns are to DIE for! I was introduced to this place and he told me to dip the bun into the sauce and place it on your spoon. Bite the top off slightly so you can air out the bun and sip on the soup that is on the inside. DELICIOUS! Other than that, I don't quite remember anything else that's why I gave it a 3 stars. If I had to rate the bun alone it would have been 5 stars. :D
(3)Graceypoo M.
one of my favorite places to get XLBs soup and filling are both flavorful. If you order to go, they make sure to enclose the ginger dipping sauce. the crab rangoon is freshly made and the filling has more complex flavor than just plain cream cheese with imitation crab. They add some seasonings that add an extra special-ness to the rangoon. the beef scallion pancake is not that great.... so I just stick to the XLBs. tip: minimum $20 for credit card use and no more than 2 credit cards when splitting the bill. there is an ATM across the street near tufts. It's always better to pay in cash!
(4)Madeleine Q.
Great soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and other Taiwanese dishes! I recommend getting the pork and not pork + crab meat. They do not add any crabmeat inside the soup dumplings and you end up paying extra for a speckle of orange-ish crab meat on top. They also have great shrimp, egg and tomato dish, a great selection of Chinese vegetables, eggplant in black bean sauce, and fancy spicy fish stew. Even with a large group, we are seated within 15-20 minutes on a busy day. They are quick and efficient. This is far better than the dumpling house in Cambridge.
(4)Lily Z.
The service is the only thing I complain about. The waiters could be a little more friendly, and less rushed. The food here is so good and comforting. I traveled tip Hangzhou a couple years back and ate xiao long bao. Dumpling Cafe is the closest thing to Hangzhou ive eaten since that trip. They're so good and I recommend the pork with crab xlb because the crab adds extra flavor. Just be careful because the soup is so hot. Also, order them first because they take longer to cook. The pan fried noodles with beef are also delicious. The crispy noodles with the sauce are so so good, and the texture is great too. I haven't tried the other meats because I love the sauce on the beef. (Not sure if its the same for chicken and seafood.) Their chicken with asparagus in satay sauce is the only other thing I tried here and it's delicious as well. The asparagus is the huge stalk kind, but its not too bad. The sauce and chicken is what is the yummy part. The chicken is moist and not rubbery at all. Give this place a chance!! Just make sure to get ginger in the shoyu sauce for the dumplings. Only lost a star because of service
(4)Vicky H.
I've tried this place many times. The food isn't always consistent so sometimes it's great while other times it's just bleh. I like coming here because their prices are more reasonable then others, plus they take credit card, which also helps. I've had many of their dishes: xiao long boa (reg and crab based) -- prefer the crab based. pork and leek dumplings - tastes better pan fried. veggie dumplings spicy beef noodle soup Taiwan Style Hot And Sour Soup -- this was good, the perfect amount of hotness. pork and green mustard with nin go - this is one of my fave dishes. strips of pork with mustard green stir fried with nin go. salt fish and diced chicken fried rice yang chow fried rice Sauteed Julienned Dried Bean Curd with chinese celery & peppers - there wasn't much bean curd in it which was somewhat of a disappointment. There was more sauce then veggies. (spicy) -- it said it was but i didn't feel much difference. Ma Po Tofu- vegetarian - this was a really nice dish. I liked it more than the Julienned bean curd. (spicy) -- where was the spice? next time i will know to ask them to add more spice to it. Taiwan Style Braised Eggplant - we ordered this but i don't think people liked it as much as they thought. There were still several pieces left. Perhaps they were too full to finish it. I didn't try it since I am not a huge fan of eggplants. One of my fav's is the xiao long boa because it's steaming hot and the juice inside tastes so good. You'd just have to be extra careful because it literally squirts out and can hit another person. PLUS, often it's super hot so you don't want to burn your tongue and not be able to eat anything else. The only thing i do not really care for, is the service. Much like many places in Chinatown, if you're a "westerner" you will feel that service is somewhat lousy and subpar. But, if you're used to this because you're an "easterner" then it's easier to accept that this is just how it is and that isn't going to change. This is no P.F. Chang's, that's for sure. If service was a bit better, I can definitely see a 4 Star. I will still continue to come here though - because it's one of a few places that opens late and the food isn't crazy greasy.
(3)Kevin C.
