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Dumpling Inn
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
4619 Convoy StSte F
(between Dagget St & Opportunity Rd)
San Diego, CA 92111
Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
(858) 268-9638
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 11 am - 8:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
812 reviews for Dumpling Inn
Review Highlights
"Xiao long bao, oh how I love thee."
(in 203 reviews)
"Hint: Try the sea bass with black bean sauce."
(in 50 reviews)
"Of course the pork and chive dumplings are delicious."
(in 58 reviews)
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812 reviews in English
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Review from Shing C.
San Diego, CA
2/5/2012
Xiao Long bao = delicious
get 3 orders of different dumplings/potstickers
1 order of soup
1 dish... I like the Sea Bass with black bean sauce
and go home happy
One of the best authentic chinese food places in San Diego.
The prices are a bit steep but you definitely do go home happy. -
Review from James L.
San Diego, CA
2/4/2012
For San Diego, this place is probably as good as it gets for chinese dumplings. I normally order the beef shank noodle soup and xiao long bao and leave content. The pan fried dumplings are good also, but I prefer xiao long bao because of the soup encased inside of them.
As for the other items on the menu, i'm not really too much of a fan of. Regardless, best dumplings in san diego hands down! -
Review from Robert C.
1/25/2012 2 photos
This place's usually really packed! You have to write down your name out there. For lunch and dinner, I'd say about 30 mins wait at least. The place's quite small too so that doesn't help either.
Pork and Chives Dumplings ($7.25) - MONEY!!! Probably 1 of the best dumplings I've had in the U.S. so far. The flavor & the amount of meat in there's just right. I can literally eat 50 of these if I want to lol... **4 1/2 stars
Xiao Long Bao ($7.25) - Crab & Pork Soup Dumplings. It's not bad, definitely not the best one I've tried. Not enough soup in there, however the flavor's pretty good. **3 1/2 stars
Hot & Sour Soup - Probably the best hot & sour soup i've ever tried. It is spicier than most, however I really enjoy it.
Conclusion: If you guys love dumplings, definitely stop by here. The food & portion's good & the price's great, however the service sucks. It's definitely worth the wait, just hit the fruit shop next door for some coconut water. -
Review from stella l.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 2/8/2012
Wow!
xiao long bao, really good
pork pot stickers, excellent
honey glazed shrimp,oh yeah
wonton soup,SO GOOD!
jiajhang mein, Ok
deluxe fried rice, Scrumptios!
So great, but you will have to come early,or starve in that cluster of people. They seriosly need more tables. But despite the line, the food,oh that food,is delicios!4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/5/2012
Man,there are a huge bunch of people! You have to come really early (I MEAN RREEAALLYY EARLY) if you… Read more »
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Review from Joseph B.
San Diego, CA
2/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
For San Diego, this place is probably as good as it gets for Chinese dumplings.
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Review from Vic C.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2012
This place never fails to satisfy a hungry tummy savoring some dumplings, whether pan-fried or steamed. My mom makes awesome dumplings, and this is where I go with cravings away from home.
The restaurant is a bit small, but that just adds to the appeal. The service is courteous, and the prices are reasonable. It is also vegetarian friendly. Closed Mondays.
Aside from dumplings, they have many other Chinese dishes ranging from poultry, veggies to fish. One dish I always get is the rice vermicelli -- translated from Chinese, it's called "Ants Climbing Up a Tree". Another fave is the "Xiao Long Bao" -- they're soup-filled steamed dumplings served with red vinegar and fine ginger shreds. Probably not as good as the one's in Shanghai, but I've never been. Don't burn your tongue! -
Review from Beth G.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2012
Hands down the best Chinese food in San Diego. Have dined here 3 times but this last time was AWESOME. Went there last night to celebrate Chinese New Year with 9 other friends. Place is small but my sister called ahead and they actually took a reservation! We got there exactly at 5:30pm and our table was all set to go. Kudos to my sister for ordering all the food for the group.
We ordered:
(2)Pork and chive dumplings (could eat 50 but didn't want to look like a pig)
(2)Hot sauce pork dumplings
(2)Steamed pork buns (they have broth in them...uh YEAH YUM!)
