Gu’s Dumplings

Gu’s Dumplings is a relocated favorite into Krog Street Market. Unfortunately for me, and for Gu, I don’t eat pork. That means that there are only a couple of dumpling options for me to eat. (Not their issue; pork is featured prominently in Chinese cooking.)
Gu’s is a small restaurant inside of Krog Street Market. Because of KSM’s popularity, it may be a good idea to park in the 20 minute parking and get what you want in advance. I have been twice recently and enjoyed the Kung Pao Chicken. It was refined and spicy. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the meal. However, it is expensive. $ 15 is a lot, but at least you can guarantee that it will be tasty. The vegetable dumplings, which I have also had, are excellent as well.
The only downside is that there is no seating at the restaurant, unlike some of the others at KSM. That said, there is likely no better Szechuan in the area, except for Ponce City Market.

I am all about that spicy life so as I ventured through the Krog St. Market and saw that they had a Szechuan chicken po’ boy I was excited to try it. The wait was a little long which I didn’t mind and because the cashier was a sweetheart and informed me before I ordered. The po’ boy was good, in size and amount of chicken, BUT it wasn’t spicy at all! I felt a little underwhelmed by that, but not everyone likes spicy so this po’ boy might be right up your alley. My quest will continue, probably up Buford Highway to their original location.

The Dan Dan Mien tastes exactly like from a Chinese Street Vendor in China. This is now our go to spot when we’re homesick. Didn’t get to try more, but next time we will definitely have the lotus and bean curd.
The chef is from Sichuan province, and that explains why it tastes so authentic. We could have used a little more hua jia in ours. :)

Overall: Don’t know what happened after they moved from Buford Hwy but there are much better places to eat at Krog Street.
Food: Order the pork dumplings and they were really underwhelming. They didn’t hold their shape, not enough meat on the inside, and the liquid inside the dumplings were way too salty. You would have to pay me to eat it again.
Service: Cold, not very friendly. There weren’t very many people around but it over 10 minutes to get an order of 6 dumplings. We had placed our order at Gu’s and my girlfriend waited while I stood in line at Fred’s (approximately 8 people in front of me). I ordered at Fred’s, got my food, and still beat her to a table.
Atmosphere: It is inside Krog Street so that is the best thing they have going for them.
Parking: Free parking up front, but it is normally very busy and not enough spots. Some street parking can be found.

Don’t get me wrong. Gu’s is good, just not great.
We had the vegetable dumplings, Chongqing Spicy Chicken, and Dan Dan noodles.
The dumplings were my favorite. Although they were good, I couldn’t help but think I was eating ravioli with soy sauce.
I was initially excited about the Chongqing Spicy Chicken, but it tasted more like a slightly spicier Hunan Chicken dish more than anything. I will say though that the chicken was juicy. But what it really needed was more Schezuan peppercorn flakes.
Finally the Dan Dan noodles tasted like a spicier glorified lo mein dish. It was also tasty but not what I was expecting.
All in all, everything was good but nothing to write home about.

I think a 3 star describes this place well, just ‘A-​OK.’ My friends and I were trying to food tour krog market so only ended up getting a half order of the dumplings (6 dumplings). Although it says the Gu’s special sauce is a dollar extra, the dumplings already come with sauce. The dollar is for extra sauce if you so desired.
They brought it out in a plastic container and all of the dumplings kind of stuck together… When my friend tried to take a piece, the meat just fell out of the dumpling. Hm, Gu, maybe you need to seal your dumplings better and add some oil in the bowl so they don’t already stick to one another when a customer gets them. Although the taste of the dumpling was decent, the dumpling skin was nice and chewy, and the sauce was pretty good, none of this really wow’ed me.

I really wanted to like this place. I had heard many good things and was really looking forward to some delicious dumplings. My friends and I came to Krog Street Market this past weekend and decided to try a variety of foods from different vendors in the market. Therefore, we decided to get the half order of Zhong Style Dumplings (6 dumplings for $ 6). You can get pork or veggie, but we went with pork. Zhong Style Dumplings are boiled in a sweet and spicy sauce with garlic, sesame seeds, and green onions.
The service was pretty quick, and we found a table to sit down. After we took pictures of the food (naturally), we began to feast. They smelled absolutely delicious. One problem however… all the dumplings were stuck together. It took two people to separate the dumplings apart, and by the time I separated my dumpling, the meat had fallen out of the wrapper. Womp womp. This happened with both of the two dumplings that I ate. The dumpling itself was just alright. The sauce was very flavorful, and I enjoyed the subtle spicy kick, but the most important part of my meal was the dumpling itself, and I cannot say that I enjoyed it.