I have been to almost every restaurant in Chinatown, and this one is the best by far! It is very cheap, the service is lightning fast, and all the dishes are impressively authentic and delicious. Perfect for late night, stays open way into the early hours beb. The mini juicy dumplings with pork and the duck buns are insane, I think I had them four times one week.
(5)Di L.
Soup dumplings...*gurgle drool gurgle*... If Dumpling Cafe, no, if CHINATOWN served nothing but these babies, I would be wholly satisfied with my Chinese food experience in Boston. Ever since I sank my wee baby teeth into my first paper-thin xiao long bao wrapper and sucked out the rich, meaty dumpling soup, I've been in love. And when I moved to Boston, one of my top priorities was to find excellent soup dumplings to satisfy my intense and frequent cravings for them. For years, I scoured the city, frequenting restaurant after restaurant to no avail! Finally, I settled for the frozen packages at C-mart, which are actually quite good, and I thought I was satisfied. Then Dumpling Cafe opened. For me, they get five stars for their soup dumplings alone, but there is quite a bit more that this place has to offer. Dumpling Cafe offers a broad array of authentic Chinese dishes containing assorted meats and exotic vegetables showcased on a pristine menu unbesmirched by spell-check. I'm actually not a fan of their main dishes, but if you must get one, I recommend the ones with the strangest ingredients and/or the worst translation. I think their forte is definitely the appetizers and dumplings. The selection may be small, but each item is very well executed. Additionally, the restaurant itself is spacious and clean. The wait staff is quick and efficient, albeit not especially friendly (but this is Chinatown, folks. Come on.). They take reservations and cards, and serve alcohol into the late night hours. I also really like their complimentary tea. They serve you a large pot of this nutty, black tea that is different from the other restaurants, and is never over-steeped. I have to admit, I was initially skeptically, but now this restaurant is my go-to establishment for late-night Chinatown runs, which means that if it's 11pm and any of my friends mentions a) dumplings or b) Chinese food, we invariably end up here. It's definitely a great place to go to try something new, or to return to an old, comfortable favorite that tastes just like home.
(5)Congyi F.
Worst Chinese food in the US I have ever had. Comparing to the food here, Panda Express is way to decent. And we found hair in the dishes. No words to describe how bad this is.
(1)Steve L.
Unexpected GDH alternative! Discovering after a night of sport drinking that GDH was closed, followed some tourists into the Dumpling Cafe (DC?) for some fat and salt. Not sure if it was my state of mind, but the juicy pork dumplings were actually juicier than those at GDH, and certainly hit the spot. Only downside is that the ginger soy dipping sauce wasn't as pungent as that at its more renowned competitor, so overall quality felt similar. Service was fine - I went out of my way to be preemptively pushy about getting and paying for my food.
(4)Paul B.
Great xio long bao!
(4)Rachel L.
Came here after work, chose this place since the lady at Dumpling House shooed me away, again. Knew exactly, and had my heart set on the shredded beef with long horn pepper noodle soup. Entered, and there was a man, I assume worked there, sitting with his feet on a chair and with no shoes on. Lovely. Got seated. Placed our order, the noodle soup, mini pork dumpling, and shredded potato with pork. The soup was nice, had a good spicy kick to it and was flavorful. My date didn't really like the shredded potato with pork. Mini dumplings were okay. In the midst of eating, two other customers came in and was seated right next to us. Now let me say, the restaurant had soooooo many other seats opened. But no, the waitress had to put them right next to us. Made me really uncomfortable and it was pretty early on our meal. Quickly finished eating, paid and left. Somewhat to very hesitant to go back.
(2)Nick C.
I'd review this place as good overall--perhaps not the best Chinese place in Boston, but a good one. We were a little disappointed with the dumpling portions and our inability to flag down the wait staff for more than 2 seconds at a time, but the MaPo tofu that I ordered was cooked perfectly and the spice was awesome! Pros: Super tasty food, reasonable pricing, extensive menu with veg. options Cons: Dismissive service, ungenerous portions, crowded dining seating
(4)Angie S.
While visiting Boston, I wanted to eat in Chinatown, and Dumpling Cafe was just a short walk from my hotel. I shared the mini juicy buns with pork and was very pleased. They were slightly juicy and had a great ginger flavor. For my entree, I stuck with the old standard, sesame chicken and rice, and gobbled it up! Portions are huge, service is fast, the free tea is great and the food prices are reasonable. I would definitely return!
