Very friendly staff for good food. Nice clean dining area. Happy to take my parents here.
Carolyn K.
A culinary masterpiece awaits you at Dumpling Empire, where flavors are elevated to new heights.
Shane B.
I'm blessed to have someone walk into my house and make me feel comfortable and at ease ! Very trusting!
hua f
Love this place and I would recommend pork and dill dumplings. Very good value. I wish they would offer a dumpling sampler and I'd prefer dishes over plastic containers. We had a dish we didn't like and the owner substituted it, good customer service.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Dumplings
Ameet Thatishetty
Average.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Weijie Wu
Great food. Always take away for me. Difficult to find a parking lot nearby.
Food: 5
Christina M.
Dumpling Empire has stood the test of time in South San Francisco, quietly tucked away in an alley near Grand Avenue. A go-to for me, their dumplings and sweet and sour soup never disappoint. The dumplings, especially the pork and corn variety, are a highlight with a flavorful soup inside. While some praise the leek and pork dumplings, they're not my personal favorite. The pan-fried section is generally good, but occasional overcooking can make them a bit too greasy - easily balanced with a sip of the tangy sweet and sour soup. The servers are friendly, talkative, and attentive. One drawback is the reliance on plastic forks and paper plates; an upgrade here would enhance the dining experience. On a positive note, a complimentary sweet treat concludes each meal. It's worth noting that Dumpling Empire's affordability stands out, with dishes priced under $10 - a rarity in the current Bay Area dining scene.
Brennan T.
Great hole in the wall in South San Francisco! Seems like the restaurant has been around for decades, and the city built up around it. Super close to the CalTrain station. All the food was great! We were craving dumplings, beef chow fun, and gailan. Sadly, there was no gailan, but the garlic pea shoots were excellent, as was the beef chow fun. So good! The soup dumplings were fine, but nothing to write home about. The real stars of the meal were the spicy pork and shrimp wontons. I would order those every time! Service was good as the server refilled our water and brought out hot tea when our pot was empty. Plates and utensils were all disposable. Not sure if that's because of lack of workers or for health reasons. As I was paying, I noticed they also sell frozen dumplings, so I ordered two bags to go. Excited to try them at home. I would totally return to Dumpling Empire!
Valentina G.
Met up with a group of friends before an event. Didn't wait too long for a table. Arrived within the time I was given when ordering, overall i fully satisfied.
Abigail M.
Fresh flavorful dumplings! Welcoming, attentive staff. Everything we had was fresh and amazing: Garlic green beans Pork, shrimp, chives dumplings Lamb dumpling Shanghai soup dumplings Chicken fried rice Scallion pancakes Can't wait to come back.
It's simply tasteless. Frozen dumplings, funky smell. I tried it twice and I won't be going back. So much better food close by.
Jack R.
This was a mixed bag with our team. I'm posting only one photo, but we've been here about 3 tines now. Here's the breakdown: ---Beef Stew Noodle Soup: Like the noodles, not the fatty beef or the bland broth ----Chicken and chives dumplings: A hit and would definitely buy this again ----Potstickers: Super dry and hard skin, wouldn't order again ---Mustard green and pork noodles soup: Chewy pork and bland soup yet again, but the homemade noodles are good ---Hot and sour soup: Suer chunky filled with mushroom and bamboo and egg. Half of us didn't like it, half liked it. It's definitely not your traditional hot and sour tangy soup
Jim W.
Great hole-in-the-wall dumpling shop! Very hearty eats on a cold & windy day. Very strongly recommended.
kris
Very simple little place tucked into a little side street off of Grand Ave. Decided to check it out after seeing good reviews—we got pan fried soup dumplings, beef pancake, garlic string beans and chicken chow mein. Owner surprised us with fried sesame balls filled with either a bean paste or black sesame seed paste—absolutely delicious. My favorite dish was the beef pancake—the Chinese black vinegar on the table was an amazing addition to its flavor! Everything was delicious and my leftovers were happily devoured at work the next day. Other reviews refer to this place as a hidden gem and they are absolutely correct. Will be ordering from here and dining in again soon.