Gu’s dumplings were better the second time around than the first. I had their dumplings for the first time at Gu’s Bistro before they closed and opened in Krog Street. The reason why they’re better is probably because the chef/​staff aren’t caught in a dinner rush with a big menu of offerings, so these dumplings didn’t have too much residual water from being boiled, and there was something about how the skin was fresh and chewier.
I also appreciate how on the night of the Lantern Parade on the Beltline, they were open longer than anticipated since there was just so many people in the area. I’d definitely be interested in coming back to try out other items on their menu even if it is simplified now compared to what they used to have at Gu’s Bistro.

Popular local Szechuan chef, Chef Gu, and his team opened up Gu’s Dumplings inside Krog Street Market on March 24, 2015. Their previous restaurant, the beloved Gu’s Bistro on Buford Highway, closed March 13, 2015. At the time of writing this review, Chef Gu and his team have been focusing all their efforts on Gu’s Dumplings. Unlike other outposts from local chefs, the namesake chef actually works here regularly.
You can consider Gu’s Dumplings a sort of Gu’s Bistro «Lite,» a streamlined indoor market stall featuring several of Chef Gu’s popular dishes. Pretty much the same exact flavors from the old Buford Highway restaurant, which had opened in 2010, can now be found in Inman Park.
I’m sad Gu’s Bistro closed for a couple reasons. First, there’s no more traditional Chinese sit-​down restaurant. To enjoy Chef Gu’s food now, it must be done in a busy food court setting. Second, the menu has been reduced to less than 20 items. At the old restaurant, Chef Gu could offer five times the variety. Of course, that’s me selfishly speaking. I’m sure Chef Gu, now in his 60s, is enjoying the lighter and more efficient menu here.
Like other vendors at Krog Street Market, Gu’s Dumplings has a nice little buildout. There’s polished dark wood that resembles chopsticks, an illuminated red ceiling, a refrigerated display case with fresh, ready-​to-​package foods including peppers and tofu, and shelves of Gu’s merchandise including hats, T-​shirts, coffee mugs, and bottles of Chef Gu’s dumpling sauce and homemade chili oil. Checkout is completed via one of two touchpad devices.
The staff did a great job choosing which items from Gu’s Bistro to include on the menu at Gu’s Dumplings. It’s a star-​studded list with a lot of consensus favorites. It can make choosing what to order difficult! Overall, the food is very flavorful, spicy, and oftentimes intense — perhaps too intense for some, but as an ardent fan of Szechuan food, I enjoy it. Many of the dishes share the same ingredients which include the liberal use of Szechuan peppers. Note there are a lot of salty, fried, and/​or oily foods so it can get heavy. Expect to spend about $ 10 – 15 per dish.
Beverage-​wise, there’s tea and soda from a Coke fountain machine. Krog Street Market provides free tap water around the corner.
Recommendations (**) and Notables (*):
** Zhong Style Dumplings (6 pieces $ 6, 12 pieces $ 10) — boiled dumplings in a housemade sauce with minced garlic, sesame seeds, green onions. These come in two styles: pork and veggie. I’ve only tried the pork version and these dumplings are indeed delicious. They’re served soaked in a savory chili oil sauce. Super tasty.
** Chengdu Cold Noodles ($ 9) — cold egg noodles, housemade sauce, minced garlic, bean sprouts, sesame seeds, green onions. This is possibly my #1 favorite dish at Gu’s. These noodles are just appetizing and delectable. Order them!
* Dan Dan Noodles ($ 9) — warm egg noodles, spicy sauce, green onions, spinach, ground beef. Not bad, but I would choose the Chengdu Cold Noodles 4 out of 5 times over these. Gu’s version of Dan Dan Noodles is toned down and sweeter, less spicy than other Dan Dan Noodles I’ve had.
** Spicy Dried Eggplant ($ 13) — fried eggplant, dried red chili peppers, Szechuan peppercorns, cilantro. Vying with the Chengdu Noodles as my favorite Gu’s dish. These are like big crispy French fries with excellent flavor and spice. There’s a little bit of that numbing effect from the Szechuan peppercorns. I love it.
* Luo Jiang Dried Tofu ($ 9) — chewy slivers of tofu in sweet chili oil sauce, topped with sesame seeds. If I was a vegetarian, I would love this dish. It does resemble beef jerky in appearance and consistency (somewhat). However, I would personally go with one of the meat or fish dishes over this.
* Kung Pao Lotus Root ($ 13) — sliced lotus root, garlic, ginger, green onions, dried red chili peppers, Szechuan peppercorns, roasted peanuts, homemade Kung Pao sauce. Crisp and crunchy yet also tender, lotus root is unique and actually quite nutritious for you.
** Chongqing Spicy Chicken ($ 15) — fried chicken nuggets, garlic, ginger, dried red chili peppers, Szechuan peppercorns, green onions. Similar to the Spicy Dried Eggplant in preparation, this is one of the spicier dishes on the menu and it is addictive.
Other variants to the Chongqing Spicy Chicken above is the Spicy Crispy Beef ($ 16) and a fried fish fillet entrée which I’ve seen run as a special (presumably the old «Crispy Fish Fillet» from Gu’s Bistro). The seasonings and flavors are rather potent in Szechuan cuisine and I do suggest ordering a side of white rice to eat with the meat and vegetable entrees to help dampen out the strong taste. A box of white rice is $ 1.
Service is terrific. The staff is adept and the food comes out fairly quick.
Krog Street Market has two free self-​park surface lots at Krog and Irwin. There are two valet stands. There’s also free parking inside the Stove Works parking deck across the street.