(4)Sharon Z.
The place is pretty popular even on a Thursday night. I tried Xiao Long Bao (Mini-bun) with crabmeat for the first time here yesterday, a soupy pouch of deliciousness. Also got pan-fried dumplings again, thin layer of dumpling skin, soft and seared to golden, generous amount of meat and chives to heighten the herbal flavor. The shanghai noodle and jelly fish appetizer is a little bit on the salty side, less impressive.
(4)Moses P.
I'm gonna share with you a secret. Gourmet Dumpling House = Taiwan Cafe = Dumpling Cafe. I know this because I asked the very nice lady at the cash register if the owner was making bank since the restaurant was packed and she replied, "Yes, he owns Gourmet Dumpling House and Taiwan Cafe so he makes lots of money!" I was surprised and so I asked, "Same menu?" She nodded her head. In conclusion- I know Gourmet Dumpling has Kate Hudson's face on the wall and a ton of hype because of the lines but if you want amazing soup dumplings, spicy flounder stew, beef with julienne peppers, and crappy service WITHOUT waiting in line, go to Dumpling Cafe!
(4)Nicole V.
Damn you Dumpling Cafe. Listen, I just wanted to come here and order mini juicy buns. I was perfectly happy with this standby. I was doing great with this song and dance. But then something happened. I gave up meat for Lent. This meant no soup dumplings despite the fact that I had out of town coworkers in who wanted XLB. So we ordered up a storm. Peapods in garlic and the ginger with garlic lobster were winners that night. I have no idea how much it cost (thanks, job) but there was so much food that we couldn't even finish it. Eating lobster with chopsticks wasn't easy for me, so I just went in with my hands. It was delicious and super messy. Pro tip: not only do they take credit cards, but they take Amex! Score! The other night we rolled in around 11:55pm on a Saturday. It was still Lent but damn those soup dumplings. At 12:02am I ate one. It was the first time I had broken it on a Sunday (which you are technically allowed to do) and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. Other than that we had more vegetables with garlic and some spicy fish dish. Apparently it isn't the same spicy fish dish Sarah had the first time, but it was delicious. I guess I'll just have to go back and try that one too. Damn bird. Damn Dumpling Cafe. Damn delicious.
(5)Teresa Z.
Will never go there anymore. Ordered lobster, paid for $50 for a small "incomplete" one. When they gave us the receipt, we were surprised to see that they already wrote the tip on it! 20% of tips for lunch for almost no service.
(2)Amanda Z.
Definitely my favorite dumpling place in Boston's Chinatown! Always head here when I'm in the area for both the soup dumplings and steamed dumplings. Soup dumplings are very hot - so definitely wait awhile after you've nibbled a bit of the skin to let the soup cool down a bit. Haven't ordered any side dishes with rice, but they look promising. Seating isn't too bad - definitely more space to walk around than many restaurants in Chinatown. During the dinner rush, you might have to split a table with some other customers. Overall, though, pretty good experience and I'll definitely continue going back.
(4)Daniel S.
I really enjoyed this place. Food was definitely a cut above the usual Chinese fare. We were served quickly, despite it being very crowded on a Saturday night.
(4)Jennifer T.
The food was flavorful, slightly on the salty side, but the portions were decent - we had enough for leftovers the next day. The xiao long bao (mini juice buns) had a lot of extra soupy juice in them, be careful to eat them with a spoon and not puncture them! My other fave dish of the night was the Taiwanese style chao nian gao (rice cake), if you like the flavor of stir fry dishes, I would recommend this dish. Another lighter (by comparison) dish was the Fu Zhuo style mei fen (rice noodle), which is a nice supplement to pair with other dishes, than a stand alone dish. We also got the black pepper beef, which was good, but definitely would have been better if you ordered a side of white rice to go with it. Unfortunately, one of my standby Taiwanese dishes, the beef noodle soup, was a bit lackluster for me. The dishes came out lightning fast, though the server seemed even more brusque than usual for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)R W.
