really good soup dumplings & pan fried! one of our orders had an eyelash on it so we went it back overall delicious tho !!!! going to be dreaming about these soup dumplings every night

I had lunch at the Dumpling Kitchen this afternoon. The decoration was unremarkable, but the restaurant was bright and cheerful. Our waitress friendly and always there when we needed her - like when I knocked over two water glasses. My Kung Pao Chicken was really good, if a little hotter than I would have liked. And it was in front of me in about 3 minutes.

We ate lunch here for the first time. Truly authentic and delicious dumpling entrees and a fabulous war wonton soup. The wait staff was polite and right on point with each dish expertly timed. Highly recommend if you’re in the Castro area.

Amazing lions head meatballs and salted egg yolk custard buns!! Took me right back to China. This is close as I’ve gotten to authentic Chinese food and the quality blew my mind. The meatballs were so tender and the custard buns so soft and custardy!!

Wow, excellent food and relaxed atmosphere. Don't leave without trying the honey walnut prawns.

Great neighborhood dumpling restaurant in the Castro. Great menu variety

Tee Ponsukcharoen

This is a hidden gem in Castro. I don't know there is such a delicious Chinese food here. I love both soup dumplings. The steamed ones are good, which you can find anywhere. However, the pan fried ones surprised me. They are crispy, tender, and juicy, all in one! (Sorry I forgot to take the photo. The fried rice infused with truffle is delicious. I wish the spicy fried chicken has less flour when deep fried, but the flavor is bold yet not overpowering. In conclusion, this is the place you can get amazing dim sum and spicy Sichuan food. I would come back again!

Dudy Bar-Tal

Dumpling Kitchen in Castro exceeded all expectations for our friend's birthday celebration. From start to finish, the experience was a culinary delight. The friendly waiter guided us through the menu, and each dish we selected was a flavor explosion. The garlic eggplant stole the show with its perfect balance of savory goodness. Every bite felt like a celebration of taste, and we left feeling fully satisfied. The festive atmosphere added to the experience, making it a memorable evening filled with laughter and delicious food. We can't wait to return to Dumpling Kitchen for another gastronomic adventure.

Dima Tsoy

Everything from food to service was excellent. Reasonably priced dumpling options and perfect choice for colder date nights weather.

Susie Q Wang

Hands down one of the best meals I have had. the soup dumplings are made with a delicate touch. You can tell they’re hand made. Overall flavor, umami and taste were spot on! many thanks for exposing us to custard steamed buns. Came to Dumpling Kitchen two nights in a row. The custard buns were perfectly made and were heavenly in my mouth. My hat goes off to the team. working hard! 小葛帅哥的待遇真的很好！非常感谢！来日方长！往后一定再来！

K Nakamura

Yummy dumplings. The Sichuan pickled Cabbage beef soup was a game changer. I now crave it all the time. Super yummy.

Anish Thakkar (Doc Thakkar)

Had some dank dumplings here! Also got the Mongolian beef (not pictured, but delicious) which the chef had made less sweet to suit our tastes. The food quality is high, which justifies the slightly higher prices. I loved the xiaolongbao, which was balanced and had plenty of delicious soup inside. The jumbo pork gyoza was ok, but I’d rather get something else next time. The Mongolian beef had cuts of real steak and hit the spot!

Timothy Chau

One of our favorite dumpling restaurants in the city, comparable to Dumpling Home. We came here on a busy night so the food took 40 minutes to arrive. The pea shoots and chicken wings were our favorite.

One of our favorite dumpling restaurants in the city, comparable to Dumpling Home. We came here on a busy night so the food took 40 minutes to arrive. The pea shoots and chicken wings were our favorite.

Yummy dumplings. The Sichuan pickled Cabbage beef soup was a game changer. I now crave it all the time. Super yummy.

Had some dank dumplings here! Also got the Mongolian beef (not pictured, but delicious) which the chef had made less sweet to suit our tastes. The food quality is high, which justifies the slightly higher prices. I loved the xiaolongbao, which was balanced and had plenty of delicious soup inside. The jumbo pork gyoza was ok, but I’d rather get something else next time. The Mongolian beef had cuts of real steak and hit the spot!

Hands down one of the best meals I have had. the soup dumplings are made with a delicate touch. You can tell they’re hand made. Overall flavor, umami and taste were spot on! many thanks for exposing us to custard steamed buns. Came to Dumpling Kitchen two nights in a row. The custard buns were perfectly made and were heavenly in my mouth. My hat goes off to the team. working hard! 小葛帅哥的待遇真的很好！非常感谢！来日方长！往后一定再来！

Everything from food to service was excellent. Reasonably priced dumpling options and perfect choice for colder date nights weather.