(2)Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce (SO DELICIOUS)
(1)Chicken with some kind of green vegetable I can't remember
(2)Chinese sausage fried rice ( THE BOMB)
(2)Lo Mein with beef, shrimp and chicken...request the homemade noodles WORTH IT)
The place was packed but I felt the food came out super fast...
Service, I mean don't expect Ruth's Chris but it gets the job done. They ask you if you're ready to order, you order your food, you get your food, it's delicious, you stuff your face, they bring you the check. Simple and efficient. I don't know a place that can get a party of 10 in and out in 1 hour. Oh I forgot to mention the price! Price for each person including tip was only $19!!! What a deal!
Next time I go, it will just be with my sister because she won't judge when I devour 50 dumplings. -
Review from Wes C.
San Diego, CA
2/3/2012
If this is one of the best spots for Chinese food in SD.. then I need to open up another authentic shop. Most all Asian places in SD are mediocre. I guess growing up in L.A. area with so much good food around and then trying amazing food in Taiwan has really spoiled my taste buds, but to be honest, the dumplings & xiao long bao's here didn't taste the freshest. I also ordered their meat sauce noodles and it tasted bland. I thought I would've enjoyed it more since I grew up eating that dish.
Overall, I don't think the quality of food is worth the price. My review also might be biased because I was getting over a flu and I didn't have the best appetite at the moment, but who knows.. I might have to try this place again. 3.5 stars. -
Review from AL S.
San Diego, CA
1/8/2012
This review is based on their veggie dumplings. As a vegan its hard to find any good veggie asian food in SD. I yelped vegetarian gyoza and Dumpling Inn came up. Now as a preface, I have made my own gyoza ( or dumplings) before and they were super yummy. I even buy the frozen trader joes dumplings which are pretty decent.
I ordered them to go and could not wait to dig in. I also ordered the lo main. As soon as I got home I ripped open the containers excited to see what veggie wonder awaited me. They use the fat thick dumpling wrappers which I love! But as soon as I bit in they tasted kind of off. As I was looking inside I realized why. It was basically all bok choy. I felt like a cow grazing in the fields because that is exactly what it tastes like...GRASS.
The lo main was really greasy and after eating this meal I wanted to roll over I felt so heavy and greasy. ew.
I heard the chef was the same one from Dragons Den downtown, so I figured these famous dumplings must be amazing. Not so much. Maybe the meat filled ones are good but these veggie dumplings need some improvement. There are lots of vegetarians that will give you business if they actually taste good, or have more filling than just bok choy. What a waste of money, Id actually rather eat at panda express. That is sad. Next time, I will just make my own. -
Review from Hopwood M.
Country Club, CA
1/23/2012
This place is amazing some of the best dumplings I've ever had. try the pork & chive , they are delecious!!!
Service was my only complaint as it was slow & not overly fiendly, oh & if you go at the weekends be prepared to wait for a table it can get busy. -
Review from Pearl L.
Glendale, CA
1/8/2012
Best dumpling spot in San Diego. Pan fried dumplings and steamed small pork buns (aka Xiao long bao) are recommended. Good hot and sour soup, noodles, and veggie dishes. Great prices. Go early if you don't want to wait for the small number of tables.
Best fake Starburst with your check labelled: Flavor Morph! -
Review from Jaime S.
San Diego, CA
1/31/2012
Long wait and small restaurant but the dumplings are delicious here, and so was the orange chicken. My friend ordered something called peanut noodles, wasn't familiar with the dish and didn't like it, but everything else we ordered was great.
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Review from Kiki N.
12/8/2011
On a Wednesday evening, we arrived at 7pm and were seated promptly, surprisingly. There was only one table open out of the total of 8. After we arrived, a rush of patrons had to wait outside so I suggest arriving early or at odd eating times.
Ambiance: tiny ma and pa restaurant. 2 or 3 Chinese grandmas running around serving hot, delicious dishes to 8 tables. Nothing fancy.
Service: Wonderful. Despite it being packed, the grandmas were around every time we needed something. They obviously don't come over on their own asking if you need anything; just a quick wave in the air will do.
Food: Steamed small pork buns aka XLB. 5/5 sporks. Savory, cute lil dumplings with a burst of tasty broth! The star of the night!!