The secret to good food at Dumpling House is not to have any of the dumplings. We made that rookie mistake and had the different dumplings and the shanghai dumplings. All were poorly made, freezer burned, and lacked the right al dente flour consistency one would expect of a dumpling house. Seafood dumplings were processed scrap meat and lots of flour The traditional fried dumplings were limp, almost microavaed XLB's lacked flavor, too much MSG, and the skin was wrong. That being said, the other dishes were decent. They really should change their name. Way too much MSG R
(1)Scott H.
Soup inside the dumplings?? Yes, Please! This place is amazing. I's never had Taiwanese food before but my sister is a big fan of this place so she took me here on a recent trip home. Great call! We ordered far more food than 3 people should eat, And all were delicious, but the dumplings were indeed the star of the show. Heres what we ordered: Dumplings: There is a special way to eat these. Use the tongs to grab the dumpling from the top and place it on your soup spoon. poke a hole in the bottom of the dumpling to let the broth seep out into your spoon. Surp the broth all up and then devour the dumpling. Every stage of this will bring a smile to your face and happiness to your heart. Noodles with minced pork and black bean sauce: mmmmmm, so simple, yet so delicious. Beef with string beans: Huge beans and nicely cooked beef in a soy/garlic sauce. mmmm Scallion pancakes: These were incredible! Again, so simple yet so delectable. I see many reviews grumble about the service. It is what it is. Normal for most Asian restaurants. They make there money on high turnovers. They deal with rushes and yes, they are curt, but I wouldn't call them rude. The food is wonderful, the service quick and the cost is pretty cheap. I shall return.
(4)Nick N.
Food is cold and salty. Servers on cell phone speaking Chinese loudly and stare at you. Very unpleasant experience.
(2)Amelia C.
Delicious, and everything you want in a Chinatown eatery - efficient service, fresh and tasty dishes, and a wide-ranging, yet still true-to-the-cuisine selection. The soup dumplings were perfect - filled with soup and wrapped in a shell that doesn't break easily but also isn't chewy/thick. I would highly recommend the Szechuan flounder - the fish is lightly fried in batter, and served in a spicy broth over flames. The broth is not so spicy that it is inedible - and delicious if you pour a little bit of it over the rice. At $12.95 this dish is a real bargain. The stir-fried baby pea sprouts (dou-miao) were tender and sweet, as expected.
(5)Skye G.
The dumplings were outstanding. The greens were crisp and cooked to perfection. The hot and sour was a med spice...not crying hot but not mild either. The mini black bean clams were sweet and def on the list to reorder the next time.
(4)Thomas S.
This review is for soup dumplings only. We order both the pork and pork/crab versions for lunch. Both were really tasty, love the broth. We though that the soup dumplings were as good Joe's Shanghai in NYC if not better. My wife is thinking about getting some more for dinner.
(4)Norina N.
I've never impressed with Taiwanese food, but would give this place a try to see what the raves all about. here are what we had: Pork & crabmeat soup dumpling: tasty & flavorful, but the broth was salty. Pork chop with rice: crispy & lighty sweet. One thing I've noticed the difference between the chinese and taiwanese when they cooked the pork chop was: Chinese people made it salty & spicy, which I like, while Taiwanese made it sweet. Herbal ox tail soup: very small portion to go with the cost, oh yes, I was surpirsed when they brought it out, obviously just enough to feed one person. But the soup was good. Mince pork meat w/ shanghai noodle: honesty, when looking at the picture up here, I thought It would be very good and couldnt wait to try it. Turned out it's so disappointed, the noodle itself was alright, but the meat sauce they put on top smelled awfully strong, very weird smell that my bf and I couldnt stand it. We both tried 2 spoons and gave up. Service was efficient. I must say this place is no extraordinary compare to other Taiwanese restaurants.
(3)Alex S.
I don't come to Chinatown often. But when I do, I prefer Dumpling Cafe. You can't come to Dumpling Cafe an not order soup dumplings. Very flavorful and just the right amount of soup. For the main course, we decided to try two new dishes that sounded appealing. The first one was pork with shredded potato. We weren't sure how this would look/taste but we were very glad we ordered it. Even though the dish was pretty simple, it packed a lot of flavor. The green chili's were spicy but not too hot and added a unique element to the dish. I would definitely order this again. Next was the beef with cabbage. The beef tasted like pot-roast which is not what I was expecting but the flavors were all there. Overall, it was a pretty tasty meal and we were satisfied with our choices. This place is usually packed but if you go during the week you won't have to wait for a table. The service is what you would expect from any asian restaurant. Quick and straight to the point. For my complete review, check out my blog! thesuchef.org/2014/02/23…
(4)Katy K.
well 1 star is the lowest I can rate. The service is by far the worst ever. Never going back here. If you want to experience some rude service and be belittled this is the perfect place for it. The food isn't worth making up for their absolute shitty service.