Coming straight from the airport, I was excited to grab some food at the Krog Street Market. I passed Gu’s dumplings and was attracted to their cold noodles. I’ve always been a fan of Szechuan cold noodles and Dan Dan noodles so I decided to give this place a shot.
Feeling indecisive between the chengdu cold noodles and Dan Dan noodles I asked the cashier for his recommendations, he said both were good so I went with the cold noodles since it was a hot day.
I picked up my order and took a bite and was immediately disappointed. Not only was it not cold, it wasn’t even the least bit spicy and the noodles had the texture of poor quality lo mein you get at run of the mill Chinese takeout restaurants.
This place is by far the worst cold noodles I’ve had in America and the least authentic.
I ended up going to Yalla to get a new lunch cause I was so disappointed with the one I got here.

You name your restaurant after a dish, it better be good! Gu’s Dumplings delivers on its namesake.
Located in the Krog Street Market food court, Gu’s Dumplings is one of the newer establishments in the area. Every food court needs at least one Chinese place right?! Good luck finding a seat to eat as well, as the food court tends to get bit crowded near the lunch hour. When I went to Gu’s it had just opened that week and the line was pretty long but the wait was well worth the wait.
The menu ranges from rice dishes, noodles, soups, and of course dumplings. If you think this place is just another Panda Express you’ll be in for quite a shock. To put it lightly, a Chinese person would probably eat here. They provide delectable dishes you would expect from a fast food Chinese place, but with a hint of home cooking and personal flavor added.
One of my go to spots for sure!
My Recommendations:
–Zhong Style Dumplings
–Chongqing Spicy Chicken
Menu:

The pork dumplings are really good! I like the chewy texture but most of all I like the spicy-​sweet oily sauce! There was enough pork inside to deem it a fair ratio of pork to skin. One can buy 6 pieces (half order) or 12 pieces (full order). One cannot mix and match with vegetable dumplings. Those have to be ordered separately.
A fellow Unilocaler was gracious enough to share the fried eggplant. Even though they messed up his order, it was well worth the wait. (Granted, I already ate and was not at risk for being hangry). It was hot, fresh, and I can taste the eggplant. Fried food is good and all but I would suggest to ease up on the batter. The eggplant is good enough to stand alone!
I look forward to going back to try other foods.
Upgraded to 4 stars after trying the sweet and spicy cold noodles!