Kung Pao Sea Bass: 4.5/5 sporks. Spicy, tender, and flavorful.
Beef and Scallion Stir: 4/5 sporks. Smokey and savory.
Egg Drop Soup: 4/5 sporks. Yum! Nice on a chilly day.
Deluxe Chow Mein: 3/5 sporks. Your typical noodle dish. No wow-factor.
For 5 dishes, our total with tax was only about $52. Of course we ordered more than enough for 2, but had a tasty lunch to bring to work the next day. Would definitely come back again!!! -
Review from Wendy B.
If it were not for Yelp, I would have driven by DI without even blinking an eye. This place is so tiny even my closet is bigger. Well, maybe a slight exaggeration.....9 tables, and no outdoor sitting. Good things come in small packages, they say.
Friday around noon. Less of a line than I expected considering the glowing yelps. And they moved quickly.
Our first time ever, we ordered pork pot stickers (8 pieces), and lunch size portions of sea bass with black bean sauce, and sweet and sour pork. Comes with rice and tea. About $26 total.
The pot stickers need to be eaten with a dip. On our table we found containers of white vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix some together and dip those pan fried little stuffed pillows, and you have one tasty morsel. A wonderful way to get started.
Next came the sweet and sour pork. This was not a dish I can recommend, it was barely average, not anything to write home about. Avoid this one and go for some of the less traditional Chinese dishes and I think you will have a winner of a meal.
Last came the sea bass. By far, my favorite. Delicate chunks of tender fish filet (no bones), onion and crunchy bell pepper chunks in a garlicy, black bean sauce that was close to perfect. I admit, it was hard to share, only because I could have vacuumed it down without realizing it. That required much self-restraint.
Service was fast and good, albeit humorless, all business. Don't expect all your dishes to come out at one time. I realize that is oftentimes our experience with an authentic Chinese meal. So shrug it off, enjoy the moment, and definitely enjoy the food!
I DEFINITELY will be returning.Listed in: San Diego County, Asian delights, Fresh Seafood
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Review from Doug J.
Escondido, CA
1/28/2012
Saw all the great reviews and expected more. First things first, there is no parking. Once you manage to find a spot that you don't have a random shop owner yelling at you over, there is a long wait. Promising that this kind of a line coming out of a hole in the wall location. I hear some people having waited for more than an hour for a table in this tiny over run place. I'm glad I only waited for my prompt take out. Oh it smelled heavenly on the drive hour...my God this stuff should be amazing! Wow, did they ever miss the mark! The kung po was over sweetened and tasted burnt and the chow mein had absolutely no flavor. After all the build up the meal was surprisingly bland and poorly cooked. We will not be returning.
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Review from kevin l.
La Mesa, CA
12/31/2011
Decided to check out this place for lunch and a good sign is that they had a slight line. That must mean that they're good.
Food: Ordered the soup dumplings and the pork and chive dumplings based upon the reviews here. Pork and chive was really good. The soup was OK. I've had better. These ones were a bit dry like they've been out of the oven too long.
Service: Obviously they're not know for their customer service. It was annoying that other tables who got seated after us were able to get their food, eat and leave before we even got our 2nd dish. We got the first dish fine, but the 2nd didn't come. We waited and then asked and the waitress said, it's not ready yet. We waited a long time before it came.
Overall, the price was average for what I'd expect. The food was average. I'd probably try somewhere else before coming back. -
Review from Holly W.
San Diego, CA
2/5/2012
So been wanting to try for a long time and my husband and I were car shopping in the area so we popped over for lunch on a SAT, put or names on the list and patiently waited for about half an hour. I have to say it lived up to the hype, I'd heard and read really great dumplings. We had xiao long bao and shrimp and chive dumplings and the chow mein w/ home made noodles and it was really great. No belly aches later either so that's always a good sign. I will return. Don't expect overly friendly service or great ambiance it's a tiny get to business, get your order and eat on place. This will be my go to place for dumplings!!
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Review from Brittany N.
Garden Grove, CA
12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
A haiku by Brittany N.
Their xiao long bao sucks
Tastes like frozen and lacks soup.
Don't even bother.
-snapsnapsnap- -
Review from Kevin B.