(1)Mad I.
Let down by Bean Towns C town.... my second attempt brought me here, highly reviewed on yelp.. Had the shrimp scallion noodles, that was okay...for a noodle... Shrimp rolls, meh.... shumai, errrr.....icky Fried pork buns, stick to your gums and kinda good actually. So nowhere in this town are there hand drawn noodles?? Soo weird to me...
(3)Wei W.
Pros: - Closest to authentic xiao long bao in Boston's Chinatown. - Decent prices. - They take reservations (rare for these smaller restaurants to do so). - They dimmed the lights and played "Happy birthday" (Chinese-style) as the finale for our friend's birthday. - 10% off coupon on their website. Cons: - Crowded serving space (even the servers were having a hard time moving from table to table). - Confusion by the servers on which dishes belonged to whom. - Delays on water and tea refills. - Not the best food in the city (exception is their xiao long bao). - Long wait if you don't have a reservation. I might come back here for a pick-me-up after 5 hours at a nightclub, but other than that, you'll find me elsewhere for Taiwanese food.
(2)Kim Y.
The soup dumplings here are amazing! If you can only try one thing here then it has to be the juicy pork buns! Can be long waits though, but I take that as a good sign since they're always so busy. I recommend this place!
(4)Peter V.
Super tasty, nice service and eclectic menu! Traditional Chinese food in the heart of china town!
(5)Less H.
The dumplings were really soup filled and tasty. The other food we had was great as well. It was pretty cheap. Service was not great but wasn't horrifying either. Seating is a little odd and in some spots you'll share part of a long table with people you don't know. The smell coming out of the kitchen was strongly meat odored... Overall it was pretty clean. I'll be back.
(4)Saumil P.
This place suck!!! People are so rude here, I will never ever go again or recommend this place to anyone, and side note they charge you 18% service fee automatically even if you are alone. So they give you shitty service no matter and charge you 18% service fee( which is illegal in MA). Definitely writting a letter to Division of health inspections
(1)A. G.
Yummy soup dumplings.
(4)Coast To Coas T.
Great dumplings. Quite juicy so careful not to burn yourself. If you like xiao long bao this place will not disappoint. Maybe 2nd to Ding Tai Feng that I've tried. Really not a bad place considering it's in Boston where Asian food overall sucks compared to California. Don't be a noob like the 4 Spanish tourists who came in and all ordered orange chicken... It's called Dumpling Cafe for a reason. Order their dumplings.
(4)Adrienne R.
My favorite XLB in Boston! They have a thick skin (my fave) and are packed with flavor (and not too much ginger). The veggie noodle soup is excellent (noodles were al dente and the broth was tasty). I've had a better scallion pancake at Taiwan Cafe but the pickled cucumbers are tasty (not too much tang). Come here if you don't want the long waits of TC or GDH! Better atmosphere, too.
(5)jane x.
The place is always crowded which usually is a sign for tasty food with reasonable price. I've been there a few times, and the dishes have been consistently good-authentic! The food came out fast!! I have never seen the restaurant empty and it usually have people waiting at the door. The wait staff are usually under pressure thus the services isn't great but they did get the orders correctly and brought hot food promptly and it took no time to get the food wrapped and get the check. I would definitely go back.
(4)James R.
I usually give customer service people the benefit of the doubt, but this was the worst I have ever experienced. We were a party of 5 and they automatically charged 18% tip, and when I put 0.00 on top of the 18%, they complained. Also when they returned the slip, my card wasn't on the little tray. When I went up to the counter to ask for my card back, all 4 of the women fumbled around looking for it like I had never given them a card. They eventually found it wedged between the menu pile. THAT IS SKETCHY - It definitely felt like they were trying to rip me off. The food was good, but I would not want to deal with the service again.
(1)Diane H.