Dumpling Kitchen in Castro exceeded all expectations for our friend's birthday celebration. From start to finish, the experience was a culinary delight. The friendly waiter guided us through the menu, and each dish we selected was a flavor explosion. The garlic eggplant stole the show with its perfect balance of savory goodness. Every bite felt like a celebration of taste, and we left feeling fully satisfied. The festive atmosphere added to the experience, making it a memorable evening filled with laughter and delicious food. We can't wait to return to Dumpling Kitchen for another gastronomic adventure.

+3

This is a hidden gem in Castro. I don't know there is such a delicious Chinese food here. I love both soup dumplings. The steamed ones are good, which you can find anywhere. However, the pan fried ones surprised me. They are crispy, tender, and juicy, all in one! (Sorry I forgot to take the photo. The fried rice infused with truffle is delicious. I wish the spicy fried chicken has less flour when deep fried, but the flavor is bold yet not overpowering. In conclusion, this is the place you can get amazing dim sum and spicy Sichuan food. I would come back again!

Fantastic food, very flavorful, the best Chinese food I have had in a long time. I have been coming to this spot since 1999 when it was Nirvana and the various iterations since then, glad to have this place be a spot I will frequent again for hopefully years to come. 👌

Nathaniel Norwood

Fantastic food, very flavorful, the best Chinese food I have had in a long time. I have been coming to this spot since 1999 when it was Nirvana and the various iterations since then, glad to have this place be a spot I will frequent again for hopefully years to come. 👌

Cassandra Groves

The BEST food we have ever had. Astonishing. Get the sesame chicken and the pork bao buns. We came in 45 minutes before close and they were very accommodating. Please do yourself a favour and come here. A definite must eat at. Once again, astonishing.

The Xiao long bao have thick skin, it's more chewing than I like but taste is good. Also tried the wonton in chili oil kind of sweet and again lots of dough not spicy at all. service was very accommodating, nice place.

This was our first visit and we enjoyed it. The place was crowded but staff made us feel like they were never rushed. Food was fresh and tasty. Not amazing but still very worth the visit. Prices are very fair and portions were good size.

Very good food and incredibly quick service. We obviously overate on all the massive portions. We had the braised tofu, fried pork buns and dry-fried chicken. Very happy, we left.

Flavorful food for a reasonable lunch special price. I had the Mongolian beef which was pleasantly spicy. The beef was served with rice; altogether a satisfying amount of food. The restaurant is cozy and comfortable.

This is a solid Chinese restaurant if you are looking for dumplings, boas, and dim sum! I have yet to try the rest of their offerings, but they look authentic and non-Americanized.

18 dollars for general tso chicken and it’s barely any good. Taste was average.

Not a bad place for dumplings and semi americanized Chinese food. The taste is not bad (the price matches the neighborhood). The back patio is a very nice secluded spot for larger party. They give you this ringer for the wait staff and it is convenient!

Spencer Q

Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Price to Portion: 3/5 Overall: One of the better restaurants I'd consider going to in the castro. Definitely a solid choice. The extended review... Food: 4/5 - Got a bunch of different things. Of course the ones to get always are the soup dumplings and the pan fried Shanghai buns which are delicious. Service: 4/4 - Friendly and attentive staff Ambiance: 4/4 - Nothing special about the ambiance but it's comfortable and spacious.

Gloria Ha

We came here for lunch on a Friday last summer. It was pretty busy all throughout, but we didn't have to wait. We sampled quite a few items, and had leftovers (3 people). The highlight for me, unsurprisingly, was the rice cakes/niangao. They were much longer than I'm used to, so I think they may have been handmade/fresh? They were quite tender -- not al dente, but good in their own way. I thought the pickled vegetables added a really nice savoriness to the dish. This dish was different from the niangao I've had at other restaurants, but it stood on its own and was very good. The soup dumplings were quite sturdy with thick skins. There wasn't much soup inside, but the flavor of the soup and the filling was really good. The pan-fried dumplings were quite interesting -- I've never had it this way where it's a thin skin on the top and then a really thick, doughy skin on the bottom with a slightly soupy filling inside. I probably wouldn't get this dish again since it had a lot of dough, but it was interesting to try. It's also *really* hot, so be careful. The eggplant in garlic sauce was better than I expected. The sauce was not overly sweet and had a thick soy consistency to it, which I enjoyed. The eggplant was cooked pretty well. The Sichuan spicy chicken was the weakest link in the dishes we tried. While the chicken pieces were quite big, they were also tough. I'm not sure what the issue was -- if it was the cut of chicken, or marination. It was lacking in both flavor and texture. Overall I enjoyed my time at this restaurant and thought the prices were pretty reasonable for the area and portion sizes. I could see myself coming back.

