The Bao Reviews

I hate to ding a restaurant's ratings due to poor service or management, but I believe it is necessary in this case. I'm not sure how they handle the sign-ups/lines, but this is what I observed. You put your name down on the list and they tell you to check in at a certain time. I was due for a 45 min wait, but I decided to come back after 30 minutes and ask about my place just in case. I was watching the names list. There was one name above mine. However, there were 4-5 parties that asked the lady in charge about their current statuses and just got seated. That one name above mine was not crossed off for any of the seated parties. Long story short, I finally got seated. Most Chinese restaurants deliver orders relatively quickly. Especially if you specialize in or are well known for your soup dumplings. Nope. Here you have to wait 20-25 minutes for a single tray of soup dumplings to come out. Well... yes, the overall non-food experience left a poor impression, but I can't deny that their kung fu soup dumpling is quite good. Rather clean and not overly oily. The scallion pancake is thin and crispy. The chocolate soup dumpling is an innovative Chinese crepe.

As a dimsum lover/obsessed, I was pleasently surprised with the most suculent, juicy, moist and delicate xiao long baos. Certainly fulfilled my foodporn dreams <3 Also the szechuan chili fried chicken was the best fried chicken Ive ever had. the batter had such a rich flavor and was soooo crispy. Dont let the heat intimidate you, its not that spicy in reality if you avoid eating the peppers itself. Also had the roasted pork fried rice (the rice was sauteed to perfection) and dan dan noodles (good, but Ive had better).

After watching a show with Emeril and Mario talking about soup dumplings, I wanted to find a place in NY to try them. Although these were my first, I can't imagine any better. The broth was terrific, and them we had the chocolate dumplings. Wow! I would come back to NY just for them.

The Xiao Long Bao here is as good as any I ate in Hong Kong and Shanghai. You must try them! Very rare for a Chinese restaurant, they accommodated food allergies. the wait is an hour during dinner time. get there early, but it's worth it.

I love The Bao. Food and service are both excellent. I highly recommend to anyone interested in din sum done to perfection. Nice atmosphere also.

I wasnt absolutely blown away, but this is simply a good place with very decent food. Table for one was no problem at all! One of the waiters however, told me there were no vegetarian dumplings om the menu. I found out upon second look that they were actually right there on the menu.

You need to come to this place if you’re craving noddles, fried rice, chicken or pork dumplings, sweet and sour soup, or any other authentic Chinese food. Staff is friendly and recommends the right dish for you. Food is serviced very fast.

The Bao, famous for excellent soup dumplings, has stopped serving them! This is as of late summer 2017. When asked, they can't give a coherent reason for dropping them (aka "xiao long bao") from their menu. The rest of the menu is excellent--but people go there first and foremost for the soup dumplings! The photo with Trip Adviser's page on The Bao even shows the soup dumplings--but they are no longer available! Perhaps if more long-time customers like myself complain, the management will come to its senses and reinstate them. Until then, I'll dine elsewhere.

The meal was great, service ok. Busy, quick and yum. We had the dumplings, fried rice and vegie soup.

Nice concrete and dark wood interior Loungy tasty music We went in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday and it was pleasantly quiet Water spinach: Fresh, lightly sauted with garlic, not too salty, perfect Chicken soup: clear wonderful rich, clear, elegant broth, tender chicken The pork Xia long bao fall just a little short of what Shanghai and Hong Kong offer but it is very good if we exclude these 2 countries from the competition and we should The Sichuan fried chicken is well marinated with a nice ginger hint, with a light crust, not too salty Very good Overall a very good, no thrill but elegant place

The place served good food. I ordered a chicken dish which was yummy. The service was good and it wasnt that costly

Lunch specials are reasonable. We enjoyed our meal. Was traveling with teen age kids who enjoyed it. Spicy means spicy here, not like some places. Order accordingly. A big jug a water provided was a perfect amenity. We would love to return here. Small and cramped. You might need to wait for a table. Fun location.

Writer is avid dim sum fan eating same in major US cities with good to very good Chinese (LA/SFO/NYC) and decent such as Boston, in addition to Hong Kong and Taiwan. This has the twist with the soupy - and all tasty - soup inside the thin dough wrappers surrounding whatever the stuffing is. Like the others, the 4-5 bao we had were very good, and like the others, found that you must eat them carefully ere the soup squirts and files. Trick is to put one into the soup spoon you are given, any sauces on it there, and eat it as if eating out of a big soup spoon. That said, everything we had was good, 4 of the different bao and also the 5 dim-sum dish and scallion pancakes, nice and light, not too doughy. Service was very attentive, price was very good, and as it was a Sunday 15 500 PM not that crowded and not too noisy. Frankly, the added attraction of the soup in the dumplings and the added work it takes to eat it makes me feel that equally as tasty dim sum in equally thin dough in other dim sum restaurants will see me more often than here. Everything was fine; but, a few bamboo covers of delicious dim sum that keep on coming is more enticing than being extra careful not to splash liquid all over m y shirt. Definitely worth a visit.

Having lived in China, I sure miss a good xiao long bao (dumplings) and this shanghainese restaurant soothed my longing. The baos were juicy and had a thin dough that were near perfect (pork, prawns and pork, vegetable, crab). The ambiance was modern/ sleek and service was good. They have some other options besides the dumplings but I came here for the baos!

