Dumpling Specialist

The owner has changed! My favorite DanDan noodle is nothing like it used to be, completely different. So sad to see my another fav restaurant got changed…

Atmosphere: 5

Small place - great dumplings and noodle soup. I had the five season beef noodle soup - it was sooo good.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent quality and price! Please don't change a thing 😃

February 2026 update: new management seems good, friendly service, nice remodel with more tables. Food still very tasty, but wontons in chili oil are a lot spicier than they were previously.

I would prefer to give this place 1.5 stars, but I can’t. I want to preface this by saying I was a regular here before their temporary closure at the end of December. I visited at least once a week, sometimes more. I genuinely loved this place and knew the menu and flavors well.
Since reopening, however, it feels like an entirely DIFFERENT restaurant. The location and overall menu structure remain the same, but almost everything else has changed. The staff is different, the service pace is noticeably slower, and during my most recent visit, my order was slightly incorrect. Prices have also shifted upward. The biggest concern, though, is the food itself. Portion sizes are noticeably smaller, and the flavor profile has changed dramatically. What used to have a distinctive, “Dumpling Specialist” taste now feels much more muted and bland that’s reminiscent of the ubiquitous Chinese restaurant. The character that made this place stand out seems to be missing. To be fair, during this visit the place was handling a steady flow of takeout orders, and the wait staff appeared somewhat disorganized. It’s possible they are still adjusting to reopening and finding their rhythm again. That said, if you’re coming here expecting the same pre-2026 Dumpling Specialist experience, you may be disappointed. In its current state, it feels like a completely different restaurant.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 2

Love this place but note they are currently closed until Feb 11 for renovation!!

Best wonton in chili oil I’ve ever had. Their five spice beef stew rice is also delicious.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sticky Rice Roll 飯糰 1 Roll, Wonton in Chili Oil Peanut 紅油炒手 5pcs

Delicious

Where did a few minutes for a table and we were seated it was cozy, but not cramped. The food is very delicious and the prices are actually really good. Service was fast.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

My Seafood Tofu soup came out quickly after I was served hot tea immediately. Everything is priced decent for the area. I was just in for a quick lunch so that is all I ordered, but when I come back I plan to try more of the menu. It was a good portion, full of seafood and yummy.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Having lived in Shanghai for two years, we can't find many authentic Chinese dishes in the US. We were grateful to have delicious Shanghai dumplings, hot and sour soup, and perfect rice.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Steamed Dumplings

If I could kiss the chef I would. They truly are the dumping specialist 😌

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Pan-Fried Pork Bun 5

The dumplings are amazing. XLB imo on par with DTF. Rice roll amazing, well executed, and rare to find. They have amazing vegetarian dumpings too. Dan Dan noodle is great. Wan ton in chilli oil is a hit with some, miss with others. 5 spice beef over rice satisfying. Think the chow mein is okay.

You go here for the most amazing dumplings, XLB, and rice rolls.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Not the happiest place on earth. General chicken inedible. Dim sum flavorless. Sticky rice roll yuck. Avoid.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2

XLB - very thin skin, tasty soup, tasty filling
Sheng Jian Bao - thin bao skin, nicely pan-fried, tasty filling
Sticky Rice Roll - we like 👍

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 4

This place has mice! I’ve walked by and have observed a mouse inside their building.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 3

Don’t be fooled by the name - dumplings consist of a very small portion of the menu. If fact there’s only one type of boiled dumplings (pork + cabbage) plus the typical pan fried, XLB, won ton in chile oil. This is mostly a meat dishes and veg dishes place. Green beans were the best of the ones we dried. Pass on pork and cabbage rice cakes and the sticky rice roll covered in hot Saran Wrap (eeek).

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 4