R M

I love their dumplings, in particular the Shanghai dumpling, garlic spinach, walnut prawns .. great spot for a quick chow with friends or by yourself. The staff is friendly and the service fast, the dumplings are made on site and with the right timing you might be able to watch.

APRIL Z

I had a delightful time at the dumpling house with its extensive menu of selections. The dumplings, although slightly thicker on the skin, were still quite flavorful and enjoyable. The inviting vibe of the restaurant added to the overall experience, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a variety of authentic Chinese dishes.

Shray Chandra

One of the many dumpling spots in the city, one of the few that manage to stay consistent. Been here a few times now, love the har gow, and various steamed dumplings. Surprisingly good veggie dumplings and veggie mapo tofu too. The Shanghai style fried pork buns are a must try ( don't forget to add their in-house chilli oil on it). Sichuan fried chicken is the only dish I wouldn't write home about.

Rui Zhong

Clean, hip, casual Chinese food and dumplings. Would come back for a quick meal. Some decently looking American-Chinese options. Pork belly was just okay but glad it came with so much bok choi! The soup dumplings were solid. Honey walnut prawns was a bit of a disappointment though. Shrimp and breading was a bit mushy and the sauce was heavy. Not worth the price.

Bandana Garg

The pork dumplings are good. The chicken and corn dumplings were too sweet and probably won't get them again. The green onion pancakes were meh.

A colleague recommended it. Pan fried XLB were great. The veg pot stickers were solid. Crab XLB were underwhelming. Staff were friendly.

The pork dumplings are good. The chicken and corn dumplings were too sweet and probably won't get them again. The green onion pancakes were meh.

Clean, hip, casual Chinese food and dumplings. Would come back for a quick meal. Some decently looking American-Chinese options. Pork belly was just okay but glad it came with so much bok choi! The soup dumplings were solid. Honey walnut prawns was a bit of a disappointment though. Shrimp and breading was a bit mushy and the sauce was heavy. Not worth the price.

One of the many dumpling spots in the city, one of the few that manage to stay consistent. Been here a few times now, love the har gow, and various steamed dumplings. Surprisingly good veggie dumplings and veggie mapo tofu too. The Shanghai style fried pork buns are a must try ( don't forget to add their in-house chilli oil on it). Sichuan fried chicken is the only dish I wouldn't write home about.

+2

I had a delightful time at the dumpling house with its extensive menu of selections. The dumplings, although slightly thicker on the skin, were still quite flavorful and enjoyable. The inviting vibe of the restaurant added to the overall experience, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a variety of authentic Chinese dishes.

+1

I love their dumplings, in particular the Shanghai dumpling, garlic spinach, walnut prawns .. great spot for a quick chow with friends or by yourself. The staff is friendly and the service fast, the dumplings are made on site and with the right timing you might be able to watch.

+1

We came here for lunch on a Friday last summer. It was pretty busy all throughout, but we didn't have to wait. We sampled quite a few items, and had leftovers (3 people). The highlight for me, unsurprisingly, was the rice cakes/niangao. They were much longer than I'm used to, so I think they may have been handmade/fresh? They were quite tender -- not al dente, but good in their own way. I thought the pickled vegetables added a really nice savoriness to the dish. This dish was different from the niangao I've had at other restaurants, but it stood on its own and was very good. The soup dumplings were quite sturdy with thick skins. There wasn't much soup inside, but the flavor of the soup and the filling was really good. The pan-fried dumplings were quite interesting -- I've never had it this way where it's a thin skin on the top and then a really thick, doughy skin on the bottom with a slightly soupy filling inside. I probably wouldn't get this dish again since it had a lot of dough, but it was interesting to try. It's also *really* hot, so be careful. The eggplant in garlic sauce was better than I expected. The sauce was not overly sweet and had a thick soy consistency to it, which I enjoyed. The eggplant was cooked pretty well. The Sichuan spicy chicken was the weakest link in the dishes we tried. While the chicken pieces were quite big, they were also tough. I'm not sure what the issue was -- if it was the cut of chicken, or marination. It was lacking in both flavor and texture. Overall I enjoyed my time at this restaurant and thought the prices were pretty reasonable for the area and portion sizes. I could see myself coming back.