The Bao serves dim sum and dumplings of the highests quality. Get the soup dumplings and try pork knuckles (very spicy and super delicious). Try the dim sum 5-piece or 8-piece samples

Took our Taiwanese family here for a late night dinner. Finger bao is off the charts. Highly recommend.

Let me start off by saying that my companion thought the food was excellent. I had the eggplant in garlic sauce. It was good, but too much of one flavor profile and consistency. What put me off was the sub-standard service. The waitress seemed annoyed by the fact that we wanted to order appetizers first and take more time to decide on entrees. We had to call the waitress back to order. She took my companion's order and started to run off w/o mine. Water was rationed. It is also noisy.

I love this place but highly advise going before 4 pm when they switch to the dinner menu (prices). I loved the XLB then loved my entree even more.

Loved the soup dumplings!!!! You can't go wrong here! It gets really busy so I would try reservations if at all possible. It is a small place.

A friend recommended this place for soup dumplings and she was right- look no further id you want to try some soup dumplings. One of the finest in the city for sure. The Bao has got it right- the balance for shell thickness, spicy flavour of the filling, soup inside the dumpling, overall product- just perfect. I have been there twice already and am convinced that this is one of the best places for Soup Dumplings.

Went here for dinner. Our waiter repeatedly dissuaded my friend and I from nearly every dish we considered. In fact, he convinced my friend to order one shrimp dish that he said was "less oily" than the one he was thinking of getting and when his meal arrived it was wrapped in a deep-fried bread which was very oily (and not good at all). My vegetarian dish was barely average and quite forgettable. I would never come here again, especially considering how many Chinese restaurants there are to choose from in NYC.

My first time in New York , and had Chinese food. So I am from shanghai where the Xiao long bao was born. So this one taste differently but it's a good try. Also I like the chocolate Xiao long bao. Very crowded need to queue for quite a while

We went here to taste the highly praised Xiao long bao. However, we didn’t find them so special. The soup could have been more tasty. But what we didn’t find in the Xiao long bao we found in the other dishes we took : the beans and eggplants and the orange chicken. Tasty, spicy, and plenty!

Love their soup dumplings. Best that I ever had in my life. Thin skins and tons of soup! Try their wasabi spicy and chocolate ones. You’ll love them. Other dishes are great too. I had the crispy cumin lamb ribs. Never had I had lamb that good. Their short ribs are tasty also.

We have a bit of a dumpling obsession and we search out “soup dumplings” everywhere we go. These did not disappoint! We tried all their varieties of Bao and all were delicious, but the crab were our favorite!

love these dumplings, they melt in your mouth. I was first attracted by this restaurant in my neighborhood, by all the signs mentioning, Best restaurant, Best chinese food, so I gave it a try, and now i go these all the time. I have not tried anything else, because the dumplings are so unique!

Went here with my wife the other day for our anniversary, what a great choice! Was on the hunt for some good soup dumplings and this place hit the spot! They also had chocolate dumplings which we have never hear of, so of course we had to try them. TO DIE FOR!!!!! We also recommend their scallion pancakes with sliced beef... WOW! A++ on service as well! Highly recommend a stop in if you are in the city area!

food is really good! but portions are small and very expensive. might try the lunch special next time!

This place lives up to the hype. Their XLB is even better than my other favorite place Din Tai Fung which is known for XLB world wide (but no location in NYC yet...). They are not over-filled with meat which is a good thing IMO and with the same thin skin as DTF..but EVEN JUICIER. I also tried the Shanghai pan fried noodles which has that delicious flash-wok-fried seared flavor that I love. Thumbs up!

Traveled 150 miles for soup dumplings, sadly they are no longer on the menu. There regular food is okay, but there are suitable alternatives closer to home.

good lunches at a very good price. only dish ever disappointed - dumplings. otherwise quick service, delivery and St Marks at your exit.

We were there for lunch on a weekday. The restaurant has a simple clean line decor which makes it comfortable Service was prompt. We had the crab meat xiao long bao, BBQ pork fried rice and General Tso's chicken The crab meat xiao long bao I should say beats several restaurants I have been to. The skin is thin and the soup not overly salty and the taste of the crab was distinct We had to send back the fried rice as it was way too salty. The fried rice has "wok hei" meaning it was well fried in a very hot wok The General Tso's chicken was good too. It has a tasty batter The sauce is not overly spicy. Will come again

Loved this dark, noisy and lively East Village restaurant serving excellent Chinese food with spectacular dumplings. Everything we ate was amazing (and we are not your average diners), and the service was speedy and professional. Just wish we ordered the fish in chili oil too, it looked crazy good!

The Kung Foo XLB soup dumplings were by far the best my wife and I have ever had! I wish we had ordered nothing but them, as we also filled up in a plate of crispy beef, which was good but no comparison to the dumplings. Can not recommend enough!!

We enjoyed very much the best dimsum. The service is a bit slow but food is excellent. Worth going there

My wife and I were invited to this restaurant while visiting New York. Many times, the look of the restaurant does not reflect what you eat: it doesn't look very fancy but the Sichuan food is really delicious and authentic. The prices are correct also portion is huge. It is preferable to make a reservation, or prepare for 20-30 minute wait.