I've passed by this place a couple of times, and i've heard it was good from a couple of people...and decided today that we would come here to try, since my friend has been here twice and really liked the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). As a xiao long bao fanatic, i was up for trying so we went during dinner time, maybe 7pm? on a Saturday. It was packed! We waited about 5 mins for seats, for the four of us. We ordered two xiao long baos and each comes with 6. It was about 5.95$ per a order. The xiao long baos were pretty good for boston. I think it may be one of the best i've had in boston, as the skin was not too thick and it didn't rip like crazy when i went to eat it. They give you a, um, i think you can call this a clamp thing, so you can pick the dumpling up and put it on your spoon. Also, we got the taiwan style sauteed rice cake with veggies. i absolutely loveee ricecakes, so i had to try it here. It was very delicious! It's different than other rice cakes i've tried, mostly the flavour. But it's unique and I think that's good, since who wants to go to a place where it all tastes the same! It was $6.25. The next thing we got was the sauteed julienned beef with asparagus in sa-cha sauce $10.95. This dish was very good, maybe because i loveeee asparagus, there was a generous portion of asparagus and the beef was very flavourful and tasty/juicy and there was lots of sauce. We got two more dishes, but i can't remember what they're called. Both were spicy, one was chicken with eggplant, so maybe it was the braised chicken with eggplant? Im not a big fan of egg plant, so ehh, but the chicken was okay, a bit spicy. The other was pork and something with lots of those little circle peppers. The pork was good, and kinda spicy. Also we ordered a bowl of rice each. Overall, the experience was alright, i guess we shouldn't have ordered so much food, even with 3 guys, we had lots of leftovers. After tipping it was about 16$ or so each per a person. I think next time i come i'll js stick to the xiao long baos and some apps. But this place is great for family style as they have many different items on the menu. I think i like it more than the gourmet dumpling house.
(4)Kimmy U.
-There's usually a long line that I don't think is worth it =\ -I would probably only come back here for the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) Don't get me wrong, it's a decent Chinese restaurant, but I think I'd rather try other places, especially if I didn
(2)David L.
It was good but I think if I had gone with a Taiwanese person I know I would have gotten more out of the menu. I know there were hidden gems in the menu but as a non-Asian, I felt like I was whistling in the dark. I had the the Sauteed Shanghai Noodles (D15), picked at random. It was a delish thick Udon noodle with brown gravy with pork, I believe, and mushrooms. Chopsticks only. No ice water. They automatically bring you hot tea. Very traditional Asian style restaurant. I would have given them 4 stars but the refills of my hot tea were slow in coming. I had to wave them down for that refill. I have an idea! How about my own pot of tea at my table?
(3)Hana K.
Best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) in all Boston! Though their dumpling menu is not extensive, the soup dumplings are so good you won't need to order anything else! They come in a set of 6 and very affordable! Better to come for lunch than dinner.
(5)Mengjia L.
Worst chinese restaurant ever. The service is very very rude, and the food tastes awful. Everything tastes like eating refrigerator. When i ate the noodle, i found some hair in the noodle, which is the worst part. And the server even said it was my hair. They didnt even make our order free. The BaoZi contains some really bad quality meat. After eating here, i just wanna to throw up, no exaggeration.
(1)Wanlu Q.
Hair found in the fish hot pot; The service was badï¼›
(1)Connie C.
I absolutely LOVED this place! It was packed when we got there but we were seated within 5 minutes of waiting. I had xiao long bao for the first time here and it was amazing. My boyfriend regrettably ordered the spring rolls and they weren't anything special. They also have a $20 minimum for credit card purchases which we were never told and they didn't even have any signs for it. There aren't any ATMs around either, so you're out of luck. We spent around $10 but they ended up running the card anyway because we had no other form of payment.
(4)Laura J.
This place would have gotten a higher rating if they weren't so blatantly racist. An African American man came in around 2am and wanted to buy a soda. They told him, "no we are closed." He pleaded all he wanted was a soda and they would NOT sell it to him. A lighter skinned woman came in and they said they were closed and she asked to buy a water and they said, "yep, one dollar"...... Food was good, service sucked. Do not recommend to anyone with dignity...
(1)Harvard P.
One of my favorite places to go to in Chinatown. The best soup dumplings that I can find in Boston. They're not the small ones that I love from Din Tai Fung, but they are quite juicy and delicious nonetheless.
(4)