We met a friend here on our way back from the midwest. This was our halfway point. The kitchen closed before we arrived, but the staff let my friend order before it closed so we could have a meal ready for us upon arrival. The staff was super friendly and made meal suggestions. The food was delicious!!! As were the drinks. The staff was so nice and accommodated all our needs. We tried appetizers, main dishes, and dessert as well. I wanted my belly to expand just so I could eat more. Loved the decor and atmosphere. Will come here again when passing through Nashville!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sadie Osborn
Amazing service and we were provided such great recommendations. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Bao Buns, Okonomiyaki with Pork Candy
Hunter McClintock
First time here! Went late on a busy Friday night, my crew was a little particular but the staff-and I mean everyone- was so accommodating to everyone’s specific requests and modifications. Apart from everyone being so friendly, the food spoke for itself and I would highly recommend to friends and family.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emily B
I’ve been a few times and have consistently enjoyed everything we’ve ordered. Cocktails are well balanced and beer selection is pretty good. Definitely go with a group so you order a bit of everything. Only downside is being required to order all the food at once and not being able to add. Go on the weekend to get the brunch items!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Spicy Papaya Salad & Okonomiyaki, Hand Pulled Noodles, Breakfast Bao, Bao Buns, Fried Dumplings, Crab Fried Rice, Okonomiyaki with Pork Candy, Beef Rib
Joe Lardie
Cool little spot, had the pancake and a salad, was delicious. Little pricey, but so are most spots in east Nashville.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Okonomiyaki with Pork Candy
Vic Wise
The best Asian food in Nashville, period. The flavors in their dishes are unmatched and the menu never disappoints. An added bonus that the staff is always friendly. This is a consistent date-night spot for my wife and me.
There’s so much love and attention put into every aspect of this restaurant. The atmosphere is top notch: Soviet era East Asian decor, phenomenal tunes, and the prettiest menus. I quite literally cried while eating my food. The menu changes often, so I recommend watching their Instagram to see the daily specials! That’s how I tried the butter chicken momo, which was transcendent. The staff were extremely sweet and attentive and willing to chat about the menu and the restaurant itself. This is, hands-down, one of my favorite restaurants of all time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Mochi Waffle
Zack Galleur
Good vibe, friendly staff, amazing food! Coming back every time I visit Nashville!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ryan Co
Super cool spot. The beef fries and potstickers were killer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Fat Fries
David Wilson
Absolutely amazing! The whole damn thing. From being greeted to walking out was just a great experience. Great food, staff, and vibe. My only complaint was the bathroom was really clean. Made me feel bad about my own bathroom. ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Crab Rice, Beef Fat Fries
First time here and the food was definitely A1. AYLA was my server and I really enjoyed having her. She was really sweet and attentive. All the food had true, authentic Asian flavors all around. As a Laotian-American (born and raised in Louisiana and Laos), I thought they hit the mark really well with all the dishes! No flavors in terms of the umami, pungent herbs, spices, and sauces were left out to try to "Americanize" it. That's what I appreciated most about the restaurant. Highly recommend!
We had an amazing dinner with friends. The food was delicious, the service top notch, and a great atmosphere. The family style makes for a nice and cozy dining experience. Our favorite thing we ordered was the dumplings!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Bao Buns, Fried Dumplings
Alex
My partner and I came into the restaurant for food and a cocktail. We originally sat at the bar, ordered our drink and our dish to split (this was a pre dinner snack situation). The dish came out quickly and the drinks exactly as ordered, no problem there at all. Bartender was nice and was diligent to talk to us about the menu, ask for dietary restrictions.We had two friends running late to meet us, so we proceeded to eat our noodles at the bar. Our friends arrived, so the bartender suggested we move to a table, so she decided to transfer our check. Our two friends ordered their own food and drinks. We finished eating our split plate before their food landed.At the end of the meal, we were presented with a consolidated check. We planned to split very simply between what was ordered by each of us since we clearly ordered as individuals.. the service staff (bartender, our server, as well as another server) explained to me that it is restaurant policy to consolidate checks “because we operate at a high volume and offer share plates”. We were 4 of 6 people in the restaurant and the staff refused to split the check by item.. they said we could, however, split evenly by number of cards, but this doesn’t make any sense based on what was ordered OR how we dined. I understand having a policy that you communicate to your guests at the forefront, especially when you're busy, but this was silly. I asked if they would treat this situation the same if we were at the bar, ordering the same way (very clearly as individuals aside