The soup dumplings opened a little too easily but the food was otherwise delicious and well-portioned and quickly served. Unfortunately they do not accept reservations on Fridays or the weekend so expect some waiting these days.

Hugely popular and crowded hangout for soup dumplings. Good food. But overall rather solid than spectacular. You need to leave 5 seconds after you have taken the last bite as new guests are placed immediately.

Would definitely recommend to small groups and couples! We were told a 15 minute wait for the food but only waited about 3 minutes for our first order of soup dumplings which were amazing! $20 well spent, no regrets, go try it!

We went to the Bao after the Blue Men Group and luckily got a table right away (8 pm on a Saturday). Cosy very packed place. Excellent service. We had no idea what to take. The Chicken dumplings and the county pork with Noodles were excellent. The sesame rice balls are kind of sweet und the crispy duck was dry. But anyway we had a really enjoyed the place.

Rejoice as the beloved soup dumplings are back! After a barren seven months, these delicate morsels returned to The Bao in August albeit with a slight difference. Now they can be enjoyed in the evenings on weeknights and all day over the weekends. I remember coming here one day last year and looking at the menu only to find that the dumplings were not listed. I looked again carefully to make sure. Finger dumplings had taken their place. Hesitatingly, I tried them but they were different being very tiny, both steamed and fried with barely any soup in them. I was close to tears and told the waiter how miserable I felt. He commiserated. Apparently the owner wanted to perfect these dumplings so they were taken off the menu. Now everything is measured to make it tip top. I have been going to eat at The Bao for the past five years and have enjoyed the food immensely. I have brought friends here who had not even heard of eaten soup dumplings and they have become converts. Every time I go, I order the regular soup dumplings and other foods like the sweet and sour ribs, scallion pancakes, chicken with scallions, pan fried dumplings to name a few. Very spicy xlb (xiaolongbao), wasabi filled and chocolate filled are the varieties available. Almost all the young Chinese customers who eat here order a variety of foods and soup dumplings is always part of the meal. Five hundred orders of soup dumplings are sold on Saturday and Sunday. Two hundred on each of the weeknights. I often wonder if the servers have tasted these delicious morsels? The servers are very kind and the service here is excellent. Run and get your soup dumplings!

It is a rare and welcomed experience to have my perspective changed from a meal. We are visiting NYC from out of town for a few days, and being a dumpling fanatic, want to find good XLB. The Bao offers 3 kinds of XLB along with traditional Chinese pan fried dumplings. Their menu also offers a wide range of other dishes of all types, though we only tried the crispy duck and eggplant with string beans along with our 4 orders of dumplings. The traditional dumplings were wonderful. Very meaty with a perfect skin that was not too thick or thin. They arrive hot and crisp on the bottom. So savory and juicy. The XLB were a game changer for me. I've made many of these and eaten countless varieties. At The Bao, the get lot of soup in that little package along with a delicious little ball of meat. I could have eaten nothing else. We sound the duck a bit dry and the eggplant on the oily side. Dishes at other tables looked great though. The seating is a bit scarce so be prepared to wait. It was well worth it though.

Xiao Long Bao and Crispy beef was enjoyed. The crispy beef should perhaps be based upon more beef than today. We complained last year and nothing has changed!!!! They give you the check and suggest correctly the TIP % on the sum before tax. When they use their new credit card machine at the table, the automatic fill in is the tip based upon the check PLUS tax. That is not honest. Tip shall not be paid on Tax and shall be the same as first suggestion. The card machine calculation shall be the same as the first shown bill. Not big money bur very irritating indeed. 唔該

I've travelled to Hong Kong and Taipei at least 2 times a year for the last 7 years. I'm addicted to Din Tai Fung's Xiao Long Bao to the extreme and consider myself an aficionado. In my recent vacation trip with my GF we visited Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and I really wanted her to try XLB! We did and I regretted it repeatedly. Every place we tried (one in Chinatown Boston, other in Chinatown NY) were VERY bad to the point where we didn't finish them. Finally we gave it a last try in The Bao. The best decision ever. The Spicy Wonton is (for sure) better than any I have tried in HK or Taipei. Just sublime. I blush to admit that the pork Xiao Long Bao were AT LEAST AS GOOD as Din Tai Fung (and trust me I feel dirty writing this, betraying my favorite place to eat ever!). Just incredible. Thin dough, small bite-friendly size, amazing clear and delicious soup and delicious pork meat. Finally we got the chocolate Xiao Long Bao. Awesome! (This one you won't find in the classics in Asia). It was a delicious desert which left us just in the perfect condition to leave the place with a smile from ear to ear. In 2 words: Just Delicious!

The Bao is a phenomenal restaurant. The food was delicious and the first course came out within 5 minutes. We had Dan Dan noodles, heavenly soup dumplings (we had three orders in all), chicken soup, scrumptious braised pork belly, pork dumplings and stupendous bokchoy. The flavors are definitely old-school, but the decor is modern and cool. The service is fast and friendly. I would definitely go back for divine Chinese cuisine.

