We had a pork sausage ramen, a mushroom ramen, steamed lamb dumplings and fried chicken and leek dumplings. Everything was delicious! The lamb dumplings were my favorite things, they were very unique, served with a yogurt cumber sauce that made the dish very Mongolian inspired. Ramen noodles were perfectly aldente and both noodle and broth were well seasoned. It's a walk-up counter where they give you a buzzer to pick up your order when it's ready and you bring it back to your table. It's in a building shared with a bar and a coffee shop, it's really bustling, hip vibe! To the grump who left the mean review, this spot is quintessentially Santa Cruz, and if you don't like it go back to the whole you crawled out of!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ray Marquardt
Good food with reasonably fast service. Hard to find. Is inside 11th Hour Coffee with zero outside signage. Worth a stop.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
KDG
Located next to After Hours(had a negative experience here), Full Steam was awesome. Probably the best bowl of noodles I have ever had! The service was awesome as well!
Grok says:
Full Steam Dumpling is a dynamic, chef-driven pop-up turned permanent fixture in Santa Cruz’s vibrant food scene, specializing in handmade dumplings, ramen, and seasonal Asian-inspired dishes with a focus on Sichuan, Chinese, and Japanese influences blended with local flair. Founded in 2019 by chef Andy Huynh—a Los Angeles native who honed his skills at over a dozen local Santa Cruz spots— it began as a pandemic-era pop-up but found a steady home in 2021 inside the Santa Cruz Art Center’s communal kitchen (now part of the “After Hours” hub, sharing space with 11th Hour Coffee, Chubbs Chicken Sandwiches, and After Hours Cocktail Bar). Huynh’s experimental crew emphasizes from-scratch prep using organic flour, seasonal/local ingredients from farmers market partners, and family traditions reimagined with curiosity—think frilly shu mai, fat bao, or gyoza stuffed with wild-foraged or ranch-sourced fillings. It’s a sustainability-minded operation that rotates menus with the seasons, hosts pop-up events like Vietnamese brunches, and even spun off a bánh mì side project (Back Door Bánh Mí, now at farmers markets). The vibe is communal and artsy, fitting its Art Center locale, making it a go-to for creative comfort food in downtown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alicia Cabrera
Food was excellent as always, but I wasn’t given the option to choose my own tip — the server automatically added 20%. I also noticed the customer ahead of me (who was white) was asked to select their tip, while I was not. This felt unfair. All customers should be treated equally. I usually tip in cash because cash is king. But I just adjusted accordingly. Just pay attention customers ;)
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
Arielle Kincaid
Edited: Great dumplings. Was wondering why they have a gong with a stick to hit it at the counter if they don’t want people to use it though. BUT THEN I LEFT A REVIEW AND THE RESPONSE WAS TO MY LIKING. Going to the people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leanna Jensen
Love this place so much! I started going when it was a pop up. They make incredible ramen, delicious dumplings, and have added Bahn Mi into the mix! Highly recommend for when you are craving ramen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M C
So we have been coming here for Ramen for years. The good news- the vegan option ramen is spectacular ! The bad news- the popcorn chicken - overcooked and too salty and the attitude of the service, meh. We were sad to see the cracks on our bowl ( very cool normally , made by local potter). We may not gone back .
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Emily Fitzgerald
Bomb vegetarian ramen!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tom Bentley
amazing food, quality ingredients, five star flavor - absolutely bangin place. i cant believe i havent been going more often. cannot recommend a better dinner spot downtown. very good options for everyone including vegans.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Max Tcheng
Not worth it at all. I've been curious for a while, and finally tried the shio tonkotsu ramen. While the flavors and quality were okay, for $25 you get half of an egg, one small piece of pork, and only half a bowl of broth (!!). Don't be fooled by the old pictures like I was, seems like shrinkflation has struck here too :(
I love full steam and have been a customer for many years now. My only complaint is missing delicious items that have rotated off the menu! But I respect that they are always innovating, creating new dishes, and keeping things fresh.