San Diego, CA
12/9/2011
After 773 reviews I suppose it has all been said... So, I will give you the nuts and bolts.
ALWAYS a wait. write your name down yourself on the paper hanging from the door. Just be happy with hanging out for a bit.
ULTRA small inside. like 10 tables and most are 2 seaters.
SERVICE is bad. But, food is GREAT. I have always been kinda rushed here by the cute little old ladies that wait on you. Dont expect to be treated like royalty, expect to be treated like a hungry diner.
EAT as much as you can and ENJOY it all. Havent had a bad dish here yet! -
Review from M G.
San Diego, CA
1/25/2012
This place is packed for some unknown reason.
dumplings are made with super refined flour that is sure to make you constipated.
I cant get over that its like eating taco bell and not being able to shit the next day.
Also the chicken/beef/noodle dishes are average. I have not tried the fish...
Oh yeah and you gotta deal with the bad waiters....and small ass tables.
So if you want to get constipated and a little agitated this is the place!
I think most of these reviews are fake....they are bribed with free dumplings prolly hahaha -
Review from Rachel L.
La Jolla, CA
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I can't live without dumpling inn.
I crave it, I yearn for it, I cry for it.
BF and I found it on yelp, while we were passing through Convoy to find a new place to eat. With so many restaurants lined up, there was bound to be a gem somewhere!
My favorites:
sha long bao
deep fried bread
A true hole-in-the-wall gem in convoy:)
* Always a wait, insides are super small, & tables are close together. We always joke around and chat with the tables next to us when we're there - everyone's super friendly and love this place!
** When you get there, simply scribble your name on the clipboard. Don't go inside, don't go looking for someone, and don't act so entitled. Magic starts on the clipboard, so wait patiently outside! Great things come in small packages :) -
Review from Pickyeater W.
Los Angeles, CA
12/24/2011
Really enjoyed the homemade noodles in the beef noodle soup; broth was too soy sauce-based for my taste. Dumplings were only okay.
Hands down, my favorite beef noodle soup (with L noodles) in San Diego is Liang's Kitchen. -
Review from summer s.
Knoxville, TN
12/22/2011
Pretty good! Like the boiled and pan fried pot sticker.
Recommend: Pork & Chive Dumplings (boiled) 5stars out of 5
Don't recommend: Steamed Small Pork Buns (It's alright but not as good as the pot sticker in my opinion), 3 stars out of 5
Others: Pork Pot Sticker (pan fried) 4 stars out of 5 -
Review from tammy r.
El Cajon, CA
1/18/2012
Dumplings....need I say more?! Happened to be a few doors down and decided to check this place out, sooooo glad I did! Had some delicious pork & chive dumplings, and a three ingredient pan fried noodle. It was yummy! If you are in the mood for dumplings give this place a try!
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Review from Christine K.
San Diego, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
First off, don't come here and expect to compare this place to Din Tai Fung. You will be disappointed. That being said, the restaurant is definitely not as fancy (but not as bad as some dumpling places in China). They combine parties at large tables with permission.
We sat at a table with 2 other parties and ordered the xiao long bao. One order comes with 10 steamed dumplings and I have to admit its one of the better asian dishes that I've had in san diego. the skin of the dumplings are not as thin as din tai fung and definitely not was smooth and chewy but I it definitely comes close to what I've had in california.
Come early, expect a wait, order xiao long bao! (ask for vinegar if they dont have it on the table...the brown vinegar) -
Review from Lauren R.
San Diego, CA
11/27/2011
This is not my part of town, per say, BUT I happened to be in the area and decided to venture to the Inn of dumplings on Saturday night around 7pm.
My first encounter with the hostess, oh nevermind there isn't a hostess, its just a closed door with a clip board. Anyways, first you write your name on the wait list, then you hang out in the parking lot until the waitress peaks out the door and calls you in. The place is tiny but It's so worth the wait, and uh, the clipboard waitlist thing.
The dumplings are so light yet filling, everything is piping hot and the chinese jasmine tea is great too! I had the hot and sour soup along with my dumplings and it was great as well! Big portions, great prices. Definitely venture over here if you've never been! -
Review from B K.