I love a good soup dumpling and had read about this place, most recently in NY Mag's "Where to eat 2015" piece. Having never been, I figured it was high time to try it out. I was not disappointed! Located on St. Marks Place, the restaurant is rectangular in size and seats maybe 40 people and is adorned with minimal decor yet is very clean. My friend and I ordered, to share, 3 kinds of dumplings (which are served 6 to an order) and a vegetable. This ended up being the perfect amount of food for 2 people. We tried the crab, the basic pork and the spicy pork soup dumpling varieties and our veggie was sauteed string beans. The crab was both of our favorites, hands down - surprising to me because I tend to like the basic pork the best at most places. The spicy pork was listed as "extremely spicy" and has 4 little hot peppers next to the menu item listing. They weren't kidding. It was fire-y hot. I could only muster one, my friend had to help with the rest. If you can handle the heat, this is the version for you, but realize they are not messing around. The basic pork, sadly, was somewhat bland. Perhaps if we had eaten the pork first, then crab, then spicy we would have felt differently? Who knows. The string beans were as good as any, and always a crowd pleaser. On their menu are two other kinds of soup dumplings that we didn't try - one is wasabi, and the other is chocolate. Yes, that is what I meant to write, chocolate. I have no clue if it is a dessert version or if somehow there is chocolate inside? I can't say I really want to find out yet I'm intrigued. The wasabi might be a nice not-so-hot option for me next time (there will be a next time for sure) since I can't stomach the super spicy version. The only drawback, in my opinion, was the service. Not that I was expecting anything amazing but we were kind of left to our own devices at two times during the meal. We waited about 15 minutes after finishing our first round of dumplings before we managed to flag someone down to order the second batch. And then, again, after we were fully finished with our meal, we had to find someone to give us our bill after many attempts (and we were there at an off time, the restaurant was about 2/3 empty...). So for that I am knocking them down to 4 stars.

Great find for dinner! Had a large group, so waited a little bit for a table. I tried the soup dumplings and Shanghai pan fried noodles. Both were absolutely delicious!! Small space, so not a lot of wiggle room, but very prompt and friendly service. Will definitely return next time I'm in NYC.

If you want to have xiao long bao in a more casual western-style environment than going to a chinatown restaurant, this is it. Fast & casual, with great xiao long bao and decent other rice and noodle dishes as well. Lunch is great value for money.

We made the mistake of dining in this new restaurant for lunch today in NY City. It was the worst experience of this trip by far. Until this restaurant gets its kinks worked out (and there are many of them), I would stay as far away from it as possible. We arrived at the start of the lunch hour, and the place was just starting to fill in when were seated. We waited for quite a while before anyone came to the table to even say hello. Once we finally got our drinks, our waitress came by to take our food order. That also took quite a while. The waitress disappeared for about 20 minutes...about the time when we're looking around trying to figure out where our lunch was. Soon, another waiter came by and told us that our first waitress didn't know how to take an order and enter it into "the system." So he started us all over again from the very beginning!!! I explained to him that we were under a time constraint, as we had to leave the city and drive seven hours to get home again. He promised to do his best to "rush our orders through the system." Well, he got my wife's order out within about ten minutes. Only hers. My older daughter's came out about five minutes after that. Five minutes later my younger daughter's meal arrived, and finally after about a half hour my meal came out. Lovely...almost an hour of waiting for some meals that were now getting cold. Once we started our meals, a couple other surprises popped up. My entrée, which was "spicy shrimp," turned out to be four shrimp on a plate, with no other edible items in sight. There were a lot of those very hot and shell-like peppers, but those aren't edible. So that was my lunch - four small shrimp. It was not enough for an appetizer. Meanwhile, my younger daughter ordered a chicken soup dish, which was simply some thin broth with a couple bit of green onion floating on top. There were also four pieces of what was supposed to be chicken, but they were entirely bones and fat. Inedible. Terrible. Both my wife's and my older daughter's lunches were edible, and had some food content. But by this time I had already decided to get lunch elsewhere after the meal. A few other warnings about this place. First of all, do not expect the waiters to get you what you want or request. My wife needed silverware instead of chopsticks. She asked for them but never received them, so she ate her shrimp-and-broccoli dish with her soupspoon. Next, so not attempt to use the bathroom unless you can find someone to stand guard duty for you. There is only one bathroom for men and women, and the door does not lock! If someone does walk in on you, the bathroom offers a wide-open view to the rest of the restaurant. Crazy! I asked for the check twice, and they finally did bring it over, but it was the wrong check. Meanwhile, a busboy who did not speak English kept trying to take my wife's soda before she was done with it. This place has one thing wrong after another. Even if they could fix the serving problems, the food is bad and comes in tiny portions that are filled with fat and bones. Avoid this restaurant at all costs. It has no redeeming features.

Very clean and welcoming restaurant in the East Village. Order at the counter and food delivered to you table. Nice COVID accommodations. Delicious food especially dim sum!

We had cumin lamb, crab xlb and assorted dim sum and dry pot. I went there about a year ago and it was so good! This time it was still good but not as impressive. I really do though like the selection of food items they have. If you want xlb you could go to Shanghai cafe. If you want dry pot, mala project is def far better. But to have them both decently done, you should come to The Bao! This time I’m taking off one star because the dry pot was missing ingredients we requested (taken off the check) and it was a bit too salty. Not coming back anytime soon but definitely eventually!