+2

Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Price to Portion: 3/5 Overall: One of the better restaurants I'd consider going to in the castro. Definitely a solid choice. The extended review... Food: 4/5 - Got a bunch of different things. Of course the ones to get always are the soup dumplings and the pan fried Shanghai buns which are delicious. Service: 4/4 - Friendly and attentive staff Ambiance: 4/4 - Nothing special about the ambiance but it's comfortable and spacious.

+4

Service was great! We showed up close to closing and they still let us order :) The bao and soup dumplings were delicious, but I would pass on the chili wontons next time.

Kaitlin Fenn

Service was great! We showed up close to closing and they still let us order :) The bao and soup dumplings were delicious, but I would pass on the chili wontons next time.

The food was average at best. Too salty. No low sodium soy sauce available at the restaurant. The service was great though. The staff is friendly but the chef may use an upgrade

Not quite good. We had spring rolls that were super hot outside and gooey inside, pork and shrimp shumai that left something to be desired, and moo shoo chicken with a distinct burnt-oil after taste.

Chef Tony

So I'm rating this one on my experience, which wasn't good. I ordered the dumplings, thinking I would get them before my main meal. Boy, was I wrong, the main dish came out. I was finished with it before the dumplings ever came to my table. So here is what I think happened, they took my dumplings to the wrong table. I see it a lot in different cultured restaurants. It's what I do, I'm very observant. Needless to say I won't be going back, they didn't even apologize. So for that reason alone I'll eat somewhere else.

So I'm rating this one on my experience, which wasn't good. I ordered the dumplings, thinking I would get them before my main meal. Boy, was I wrong, the main dish came out. I was finished with it before the dumplings ever came to my table. So here is what I think happened, they took my dumplings to the wrong table. I see it a lot in different cultured restaurants. It's what I do, I'm very observant. Needless to say I won't be going back, they didn't even apologize. So for that reason alone I'll eat somewhere else.

I have visited this place in person and have ordered takeout a couple of times. I enjoy the food. But this last takeout, no chopsticks, no soy sauce, no napkins, etc. I probably will pick another place in the future where you don’t have to pay for items typically given with Chinese takeout.

Rachele Long

I have visited this place in person and have ordered takeout a couple of times. I enjoy the food. But this last takeout, no chopsticks, no soy sauce, no napkins, etc. I probably will pick another place in the future where you don’t have to pay for items typically given with Chinese takeout.

We came around 9 pm. I'm not sure if the chef leaves after a certain hour but one of our dish was completely frozen (shao mei) and several of our dishes were just warm. The food tasted good but the fact they didn't know the food was frozen or hot shoes the food they serve were not fresh and did not even bother having anyone knowledgeable enough to know if the food was heated enough.

Patio is nice. Quiet and cool, better than inside. Wait staff were nice and accommodating, however food the very mediocre at best. Chilly chicken is so dry and tiny portion. Dumplings… there are better places for them. Will not return

I'm embarrassed to say that on a quest to provide my out-of-town guests with an incredible dumpling experience, we mistakenly ended up here instead of Dumpling Home. Even Dumpling House would've worked. While our server was very sweet and patient, the dumplings left a lot to be desired (especially the chicken and crab ones). The highlight of our meal was the seaweed salad. That should tell you all you need to know.

Cristian Jara-Figueroa

This was such an amazing find. So excited to have good Sichuan food in Castro!!! The staff was friendly and the food was amazing. We got a bunch of dumplings and the noodles with peanut sauce. They also have a very beautiful indoor patio with heated lamps. Update: I’m really sorry that I have to drop my review but I had a terrible experience with the HungryPanda app they use for delivery. Please avoid it as much as you can. I honestly believe this app to be a scam, so please beware. The food’s still great, but it sucks to be scammed…

This was such an amazing find. So excited to have good Sichuan food in Castro!!! The staff was friendly and the food was amazing. We got a bunch of dumplings and the noodles with peanut sauce. They also have a very beautiful indoor patio with heated lamps. Update: I’m really sorry that I have to drop my review but I had a terrible experience with the HungryPanda app they use for delivery. Please avoid it as much as you can. I honestly believe this app to be a scam, so please beware. The food’s still great, but it sucks to be scammed…

+1

This order is Long time waiting but not a response worker🥺

food was 7/10, but the service was terrible. they charged us twice for our dinner. when we called the next day they just hung up as we cant speak Chinese.