San Diego, CA
1/18/2012
1. Good Food. Quality is above average Asian fare to anything else in the San Diego area. The noodles, dumplings all seemed to be authentically made with love and pride, but anyone from Sunset District in S.F. will sigh and say, "what's the big deal here?"
2. Good Service. Wait staff were actually above average but only in efficiency, don't expect them to cater to you. Food came out relatively fast, however the steamed dumplings we ordered came 5 minutes after we had finished all other entrees. This is the kind of place you have to keep reminding yourself that, "sometimes the best food in the world is served by the least accommodating people." This is one of those places for sure!
3. CROWDED! Be prepared for a long wait to be seated. As previously stated, "sometimes the best food in the world is served by the least accommodating people."
4. Over-priced. Be ready to drop $10-$15 per person if you are hungry. I've had better dumplings at Tasty Dumpling in Manhattan that were way cheaper: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Summary: You have to REALLY want to eat here. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for their seating strategy so I highly recommend you come as a party of 2. If you tend to get frustrated waiting for seating at restaurants do not even think about eating here. We went as a party of four and I watched them seat 4 parties who were on the list below our name, 3 deuce tops, and one 6 top. We were "really hungry," which was our first mistake. The best part of this meal was being able to pay by credit card. -
Review from Jason C.
Encinitas, CA
11/4/2011
If I had to pick, say, 3 foods to eat exclusively for the rest of my life, I'm fairly certain that the "steamed small pork buns" here would be one of them.
They're basically little pouches made of an almost wonton-like dough (as in soup wontons, not fried), with a ball of minced pork swimming in a magnificent broth inside of it. Whip up a little dipping liquid from the soy sauce + sesame oil + rice vinegar + red chile paste that they provide and give your dumplings a little dunk before greedily shoveling the whole thing into your mouth. No joke, one of the greatest things I've eaten, period. If this restaurant just served those, I'd give it 9 stars out of 5.
They don't serve just those, though, and while I haven't eaten anything there that I didn't like, I feel like it isn't all quite up to the caliber of the xiao long bao (although the potstickers are right up there, too, and the wor wonton soup is excellent). So yeah, I'm stingy with the 5's, but that's not really a knock on them. If you like Chinese food, try this place, seriously. And for the love of god, eat the dumplings. -
Review from Teresa N.
1/5/2012
I've heard good reviews about this place so I was reluctant to relive the old sentiments of my hatred for San Diego's Asian restaurants.
The restaurant is ridiculously small so it's not a smart idea to bring a large group. I let my Chinese friend order an appetizer and few entrees. He ordered curry dumplings, beef noodle soup, orange chicken, and xia long baos. I was told by a co-worker that this place received awards for serving the best authentic Chinese cuisine.
The curry dumplings were deep fried and stuffed with meat and vegetables. I took a small sample of my friend's highly recommended appetizer. Sigh! The meat and vegetables were hardly noticeable. I thought I was eating an empty taco shell! The beef noodle soup is one of my favorite Chinese dishes and it was going to be a long-shot to even keep me at the edge of my seat. The noodles and broth were definitely sub par. I believe they used udon noodles, and it's not in the best interest of anyone that knows good beef noodle soup. The broth was too salty! However, I have to admit the meat was comparable to the better ones I've had. The orange chicken was the biggest disappointment of the night. It was simply boiled chicken glazed with sweet and spicy sauce. Really? I was speechless beyond belief. The xia long baos were also disappointing. I like to grab the dumpling and place it on top of my spoon. I take a nibble at the top to sip the gelatin-melted broth inside. However, I had to take a few nibbles to even make an opening. Before I realized it, I had already eaten half the skin and it all came crumbling down. All in all, I was disappointed in Dumpling Inn and disappointed once more for the lack of good Asian food.
It's almost hilarious at this point to to find ANY good Asian restaurants in San Diego. -
Review from Ashley G.
San Diego, CA
12/13/2011
let me bread meat bread this dining location.
BREAD: the chinese ladies that work here are kind of mean. and what i expect from a little hole in the wall chinese place. you know it tends to be legit when service is straight up mean. (i know this sounds like a meat but its a bread, trust me).