The Soup Dumplings as good as in Flushing We visited The Bao two years ago. It is a sister restaurant to Kung Fu Xiao Long Bao in Flushing. We did not eat there at that time as they had a new menu without the soup dumplings. This time they had added our favorite dish back again and it was fantastic. We also ordered Crispy Beef. This dish was, however, a bit overdone and perhaps the beef cuts were too thin. A three. We will definitely come back and try also the other dumplings. However, the billing is not "correct" They give you the check and suggest correctly the TIP % on the sum before tax. When they use their new credit card machine at the table, the automatic fill in is the tip based upon the check PLUS tax. That is not honest. Tip shall not be paid on Tax.

A friend and I tried this place over the weekend. I wasn't really expecting all that much but I was so wrong. Everything was fantastic. Vegetable dumplings, spring rolls, pork dumplings and my favourite - the braised pork ribs noodle soup! Was perfect for a cold day in NYC and is definitely better than your typical brunch. I'll be back 100% Highly recommend!

I'm keeping this short and sweet. No need to over-complicate this. I love soup dumplings (xiao long bao)...my third favorite dish after red wine and al pastor tacos. The Bao has my favorite soup dumplings to date. The super spicy and wasabi are excellent (six pieces each for ~$10) and worth a trip to St. Marks.

My husband and I were recently on a trip to New York and met a friend who lives in NY for lunch. We absolutely loved this place! Hands down the best food we had during our trip. The soup dumplings were great, especially since it was cold outside. We also ordered some regular pan fried dumplings and those were equally as good. The service was great and the food came out relatively quickly.

My wife and I eat at this restaurant at least 4 times now. We have not been disappointed yet. Their Pork Buns (xiao long bao) have the thinnest skin. The skin stays on despite the thickness. Their chocolate Xiao long Bao is one of a kind. We plan to try everything they have on their menu. They would have got 5 stars if they have multiple restrooms.

We had a very dinner here. We had the Vegetarian Hot & Sour Soup ($7), the Colorful Soup Dumplings with Pork ($14) and the Sizzling Cumin Beef ($29). The dumplings each came with a different filling/dough -- spicy, chicken, pork, black truffle, and wasabi - all very good and flavorful without being too spicy. The Cumin Beef was more peppery than cumin, but also very good. Dinner for two was $68. Service was average.

If you haven't tried a soup dumpling you owe it to yourself to get some as soon as possible. The Bao offers some really great flavors, but my favorite was definitely the wasabi bao (I think it's horseradish instead of actual wasabi root, but still wonderful).

Would have really wanted to give a better review but when the name of your restaurant is the bao and you don’t serve xiaolongbao all the time, then you are not being truthful to your customers. Better luck next time.

We went to this small lower East side restaurant about 4 months after it opened to taste their delicious dim sum, scallion pancakes amongst other great tastes. Come early-no reservations and BYOB.

The Bao used to have among the best soup dumplings in Manhattan - thin-skinned, delicate, and juicy. Alas, soup dumplings have recently been removed from the menu and are no longer served here. In addition, the quality of the other items on the menu has declined significantly. What used to be a gem is now mediocre. Visitors seeking good soup dumplings or authentic Shanghainese cuisine would be better off looking elsewhere. Other quality options abound in lower Manhattan and in Flushing.

I love a good Chinese food. I like this restaurant. They have a good Xiao Long Bao! Recommended and will be back!

Asian food very well priced and delicious. Good attention. Pleasant . Very cheap for New York.

There are plenty of dumpling spots all over the city, but none take the cake more then The Bao when it comes to soup dumplings. Yes the wait can be a drag and put some people off a little, but in my opinion the dumplings are well worth the wait. If your in the area, I'd recommend stopping here for some soup dumplings.

I seem to have an insatiable taste for Asian cuisine, and I'm always on the lookout for some good dim sum, dumplings, and bao. At The Bao, a friend and I split a few appetizers, and that was certainly the way to go. The scallion pancake with beef was extraordinary, the pork dumplings we juicy and tender, and the wontons in chili oil did not disappoint. The 5 kinds of dim sum were fairly lack luster, and The Bao does not have Bao buns not the menu which is quite odd. My other friends ordered entrees, and they were decently average. I wouldn't be oppose to returning, but I'd most likely try another bao house instead.

Excellent place in New York City for Soup dumplings, Chinese food, good & efficient service. The place is kinda cozy and they do not take reservations. We were a party of 12 and it took us a while to get a table. But worth the wait.

Changed chef or something. No more xlb, dishes tastes different, had two dirty plates and a dirty bowl served to us. Def not coming back

The Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) were amazing; first time for us! We had a number of dishes; all were really good. Most places in NYC not worth the wait because, as my nephew says, you can just go down the street to somewhere else that is really good. But he said The Bao was worth the wait (maybe 45 minutes); it was! Good service; food came out quickly.The Shanghai Pan Fried Noodles were wonderful; the Sauteed Beef with Scallions really good. My wife had the Rice Noodles Mixed with Sliced Braised Beef and they were able to moderate the spice for her taste. The hot green tea kept us warm on a cold night out. I'm not an expert in this cuisine but really enjoyed the food and the trip to St. Mark's Place!