from my partner and I, who arrived together, said we would pay together explicitly) and they said they would consolidate it then, too. I guess the determining factor is that we were.. talking to each other?I should assume then, if I come to Xiao Bao solo and make nice with someone else who has arrived solo that I had never met before, that we will be presented a single check at the end of the night with no option to split. Weird, completely unnecessary policy flex but ok.I am the FOH manager of a high volume restaurant (that offers, like Xiao Bao, share plate style dishes at similar price points) that uses the same POS (Toast), so I don’t offer this review up lightly. I really do not think this policy is as ingenious or helpful to your staff as you think it is. I sincerely tried to understand, but the staff were very insistent that there was nothing they could do about the check. I’m not at all upset with your staff. They were following the rules.I think there is a serious miss here in quality of service to your guests by refusing outright to offer the option to split by seat versus split evenly across cards... it is quite literally one button push on Toast, it just requires some basic training of your staff on seat numbers/splitting, some training on communicating with your guests about their preferred way of payment, and the very basic desire to accommodate your guests (in a totally normal, industry standard way) who just want to pay their bill and get out of your hair.Last couple of notes, not about logistics- the noodles we ordered were nice but relied too heavily on what we assume is MSG or Maggi (we love MSG/Maggi in cooking, partner is a chef where we live, so we know this is a distinct salivating sort of phenomena). Might have been a mishap. We were.. feeling the effects for nearly 20 mins after we finished eating. Otherwise, no complaints.Last but certainly not least.. You all charged my friend $4 for a single glass of soda water on ice and a lemon wedge, so I don’t know if you’re using some dusty, allocated Topo Chico bottles or some other specially-mineraled, drawn from the base of Mount Fuji carbonated water type ish.. but that’s obscene. You charged us a $1 upcharge for soda water as a mixer with a pour of alcohol (1.5oz?), but $4 for soda water alone? Are you financially punishing people for not drinking cocktails or is that soda water really that good? I don’t know, y’all. Stock some cans from restaurant depot and make your margins elsewhere like a normal restaurant. :)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Martin Lammers
Y’all this was AMAZING.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hamburger Bao
Kate Hatfield
One of my favorite places in Nashville. Food and service is always wonderful.
We met a friend here on our way back from the midwest. This was our halfway point. The kitchen closed before we arrived, but the staff let my friend order before it closed so we could have a meal ready for us upon arrival. The staff was super friendly and made meal suggestions. The food was delicious!!! As were the drinks. The staff was so nice and accommodated all our needs. We tried appetizers, main dishes, and dessert as well. I wanted my belly to expand just so I could eat more. Loved the decor and atmosphere. Will come here again when passing through Nashville!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing service and we were provided such great recommendations. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Bao Buns, Okonomiyaki with Pork Candy
First time here! Went late on a busy Friday night, my crew was a little particular but the staff-and I mean everyone- was so accommodating to everyone’s specific requests and modifications. Apart from everyone being so friendly, the food spoke for itself and I would highly recommend to friends and family.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been a few times and have consistently enjoyed everything we’ve ordered. Cocktails are well balanced and beer selection is pretty good. Definitely go with a group so you order a bit of everything. Only downside is being required to order all the food at once and not being able to add. Go on the weekend to get the brunch items!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Spicy Papaya Salad & Okonomiyaki, Hand Pulled Noodles, Breakfast Bao, Bao Buns, Fried Dumplings, Crab Fried Rice, Okonomiyaki with Pork Candy, Beef Rib
Cool little spot, had the pancake and a salad, was delicious. Little pricey, but so are most spots in east Nashville.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Okonomiyaki with Pork Candy
The best Asian food in Nashville, period. The flavors in their dishes are unmatched and the menu never disappoints. An added bonus that the staff is always friendly. This is a consistent date-night spot for my wife and me.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Papaya Salad & Okonomiyaki, Hand Pulled Noodles, Crab Fried Rice, Beef Fat Fries
There’s so much love and attention put into every aspect of this restaurant. The atmosphere is top notch: Soviet era East Asian decor, phenomenal tunes, and the prettiest menus. I quite literally cried while eating my food. The menu changes often, so I recommend watching their Instagram to see the daily specials! That’s how I tried the butter chicken momo, which was transcendent. The staff were extremely sweet and attentive and willing to chat about the menu and the restaurant itself. This is, hands-down, one of my favorite restaurants of all time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Mochi Waffle