Their various fried chicken apps are always SO delicious. I can’t even keep track of all the amazing ones I’ve had over the years. The Taiwanese popcorn chicken sticks out in my mind. The current general tso’s chicken is wonderful and addictive.
I always enjoyed their ramens. Dumplings are delicious. I do miss the crystal dumpling options since I am now technically gluten free (ish) for health reasons. So bringing in some more gluten free options like the crystal dumplings would be awesome for us unfortunate people who have dietary restrictions.
I super appreciate that they use high quality ingredients, produce and meat from local farms, and make everything from scratch. I’ve seen some reviews on here complaining about the prices - if you’re looking for a cheaper option there are other places you can go. But, honestly all food is pretty expensive these days, and I think their prices are reasonable given the quality of the ingredients, and the high cost of living in this town. I am happy to support their business and their focus on quality is actually what makes me want to dine here.
I know Andy and the staff work hard to make this all happen and I am so grateful for this wonderful addition to our local community.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Conniemm
I ordered the mushroom shoyu ramen and while it was tasty, there was an oil sheen on the broth (visible in the photo I posted) which would make me hesitate to order it again.
There was a nice balance of noodles, tofu chunks, mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
The dan dan noodle special looked good and I may opt for it in the future.
Jason Cox
Brisket chow fun, red oil dumplings, vegan ramen were all delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Adam Holbrook
Went in early on a Friday night. Grabbed a drink from the bar (11th hour I think?) And looked over the menu. By the time we were ready there was a big line so we ordered onions and the food came out super fast! Our group got 5 items, one for each of us and we shared. The flavors were well balanced, the portions seem small but I've never had that much filling in a dumpling before! Chicken and leek sausage dumpling was great, Pork belly was served with mandarin orange wedges and fennel that made an excellent pairing, great job! The spicy eggplant noodles were cooked to perfection with the right texture and flavor. The pan fried mushroom and yam dumplings great combination of flavors and textures.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alejandra Mendez
The ramen wasn’t good, it was salty and the portion of pork was tiny, one of the worst ramen I’ve ever eaten.
We had a pork sausage ramen, a mushroom ramen, steamed lamb dumplings and fried chicken and leek dumplings. Everything was delicious! The lamb dumplings were my favorite things, they were very unique, served with a yogurt cumber sauce that made the dish very Mongolian inspired. Ramen noodles were perfectly aldente and both noodle and broth were well seasoned. It's a walk-up counter where they give you a buzzer to pick up your order when it's ready and you bring it back to your table. It's in a building shared with a bar and a coffee shop, it's really bustling, hip vibe! To the grump who left the mean review, this spot is quintessentially Santa Cruz, and if you don't like it go back to the whole you crawled out of!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good food with reasonably fast service. Hard to find. Is inside 11th Hour Coffee with zero outside signage. Worth a stop.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Located next to After Hours(had a negative experience here), Full Steam was awesome. Probably the best bowl of noodles I have ever had! The service was awesome as well!