I met a colleague for dinner but she insisted it was downtown and a BYOB. We wanted to share a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc we both liked so this was perfect supported by strong food reviews. The dumplings were amazing, we had the pork which are best eaten from the spoons to keep the broth. The scallion pancakes were light and delicious. We shared a pork crispy entree which was very good too. Our waiter was from Nepal which created a fun conversation as I shared a volunteer visit with my daughter two years ago, he was impressed and very proud of his country.

This place is just wonderful. Soup buns, salted pumpkin, dandan noodles... When I lived in New York I used to come regularly, the staff are great, the food is exceptional.

So understand that I have been to Shanghai for work, and hit the very best Xiao Long Bao places. I tell my friends all the time, it is worth the ticket price to Shanghai alone just to experience them. So I have searched several places in the US (both coasts), and normally very let down. This was the first time I have ever enjoyed these tasty little soup dumplings (xiao long bao) in the US, and again...enjoyed them!! Very very good. So yes worth the visit if in NYC.

I've been to this restaurant three times and each time I was ordering braised pork knuckles. They are simply the best. They are soft, juicy and come in a spicy broth with mushrooms. Get a couple of beers and enjoy!

ok, perhaps i havent had every dumpling around nyc but i cant imagine that it gets any better than this Great and highly recommended

We have tried Joe Shangai, Shanghai Cafe Deluxe and Shangai Asian Manor, but the soup dumplings at The Bao is the best. So juicy and tasteful! We went on a week day at lunch time and the restaurant was not crowded. We just arrived and have our table immediately. I highly recommend The Bao for the Xiao Long Bao lovers!

Without msg the food in this restaurant would be tasteless. Oh, wait. It is tasteless. Don't waste time and money eating here.

We went with a party of 9. We made a reservation for 5:30pm. They had our table waiting. We were able to order lots of dishes to share. In general the food was good. I found the food between average and very good which is not an option on Trip Advisor. I rounded up for the service, bathroom, and general ambiance which was pleasant. It was also a nice change from many other Chinese restaurants in New York which seem to serve very similar food geared to takeout menus. The prices were reasonable for NYC. I ordered 2 different tofu dishes and enjoyed them both. We ordered a fried chicken in peppers which was quite tasty - even though I normally try and stay away from fried food. I preferred their cooked or prepared dishes to the steamed dumplings I had. We also had a couple of pasta dishes which I thought were flavorful.

Excellent restaurant specializing in Xiao Long Bao, these delicious bundles of food (soup) served in bamboo steam baskets. We also had the Dan-dan noodles and the Kung Pao, both of which were delicious. Service was ok, not overly friendly, but the atmosphere, decor and quality of food made up for it.

Nice atmosphere and delicious dumplings as well as good service. If you're in the neighbourhood it s worth a try.

I'll give the waiters a little break here as they were slammed but the food made up for all that. The Super Spicy buns were the highlight. If you're a spice fan, that have to try these!!!

My husband and I were in NYC for a couple of days. We had read raving reviews about their soup dumplings and one of our friends had insisted that it was not to be missed. However, we were not able to make time for a full meal. So, on our way to meet a friend in East Village we just dropped in one late afternoon and tried their soup dumplings with a couple of Tsingtao beers. It is a very cute establishment in East village, loved the vibe of the neighborhood. Being from India, the concept of soup inside the dumplings was very novel to us. Even when we had travelled to China last year the soup dumplings available there do not follow this concept. We opted for the medium spicy Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) and it was delicious. Next time we are in NYC, will definitely drop in for a meal.

Amazing soup dumplings! Don't order anything else, the dumplings were far the best from all the dishes we had.

"The Bao" it was quite packed, so i assumed it must be good. So, we tried our luck for the queue and got us seats. We ordered the Spicy Dry Hot Pot with 5 kinds of meat/veggies. Spicy Xiao Long Bao and the Crab Xiao Long Bao on the first visit. Then came back the next day for another Spicy Dry Hot Pot with 8 kinds of meat/veggies and Xiao Long Bao... One of the best Xiao Long Bao ia ate in NYC closests to the ones i eat in Asia. Same goes with spicy hot pot... the flavors are mot so powerful and just right. Like the ones in Asia...

The days of great Chinese food in Manhattan are largely passed. It's easier to get good Chinese food in Bay Ridge or Flushing nowadays than Manhattan. But The Bao proved to be an exception. My friend and I had a delicious spicy cucumber salad, and I had an excellent bowl of noodles. The decor is pleasant as well.

My 11 year old daughter and I found this restaurant purely by chance as it was pouring rain and the restaurant I picked for lunch was closed. We ordered the Shanghai noodles, chicken spring rolls, and chicken dim sum. I always had oolong rose tea which was delicious. The food was delicious— noodles were sooo good. Service was great and it was a nice restaurant overall. They need to fix the bathroom door as my daughter almost couldn’t get out and I had the same issue. It’s unisex single restroom.

We spent last year living in Shanghai, so we were delighted when we happened upon this tiny restaurant in lower Manhattan yesterday. The service was prompt, courteous and knowledgeable. I had a Tsing Tao in hand within moments. The spring rolls were a bit small; but other than that, everything was perfect. Not sure why the last reviewer had such a different experience; but for us, it was just like being back in Shanghai. The XLB were perfect, and the super spicy ones were enough to make my lips tingle (even though they basically just use chili oil to rock them out). The Dan Dan noodles were terrific, just the right combination of flavors; and my daughter was a special fan of the chocolate XLB, not authentic at all but definitely a delicious end to a delicious meal. Highly recommend giving them a try-- we loved it!