Good vibe, friendly staff, amazing food! Coming back every time I visit Nashville!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Super cool spot. The beef fries and potstickers were killer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Fat Fries
Absolutely amazing! The whole damn thing. From being greeted to walking out was just a great experience. Great food, staff, and vibe. My only complaint was the bathroom was really clean. Made me feel bad about my own bathroom. ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Crab Rice, Beef Fat Fries
Restaurantji Recommends
First time here and the food was definitely A1. AYLA was my server and I really enjoyed having her. She was really sweet and attentive. All the food had true, authentic Asian flavors all around. As a Laotian-American (born and raised in Louisiana and Laos), I thought they hit the mark really well with all the dishes! No flavors in terms of the umami, pungent herbs, spices, and sauces were left out to try to "Americanize" it. That's what I appreciated most about the restaurant. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Crab Fried Rice, Beef Fat Fries
We had an amazing dinner with friends. The food was delicious, the service top notch, and a great atmosphere. The family style makes for a nice and cozy dining experience. Our favorite thing we ordered was the dumplings!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hand Pulled Noodles, Bao Buns, Fried Dumplings
My partner and I came into the restaurant for food and a cocktail. We originally sat at the bar, ordered our drink and our dish to split (this was a pre dinner snack situation). The dish came out quickly and the drinks exactly as ordered, no problem there at all. Bartender was nice and was diligent to talk to us about the menu, ask for dietary restrictions.We had two friends running late to meet us, so we proceeded to eat our noodles at the bar. Our friends arrived, so the bartender suggested we move to a table, so she decided to transfer our check. Our two friends ordered their own food and drinks. We finished eating our split plate before their food landed.At the end of the meal, we were presented with a consolidated check. We planned to split very simply between what was ordered by each of us since we clearly ordered as individuals.. the service staff (bartender, our server, as well as another server) explained to me that it is restaurant policy to consolidate checks “because we operate at a high volume and offer share plates”. We were 4 of 6 people in the restaurant and the staff refused to split the check by item.. they said we could, however, split evenly by number of cards, but this doesn’t make any sense based on what was ordered OR how we dined. I understand having a policy that you communicate to your guests at the forefront, especially when you're busy, but this was silly. I asked if they would treat this situation the same if we were at the bar, ordering the same way (very clearly as individuals aside from my partner and I, who arrived together, said we would pay together explicitly) and they said they would consolidate it then, too. I guess the determining factor is that we were.. talking to each other?I should assume then, if I come to Xiao Bao solo and make nice with someone else who has arrived solo that I had never met before, that we will be presented a single check at the end of the night with no option to split. Weird, completely unnecessary policy flex but ok.I am the FOH manager of a high volume restaurant (that offers, like Xiao Bao, share plate style dishes at similar price points) that uses the same POS (Toast), so I don’t offer this review up lightly. I really do not think this policy is as ingenious or helpful to your staff as you think it is. I sincerely tried to understand, but the staff were very insistent that there was nothing they could do about the check. I’m not at all upset with your staff. They were following the rules.I think there is a serious miss here in quality of service to your guests by refusing outright to offer the option to split by seat versus split evenly across cards... it is quite literally one button push on Toast, it just requires some basic training of your staff on seat numbers/splitting, some training on communicating with your guests about their preferred way of payment, and the very basic desire to accommodate your guests (in a totally normal, industry standard way) who just want to pay their bill and get out of your hair.Last couple of notes, not about logistics- the noodles we ordered were nice but relied too heavily on what we assume is MSG or Maggi (we love MSG/Maggi in cooking, partner is a chef where we live, so we know this is a distinct salivating sort of phenomena). Might have been a mishap. We were.. feeling the effects for nearly 20 mins after we finished eating. Otherwise, no complaints.Last but certainly not least.. You all charged my friend $4 for a single glass of soda water on ice and a lemon wedge, so I don’t know if you’re using some dusty, allocated Topo Chico bottles or some other specially-mineraled, drawn from the base of Mount Fuji carbonated water type ish.. but that’s obscene. You charged us a $1 upcharge for soda water as a mixer with a pour of alcohol (1.5oz?), but $4 for soda water alone? Are you financially punishing people for not drinking cocktails or is that soda water really that good? I don’t know, y’all. Stock some cans from restaurant depot and make your margins elsewhere like a normal restaurant. :)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Y’all this was AMAZING.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hamburger Bao
One of my favorite places in Nashville. Food and service is always wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5