MEAT: are there any chinese people reviewing dumpling inn??
i have eaten many a xiao long bao (soup dumpling), and it is just not that good here. i've eaten it in queens-new york, vancouver, hacienda heights, irvine, and los angeles. basically where all the chinese people tend to live and eat. unfortunately for america's finest city, this is the only place you can really get XLB.
you can tell that many of their dishes here, dumpling dish and non-dumpling dish are all prepared and frozen ahead of time. the dumpling wrappers tend to be a tad thick and dry, the pork itself is lacking the flavor it should have if prepared fresh. the vegetables are soggy, and taste frozen.
we have given Dumpling Inn about 3 or 4 chances, each time hoping it would deliver because of 1) faith in yelp reviews 2) cravings for chinese dumplings
and every time it is a bit of a disappointment.
1) 40 minute wait @ THREE PM.
2) lacking in quality, consistency, really not paying tribute to the amazingness that soup dumplings should be
3) the last time we were here, we also ordered the pork shank, which came out mostly frozen. they took it back, 30 minutes later, it came back out, still frozen. they said "oh don't worry we won't charge you for it". WELL YA, we couldn't even eat it.
sighhhhh.... why isn't there ANY GOOD CHINESE FOOD IN SAN DIEGOOOOOO.
BREAD: i can't think of another, i guess it's an open faced sandwich. -
Review from Erin D.
San Diego, CA
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
They say it's rude to stare, but is it rude when you're staring at someone else's food while waiting for your own? If so, I was acting like a barbarian. It didn't help that we had to wait for a table and that I was starving when we got there. When we finally got seated, it was extremely hard for me not to stare at the food next to us. I became that creepy guy who couldn't stop looking at a girl's chest no matter how stimulating the conversation. This time I was distracted by an attractive plate of plump juicy dumplings. When our food finally came, I felt slightly protective of our table as if I knew that hungry eyes (like mine) were violating our food whole.
Umm, but all weird analogies aside, this place is really good. Be prepared to wait, and don't come too hungry. Try the soup dumplings. -
Review from Jeannie H.
El Cajon, CA
11/30/2011
Dumplings here are dank! I also really love their chicken chow mein. I die!
It's such a tiny restaurant. My mom's friend owns this restaurant...they've been here forever! I've been getting the same damn things for 20 years...should probably try something a bit different. :P -
Review from Claude B.
San Diego, CA
1/3/2012
OK, I wish Yelp had 3.5 stars. We were really looking forward to eating here after reading so many nice reviews. The food was good, I would say better than average. We ordered Pork and Chive Dumplings, Pan Fried Dumplings, Black-bean Sea Bass and Cashew Nut Chicken for the two of us. However, we were not that happy with a 30 minute wait on a Sunday afternoon, the fact that the help is professional but not friendly, the fact that they "forgot" to bring us tea or water until we asked 15 minutes into the meal, or that some of the food is just too salty.
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Review from Robbie T.
San Diego, CA
1/9/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I've tried almost all the dumplings on the appetizer menu, and each are not only unique but very good! This place has a hole in the wall feel and is a gem of the area reinforced by the multitude of culinary awards displayed on the walls. Perfect spot for a food living couple who doesn't mind some time in line in exchange for an awesome meal.
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Review from Debbie O.
Los Angeles, CA
11/5/2011
Apparently we were extremely lucky our first visit here. Found a parking spot right outside the restaurant and didn't have to wait one second for a table. It was a Saturday around 12:30PM. Service was really good, and although the place is tiny, each table still had it's own space so it's not like you had to listen to other people's conversations. This place seemed very promising until we glanced at the menu. Wow. $10.25 for a plate of eggplant? I thought that this must be either a huge plate or the best eggplant ever so I ordered it. Unfortunately neither of the two were true. It was a very average plate, and honestly I liked Spicy City's eggplant better.
Potstickers were also very ordinary. No soup in them, and not very juicy at all. The bean curd with pork had good flavor, but the bean curd pieces were so thick! It was not well made at all. The sweet and spicy pork was pretty good. A bit oily, but it had very good flavor. Just the right amount of sweet and spicy. Three dishes and one potsticker for a grand total of $40 and change without tip. There are tons of Chinese restaurants in LA where you could get the same dishes that taste a lot better for a lot cheaper. I guess this is the gold standard for Chinese food in San Diego, but I'm definitely underwhelmed and will wait until I get to LA for some authentic and reasonably-priced Chinese food. -
Review from Doris K.