Give this place a try if you love authentic soup dumpling and spicy seafood options. Unfortunately, I cannot give them 5 stars because they didn't have enough staff to serve us and our drinks came in plastic cups. It was very unexpected and I'm sure the prices stayed the same.

We go for soup dumplings every time we’re away because we can’t get them at home. This has been our favorite spot so far. Nice thin skins and tasty broth!! The Kung Fu soup dumplings are my favorite. The super spicy are quite spicy but not so spicy they ruin a meal.

Go to town with some dumplings at The Bao. The Bao is a bit surprising inside compared to the neighborhood, but in a good way. The upscale decor and huge wood table add some class to the joint. It’s a dumpling place you don’t feel like you’ll get tetanus from touching the floor at. Also the food is incredible. The menu is pretty big, but don’t get distracted, you want the soup dumplings and probably some wontons. The wontons in chili sauce can’t possibly be the same category of food as your typical wontons. Here they are more like a pot sticker, soaking up a pleasantly spicy chili oil sauce. Save some for the soup dumplings if you enjoy the spice. Since it’s called the Bao, you definitely want some Bao or soup dumplings as well. The dumplings are a bit different from the other soup dumplings in the city, definitely much thinner skinned and not as scaldingly hot. The standard pork dumplings are great, especially for the first time, and the wasabi ones are a good option to mix things up. Since the skin is so thin, be careful moving them and biting in or you’ll shoot soup across the place at fellow diners.

I was treated to dinner here by friends who are life-long New Yorkers. I cannot eat seafood so Asian food is typically not my first choice, but my friends were so excited about this place I had to go. We were seated immediately at 9:00 on a Thursday, according to my friends these is usually a wait. Everything we tried was delicious & I am waiting for an opportunity to go back ASAP. The food was delicious, service was good, and ambiance conducive to conversation. We ordered "soup dumplings" (awesome) Shredded beef with hot pepper (delicious) Black bean & pork with minced chives (loved it) Sauteed pea shoots (best veg side ever) & roasted pork fried rice (yum).

Went here for dinner with some girl friends, none of us are big into spice so we ordered everything in Medium. But their medium is super spicy. so beware of that. We tried the Dan Dan noddles veggie style. would not recommend it. Mapo Tofu - Very good. paired very well with the egg friend rice, no spice. good ambiance !

The food in this restaurant is clearly a step above the average Asian restaurant. The waitress was not particularly helpful, but, the food makes the place worth the visit. Other wait staff seemed much more agreeable. The sweet and sour soup was filled with tofu and vegetables. It was rich in flavor. The Shanghai pan fried noodles were outstanding, as were the steamed dumplings. (I've had others that got rave reviews in Queens' Chinatown and they were not nearly as good.) These were delicate and tasty as can be. The Kung Po chicken was disappointing, so don't order it. We finished the meal with - of all things - chocolate dumplings that were knock-your-socks-off delicious. They are delicate steamed dumplings filled with rich chocolate and, I believe, small pieces of banana. I can not imagine anyone not loving them.

The place is amazing Good vibes Food is out of this world Service is good Recommend finger bao and orange chicken

Great china food. Small dishs and very tasty food. Shared all. Take the dim sum 13 pcs and the cold tea. Serves well. Fast and good. Desert eat at at the res below

Get 100 orders of the soup dumplings and it’ll be the best night of your life! We ordered one order of the Kung Fu XLB and I really wish we would have just ordered more of those and kept eating them. We did have the crispy beef, which was good but I loved the dumplings and would have gone back the next night to eat more. I would suggest some dumplings and then dessert at Spot right below The Bao. Good service in a small place, there was people waiting so that’s usually a good sign with so many different restaurants in the area.

Unlike many dumpling joints, this place is clean and comfortable. It gets crowded at lunch time (no reservations), but the wait is not long. We stumbled on to this place and decided that we had not had Asian dumplings in a while. It was a really good find. The dumpling skins are as light as I have ever seen. They are all delicious. We did an assortment along with scallion pancakes, which were the lightest I ever had. Service is accommodating and pleasant. While more expensive than Chinatown, it is better and cleaner and far more comfortable. All in all a great experience.

This is a great restaurant in NYC. Inside is a very nice and the service is great. The food is very , very,very good. They have a great menu with a very good selection . The price was also very good. The food is fresh and authentic.

