Shanghai's Best

4106 State St, Salem
(503) 523-1888

Recent Reviews

Bonnie L.

Very informative and eye opening! Humans can be terrible to one another! No matter the color of their skin...

Conor S.

This place was quick, friendly and yummy. Felt really nice to grab a quick plate of dumplings for a little pick up in the afternoon. I want to go back and try their other items.

Richard P.

This place was solid, the flavor of the meat was delicious. Reminded me of pepper pork buns in Taiwan. I can't give this place 5 stars because the very best Shanghai pan fried buns contain a ton of juices/soup. I've had amazing pan fried buns in Vancouver bc and even Seattle filled filled with so much juice they would explode.

dave g.

Damn! Good luck finding more delicious dumplings than this in Portland. Chewy, sought in a good way, meaty, these are delicious.

Tom P.

Alright essay time. Went mid-October 2021. So back when I ate these I had much less experience with Chinese food (I am still absolutely a noob - but now I'm in NYC and have tried a bunch more). I was already full but had wanted to come for a while and it was literally my last day in Portland (stayed there for 5 weeks). Bought some dumplings -- pork and vegan -- as well as an iceskin mooncake. I have yet to find dumplings like these again. I really liked them when I got them. But I didn't truly comprehend how good they were until comparing retrospectively elsewhere. In fact, for months, I was convinced that I was a huge fan of Chinese steamed pork buns. Because what I had had here surely hadn't been a dumpling - they were so gigantic. But I kept thinking "Why is no one covering them in sauce and why is there so much less filling than dough?" So I guess I somehow convinced myself that that's what they were - looking back at the menu I'm surprised they're dumplings. Guess I'm just a huge fan of giant dumplings! Anyway - I brought these bad boys to the train station where I ate them while waiting and then ate the mooncake later on the train. Both excellent. Now I am just left wondering where I can find dumplings of this gigantitude elsewhere. It's not just "Oh, more food, how nice." The filling to wrapper ratio is just so good. It's a whole different experience from a regular dumpling. Plus, the woman running the cart when I was there was really nice. I had my suitcase with me and she asked me where I was going, we had a nice little conversation. I told her it was my last day and how I had been meaning to come and how I'd never had these kind of dumplings or mooncakes. And anyway it was a memorably nice chat. Long story short - is there a name for these kind of dumplings? Is this a Shanghai-style thing? Are these owners just dumpling creatives in addition to being masters of execution? Because I need to find more elsewhere in the world. Looks like they're in a new location now in a food court - very cool! Hope that's been positive for the owners.

T P.

The pork fried dumplings were delicious and well-cooked. I asked for black vinegar on the side because they just give chili oil and soy sauce. Overall, the fried dumplings had a soft and crunchy texture and the pork inside was flavorful. It would be great if they didn't burn the bottom at all. Also, it would taste better if they provided some ginger on the side. We also got the sticky rice shumai (not pictured here) but was a bit disappointed in that dish because there was too much sticky rice and barely any pork. Pricewise, I thought it was a bit overpriced but for the location, it is understandable. I would eat here again.

Eric M.

Dumplings were simply delicious! The owners were great and service was great! Definitely a must visit foodie spot in PDX

Jeff D.

This place had a wait, but was So worth it. Watching them hand make, and then steam and fry the dumplings was pretty cool too. Such good food!!!

Raul A.

We were trying this place for the first time for the dumpling week. We ordered pork n chicken dumpling. We ended up waiting an hour for our order n they forgot the chicken dumpling. The pan fried dumpling is just so so.

Kaitlin Y.

Shanghai's Best also had specials for Dumpling Week & LNY along with its delicious classics. Our favorite dumplings were the chicken! Very flavorful. Pork was also pretty good! The vegetarian one is more noodle based with egg and the vegan one was pretty good with veggies in it as well! The texture is nice and chewy. As for dessert, really enjoyed the 8 treasure & of course love the ice skin mochi for its texture and being not too sweet! The two folks running this stand were super busy when we went! Kudos to keeping the food delicious and timely. Thank you!

Holly T.

It's been a couple hours since we left, and I still regret sharing an order of the dumpling of the week with my family. We stopped at two other places before coming here to try dumplings. The other two were good, and we were hoping that this place would be just as good. We called ahead to order; they sounded really busy. They are tucked away in a little inside food stall area. They were the only place open. And it was packed. We still waited a bit for our order, but it wasn't too long. We grabbed our order and sat down. You get 7 dumplings for $12. Before digging in, I told my kids and husband they could have the other extra ones just to be nice. Why did I do that???!?!? These were so incredibly tasty. And they aren't small. They are at least a two-biter, if not three. And they're juicy. The sauces they come with are an excellent addition too. Though they are too small to dip, so you kinda have to bite first and make a hole before you pour some on. I must go back before dumpling is over! And I want to try their other dumplings too. Some of the best dumplings I've had in the Portland area. And friendly service too.

Jude N.

Ordered two steam buns and 7 pieces of pan fried dumplings. For the steam buns, the dough outside is pretty dry. They might just have been in the steamer for too long. For the pan fried dumplings(生煎包), they're just too greasy inside. The combination of greasy meat and soup can really turn you off pretty quickly. Yea. The first 2-3 might be good. But the rest of it might be just too much. I ordered 7 pork, which might be a wrong decision. Overall, I don't think this place is any special. But I could see how others, who don't have a lot of exposure to buns and Shanghai dumplings, like this place.

Kelley L.

Delicious dumplings, steam buns, and pork belly! And quick service. We'll definitely be back!

Alex Sokolowski

Some of the best dumplings I've had the pleasure of eating. Made to order, and even the vegetarian options are delightful. Would highly recommend of in the mood for some pan fried dumplings

Paulette L.

Holy cow I've never had a dumpling like this before - so good! We had the pork and chicken, but I liked the pork better. The crunch gave it a nice taste and the filling was really flavorful. Also had the steamed pork bun which was also good, the texture you'd recognize. Topped it off with the mung bean moon cake. The outside was a little softer than I expected but the filling was spot on. Would highly recommend!

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