9/29/2011
With the overwhelming positive reviews of this place, I expected Dumpling Inn to be more traditional Chinese but the food failed to meet my expectations. Everything tasted very Americanized.
Xiao Long Bao - terrible, really terrible. The skin was tough and thick and was by no means representative of what a soup dumpling should be.
Shrimp & chive dumplings needed more chives.
Dalu mein was also bad in that it was a hot and sour soup base with no flavor. I have had Dalu mein in China and this was nothing close.
Lamb with scallions was the only dish that saved the night, but it too was overly sweet.
Service was amazing. Waitstaff was friendly and refilled our water and tea without being asked. From what the other tables were eating, I should have just ordered the pork potstickers and called it a night since that dish looked pretty good. Unfortunately I don't think that I would want to wait for a table again. -
Review from Carol N.
Diamond Bar, CA
10/29/2011
A MUST IF YOU ARE VISITING SD! Every time I visit SD, I have to visit my favorite dumpling inn! I think it's one of the best Chinese places in SD since there aren't many. I suggest you go early because there is usually a wait for this place and it is pretty small, but i guarantee it's worth it!! They take credit card unlike many Asian places so don't worry if you forgot cash. Service there is always pretty good and food is decently priced maybe a little bit higher (like a dollar or two) then average.
Pork Pot Stickers-I absolutely LOVE LOVE their pork pot stickers!! I know there are tons of places that sell these especially in Rowland Heights, San Gabriel, etc but this place is the best place by far. They are perfectly cooked and the bottom part of the skin is perfectly crispy and a little bit burnt which is my favorite, I hate it when places only slightly pan fry their dumplings and I have
3 Ingredients Pan Fried Noodles-This is one of my favorite Chinese entrees and this was delicious here! Their noodle is fried and crispy and they use a thicker type of noodle which absorbs the sauce so the dish is a perfect combination of crispy noodles and softer noodles that have absorbed the flavor and sauce. They give you shrimp, calamari, veggies and chicken
Salt and Pepper Calamari-typical dish but less oily and comes with a lot of onions with was different
Shao long bao-I don't ususally eat these but they were pretty good here, the meat inside was good and the skin outside was very soft and chewy, but I hate how they squirt out the juices, but I guess they are suppose to.
I've had their other stir fry entree dishes such as beef and scallion stir and their shredded pork with green bean but I think their dishes are pretty generic Asian food. I suggest ordering their dumpling or noodle dishes since those are the best in my opinion! -
Review from Kyle F.
I wonder if there is a dumpling-inn anonymous (DNA)? If so i really need some help from them. If no place exists im cool with someone lying about it and ill bring some folding chairs to your place and well have a mini intervention for me about this place. Then after I convince you this place is heaven on earth, we end the intervention and go to dumpling in to eat dinner. It'll be fun I promise, and plus there are way more worse cults out there for you to join :). I do have to admit I did eat here so much in the last month just to become a duke, but now after getting dukedom, i want to eat here so much to create my own category. It will be a little tombstone on your profile signifying that there is no way in hell you could have eaten here so many times and lived to tell the story, so we at yelp assume it killed you...keep on yelping!
Listed in: My Trip Through Asia Without…, Out of the OC and Down in the…, My Reviews of the Day List
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10/29/2011
Kyle F.: Man i really gotta shower after this meal i feel dirty for eating so much food. I think I… Read more »
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Review from Ryan B.
San Diego, CA
11/23/2011
This place is so good! I love the steam porked buns!
I do HATE that it's super small inside and there's almost always a line and the parking sucks.. but eh... what are you gonna do?!? The food is awesome! -
Review from felicia d.
Westminster, CA
9/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm a little disappointed at this place. My SD friend mentioned that this is the best dumplings place in SD. So I finally made it here to see what the fuss about.
I ordered the potsrtickers, the beef curry fried dumplings and dan dan noodles. But sorely disappointed at all three.
How can you screw up a simple dan dan noodles?? The pot stickers... Were just alright not Enough meat and a lot of skins.
The beef curry fried one was probably the best out of three. Good thing the wait wasn't horrible for to go food.