New Yorkers think we know it all when it comes to food. We have been eating soupy dumplings for decades and must say that these guys have taken them to a new level. Awesome. As first timers we tried their pork and crabmeat (two traditional boa for comparison purposes). Really tasty with really nice wrappers, not too doughy. Give them am A. Tried their wasabi dumpling and we were not disappointed. Can get busy on weekends but they know how to turn their tables

We went early (5ish) on a Saturday night, to avoid big crowds & long waits, and to catch a movie afterwards in nearby Soho. The timing was brilliant. Our wait was just 5 minutes; as we were leaving about an hour later (still early by nyc standards) the line for tables started inside, then snaked outside & continued a long way down the sidewalk. So first tip: go at an off-ish time. Everything we ordered - the soup dumplings, the pork with chives, the Shanghai noodles, the chocolate Bao, were all absolutely delicious. Diners near us, a predominantly Asian crowd, were enjoying their choices too, all of which looked great. But the place seemed understaffed or perhaps undertrained. Our food came out in an odd order, no one checked in with us as were eating, and we had a very tough time getting anyone's attention when we were ready to order desert. The food was so good though that we'll definitely go back. Hopefully they'll get the service issues worked out!

The Bao - Xiao Long Bao....the very name of the restaurant, no longer does Xiao Long Bao! What an utter disappointment. Iv been eating here on almost every visit to NYC for a number of years now and I made the effort to travel down town just for their XLB's as they where possibly the best on the whole of the East Coast. I was so disappointed today to find that they have stopped. The food we did order was very nice but simply not enough to make me go out of my way for. I'm based midtown when I'm in NYC so it will be Joe Shanghais or Real King Fu for me from now on. Such a shame!

This place opened in July and just got a great review in the NYTimes which was how we'd heard about it. As we are always on the lookout for the best XLB and it's conveniently located in the East Village where we were staying we immediately went over to give it a try. Tucked away among a variety of other Asian restaurants, tearoom, a few steps above street level, it has an all glass front but not very prominent signage. Inside the dining room's small but contemporary, attractively decorated (exposed brick wall and a bright modern Chinese painting). Mostly small square tables, a few rounds, and in the center a long wooden communal table with uneven edges. The youngish clientele on this late Friday afternoon was about 75% Asian and some of the servers hardly spoke any English. And the XLB was worth all the hype - the dough skin so thin they were almost translucent, and the meatball filling light, juicy and not at all greasy. So far these are the smallest and most delicate XLB we'd had in the US. Absolutely delicious. This is also the first place we'd seen that offers a sweet variation of this dumpling. We didn't try that since the whole point of the classic XLB is about the juicy filling which you won't get with the chocolate version. One other dish we tried was the stir fried string beans, which I hope was not representative of all the other dishes they have, as it was not very good. The oil they were fried in had a stale smell and the beans were a bit overcooked and tough. Overall however, if you are going for the XLB, you can't go wrong with this place, definitely give it a try!

Maybe a touch too upscale feeling for St. Mark's Place, and attracting a pretentious hipster foodie clientele who clearly feel like they're doing something naughty by slumming on this block. And service is a little nose in the air for the 'hood. But all can be forgiven when the excellent soup dumplings hit the table. Some of the best in the city.

I am a happy reviewer. Having lived in Shanghai for 5 years, and having visited Nanxiang (the birthplace of xialongbao), I have had my fair share of these delicious soup dumplings. I kept my expectations low, since real Chinese food is difficult to find in the U.S. even in NYC, it's still dumbed-down to American taste. But these, these were pretty damn close! The other dish that we highly enjoyed was the sautéed cabbage and mapo tofu, which was just delicious, but not for the faint of heart if you don't enjoy the sting of Sichuan spice. There are no reservations, and there was a line on a Sunday. But it moves quickly. The dining room is pleasant and not your typical Chinese restaurant experience with bright lights and white tablecloths. It was better - beautiful warm wood communal table and low lighting. Service was fast and friendly without being rushed. Thoroughly enjoyed this experience and will be back.

We visited the Bao last week. The soup dumplings were definitely the standout. Absolutely delicious. We ordered a Szechuan chicken too - it was deep fried and we thought it was too heavy on the batter. I'd return, but only for those soup dumplings.

Brought my family here for Sunday dinner and we really loved it. My uncle generally shies from Chinese food but grudgingly agreed we could eat here and he was impressed! Simply put, order the Xiao Long Bao off the dim sum menu, succulent juicy pork with a soup filling that just melts in your mouth. The entrees were all good for sharing too: I recommend the crispy beef and the eggplant. Service was quick. I recommend you arrive early as The Bao does not accept reservations; the restaurant was near capacity when we arrived at 6:15 and there was a line out the door when we left at 8:00. Also bear in mind that the prices are only really $ for the dim sum dumplings, you're in $$ territory if you add entrees.

Attention : if you don't like shezuan food stay away, but if you you like to bring hell and fire to your palate and stomach then yeah you r welcome. Try the pork dim sum as an appetizer and after some tums adventure yourself with shezuan chicken with the special spicy fried rice. There is one guarantee : this food will get your endorphins going.

Had a dinner with family. We ordered soup dumplings, dan dan noodles, chilli chicken and braised beef noodle soup. All were absolutely delicious. Especially the soup dumplings was the best I have ever had. Strongly recommended

Good Chinese restaurant Good price $$$$ Good service Good menu No reservation ... Get orange chicken , and finger bao.

Absolutely PERFECT soup dumplings. That wontons in chili oil and the green beans also very good. If only I could try more things on their extensive menu! If you love soup dumplings, don’t miss this place!

Love the food. Fresh and homemade. A must visit for great dumplings. Menue is simple and refreshing.

Very god asiatic food The price is ok The service is in average The local is small but ok Don’t need reservation