Grok says:
Full Steam Dumpling is a dynamic, chef-driven pop-up turned permanent fixture in Santa Cruz’s vibrant food scene, specializing in handmade dumplings, ramen, and seasonal Asian-inspired dishes with a focus on Sichuan, Chinese, and Japanese influences blended with local flair. Founded in 2019 by chef Andy Huynh—a Los Angeles native who honed his skills at over a dozen local Santa Cruz spots— it began as a pandemic-era pop-up but found a steady home in 2021 inside the Santa Cruz Art Center’s communal kitchen (now part of the “After Hours” hub, sharing space with 11th Hour Coffee, Chubbs Chicken Sandwiches, and After Hours Cocktail Bar). Huynh’s experimental crew emphasizes from-scratch prep using organic flour, seasonal/local ingredients from farmers market partners, and family traditions reimagined with curiosity—think frilly shu mai, fat bao, or gyoza stuffed with wild-foraged or ranch-sourced fillings. It’s a sustainability-minded operation that rotates menus with the seasons, hosts pop-up events like Vietnamese brunches, and even spun off a bánh mì side project (Back Door Bánh Mí, now at farmers markets). The vibe is communal and artsy, fitting its Art Center locale, making it a go-to for creative comfort food in downtown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was excellent as always, but I wasn’t given the option to choose my own tip — the server automatically added 20%. I also noticed the customer ahead of me (who was white) was asked to select their tip, while I was not. This felt unfair. All customers should be treated equally. I usually tip in cash because cash is king. But I just adjusted accordingly. Just pay attention customers ;)
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
Edited: Great dumplings. Was wondering why they have a gong with a stick to hit it at the counter if they don’t want people to use it though. BUT THEN I LEFT A REVIEW AND THE RESPONSE WAS TO MY LIKING. Going to the people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love this place so much! I started going when it was a pop up. They make incredible ramen, delicious dumplings, and have added Bahn Mi into the mix! Highly recommend for when you are craving ramen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So we have been coming here for Ramen for years. The good news- the vegan option ramen is spectacular ! The bad news- the popcorn chicken - overcooked and too salty and the attitude of the service, meh. We were sad to see the cracks on our bowl ( very cool normally , made by local potter). We may not gone back .
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Bomb vegetarian ramen!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
amazing food, quality ingredients, five star flavor - absolutely bangin place. i cant believe i havent been going more often. cannot recommend a better dinner spot downtown. very good options for everyone including vegans.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Not worth it at all. I've been curious for a while, and finally tried the shio tonkotsu ramen. While the flavors and quality were okay, for $25 you get half of an egg, one small piece of pork, and only half a bowl of broth (!!). Don't be fooled by the old pictures like I was, seems like shrinkflation has struck here too :(
Restaurantji Recommends
I love full steam and have been a customer for many years now. My only complaint is missing delicious items that have rotated off the menu! But I respect that they are always innovating, creating new dishes, and keeping things fresh.
Their various fried chicken apps are always SO delicious. I can’t even keep track of all the amazing ones I’ve had over the years. The Taiwanese popcorn chicken sticks out in my mind. The current general tso’s chicken is wonderful and addictive.
I always enjoyed their ramens. Dumplings are delicious. I do miss the crystal dumpling options since I am now technically gluten free (ish) for health reasons. So bringing in some more gluten free options like the crystal dumplings would be awesome for us unfortunate people who have dietary restrictions.
I super appreciate that they use high quality ingredients, produce and meat from local farms, and make everything from scratch. I’ve seen some reviews on here complaining about the prices - if you’re looking for a cheaper option there are other places you can go. But, honestly all food is pretty expensive these days, and I think their prices are reasonable given the quality of the ingredients, and the high cost of living in this town. I am happy to support their business and their focus on quality is actually what makes me want to dine here.
I know Andy and the staff work hard to make this all happen and I am so grateful for this wonderful addition to our local community.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I ordered the mushroom shoyu ramen and while it was tasty, there was an oil sheen on the broth (visible in the photo I posted) which would make me hesitate to order it again. There was a nice balance of noodles, tofu chunks, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The dan dan noodle special looked good and I may opt for it in the future.
Brisket chow fun, red oil dumplings, vegan ramen were all delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went in early on a Friday night. Grabbed a drink from the bar (11th hour I think?) And looked over the menu. By the time we were ready there was a big line so we ordered onions and the food came out super fast! Our group got 5 items, one for each of us and we shared. The flavors were well balanced, the portions seem small but I've never had that much filling in a dumpling before! Chicken and leek sausage dumpling was great, Pork belly was served with mandarin orange wedges and fennel that made an excellent pairing, great job! The spicy eggplant noodles were cooked to perfection with the right texture and flavor. The pan fried mushroom and yam dumplings great combination of flavors and textures.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The ramen wasn’t good, it was salty and the portion of pork was tiny, one of the worst ramen I’ve ever eaten.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
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