Very friendly staff for good food. Nice clean dining area. Happy to take my parents here.
A culinary masterpiece awaits you at Dumpling Empire, where flavors are elevated to new heights.
I'm blessed to have someone walk into my house and make me feel comfortable and at ease ! Very trusting!
Love this place and I would recommend pork and dill dumplings. Very good value. I wish they would offer a dumpling sampler and I'd prefer dishes over plastic containers. We had a dish we didn't like and the owner substituted it, good customer service.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Dumplings
Average.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Great food. Always take away for me. Difficult to find a parking lot nearby.
Food: 5
Dumpling Empire has stood the test of time in South San Francisco, quietly tucked away in an alley near Grand Avenue. A go-to for me, their dumplings and sweet and sour soup never disappoint. The dumplings, especially the pork and corn variety, are a highlight with a flavorful soup inside. While some praise the leek and pork dumplings, they're not my personal favorite. The pan-fried section is generally good, but occasional overcooking can make them a bit too greasy - easily balanced with a sip of the tangy sweet and sour soup. The servers are friendly, talkative, and attentive. One drawback is the reliance on plastic forks and paper plates; an upgrade here would enhance the dining experience. On a positive note, a complimentary sweet treat concludes each meal. It's worth noting that Dumpling Empire's affordability stands out, with dishes priced under $10 - a rarity in the current Bay Area dining scene.
Great hole in the wall in South San Francisco! Seems like the restaurant has been around for decades, and the city built up around it. Super close to the CalTrain station. All the food was great! We were craving dumplings, beef chow fun, and gailan. Sadly, there was no gailan, but the garlic pea shoots were excellent, as was the beef chow fun. So good! The soup dumplings were fine, but nothing to write home about. The real stars of the meal were the spicy pork and shrimp wontons. I would order those every time! Service was good as the server refilled our water and brought out hot tea when our pot was empty. Plates and utensils were all disposable. Not sure if that's because of lack of workers or for health reasons. As I was paying, I noticed they also sell frozen dumplings, so I ordered two bags to go. Excited to try them at home. I would totally return to Dumpling Empire!
Met up with a group of friends before an event. Didn't wait too long for a table. Arrived within the time I was given when ordering, overall i fully satisfied.
Fresh flavorful dumplings! Welcoming, attentive staff. Everything we had was fresh and amazing: Garlic green beans Pork, shrimp, chives dumplings Lamb dumpling Shanghai soup dumplings Chicken fried rice Scallion pancakes Can't wait to come back.
Restaurantji Recommends
It's simply tasteless. Frozen dumplings, funky smell. I tried it twice and I won't be going back. So much better food close by.
This was a mixed bag with our team. I'm posting only one photo, but we've been here about 3 tines now. Here's the breakdown: ---Beef Stew Noodle Soup: Like the noodles, not the fatty beef or the bland broth ----Chicken and chives dumplings: A hit and would definitely buy this again ----Potstickers: Super dry and hard skin, wouldn't order again ---Mustard green and pork noodles soup: Chewy pork and bland soup yet again, but the homemade noodles are good ---Hot and sour soup: Suer chunky filled with mushroom and bamboo and egg. Half of us didn't like it, half liked it. It's definitely not your traditional hot and sour tangy soup
Great hole-in-the-wall dumpling shop! Very hearty eats on a cold & windy day. Very strongly recommended.
Very simple little place tucked into a little side street off of Grand Ave. Decided to check it out after seeing good reviews—we got pan fried soup dumplings, beef pancake, garlic string beans and chicken chow mein. Owner surprised us with fried sesame balls filled with either a bean paste or black sesame seed paste—absolutely delicious. My favorite dish was the beef pancake—the Chinese black vinegar on the table was an amazing addition to its flavor! Everything was delicious and my leftovers were happily devoured at work the next day. Other reviews refer to this place as a hidden gem and they are absolutely correct. Will be ordering from here and dining in again soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 豆沙锅饼 fried bean paste cake, Other, Garlic String Beans
The dumplings are amazing. They're quick and the quality is always really good. I always go for their Shanghai Soup Dumplings to satisfy my cravings!