Gu’s Dumplings can be found at 99 Krog St NE, Atlanta, GA 30 307 in Krog Street Market along the front side opposite where most of the food is located. If you haven’t been to Krog Street Market, this place is a location for shops and foodie-​positioned townie quick bites in an «adult» food court atmosphere. There are also some good to very good restaurants nearby. Since this is on the Atlanta Beltline, Krog St is receiving a lot of visibility and becoming a destination spot for local hipsters and those wanting new experiences.
Gu’s Dumplings is the brainchild of Chef Gu, formerly of Gu’s Bistro on Buford Hwy, considered one of the best and most authentic Szechuan restaurants in Atlanta. Gu permanently closed his restaurant to look for a new location to better serve the many fans of his cooking (it was getting to the 1 – 2 hour wait in the evenings and with the small kitchen in the original location, he began the search). The timing was right to open a new concept and thus Gu’s Dumplings was conceived (the intent is still to find a new location for the full restaurant) — the Krog St location provides a way to continue to have a revenue stream and provide a considerably smaller menu of items.
Initially Gu’s Dumplings had a very limited menu of about 8 – 10 items — I’m happy to report that the menu has vastly expanded (still not the variety of the original Bistro but much larger than when the stand opened). You look over the menu and order at the counter — 10 minutes or so later your order is called and you get fantastic Szechuan eats — you can’t do much better than this folks.
On this occasion we split a half order (6) of the pork Zhong style dumplings — these are boiled in a sweet-​and-​spicy Zhong sauce that’s pleasantly spicy and garlic-​y. Quite delicious.
I also ordered one of my favorite Gu’s Bistro dishes, the Spicy Dried Eggplant. My friend Arvin didn’t understand why I got this instead of the meat, but was soon converted. This is one of the best vegetarian dishes in Atlanta, in my humble opinion. Crispy sticks of battered eggplant stir-​fried with fresh sliced garlic, dried red chilis, fresh cilantro and Szechuan peppercorns (these are the famous flower pepper than numbs your mouth!). I didn’t realize how much I missed this dish until the huge container was handed to me.
You can look for and may be lucky in finding a table — we decided to stand in one of the many bar-​height areas along the walls. Go to Hop City and pick up a nice local craft to wash this down — you can thank me later.
(longer review with photos can be found on my food blog)

Veggie dumplings — nice. A bit of spiciness to them and they go quickly. Get a full order.
Cold noodles — pretty decent. The noodles are the right consistency and the seasoning has a light touch.
Pleasant people taking and delivering order.
Line was short at 11:45 on a rainy Thursday. I was at the register in about 5 minutes, and had food 10 minutes after that.
Kinda expensive, but my two items were enough for lunch and dinner.

For all you folks that keep complaining how Gu’s has lost it’s touch… breathe. They JUST opened. Let’s give them some slack. Pretty sure all of your favorite restaurants at one point in life had just opened/​had to work super hard to resolve some kinks before folks saw the full potential. Plus — KSM still has problems to work out. Let’s play nicely, yeah… You know who you are: P
^ I myself come from a restaurant family. Definitely remember opening weeks.
Parking — KSM has parking decks, done!
Since Gu’s Dumplings is a pop up shop — you’ll have to find seating somewhere in KSM. I know my bf and I had to walk around for a few mins before we got settled.
Service — Surprisingly, the line moves fast. Once we were going to check out another restaurant in KSM, we passed by Gu’s line & the line was realllllly long (maybe 12ish people). But when the restaurant we wanted to check out had a 1.5 hour wait, we decided to explore others. By that time, Gu’s line only had maybe 6 people. The time period of us passing by and coming back out was 15ish mins. So yep, 2 iPad registers that Gu’s uses is proving to be efficient. :) I love the iPad method!!!
Prices — I mean they’re in Inmark Park/​in the heart of ATL. A little more expensive, but understandable and doable. I think once Gu’s gets their stuff together permanently, people will be ok with prices, IMO.
Food — they give all items in to go boxes. At first, I found it odd– but after thinking about it, it’s a pop up shop & it’s KSM. Seems like to go boxes are a good way to go since KSM is super busy & have folks in and out.
I liked the Zhong Styled Dumplings — it’s hard for me to say otherwise. I think once Gu’s gets better, I will LOVE the dumplings. Nomnom. I’ll never say no to Dumplings! :D Popular item.
Szechuan Chicken — WOW. I had 1 bite and my mouth was on fire. People who love spicy, get this. People who are wimps (like me), I recommend something else. But it is very good. I honestly only had a few bites bc I just can’t handle spicy. My bf really enjoyed it and seeing me suffer for a little bit haha.
Chengdu Cold Noodles — I really liked the noodles. Since my mouth was on fire + was starving, this item was welcomed. But I ate this often at the BuHi location — taste is still the same :)
Will be back!!!

I have been in total anticipation of Gu’s. I am at Krog Street Market pretty often so I couldn’t hold back when I heard the opening was finally upon us. There I was, first in line! My order: Spicy Crispy Beef and a half order of pork dumplings (6). The pork dumplings just melt in your mouth. Why the heck did I only order 6? I need a full order from now on please. The Spicy Crispy Beef is a little steep at $ 16 for what you get but it is delicious… I can handle more spice for sure but the flavor is perfect.
This is another splendid addition to KSM and I’m sure it will be the instigator of more lines with already being widely known as serving some of the best Sichuan in Atlanta at Gu’s Bistro.
For being the first customer, they gave me a cute «I heart Gu’s» coffee mug. They have shirts too. I will likely be there all of the time pouring dumplings down my throat pelican-​style. Only criticism is that everything is probably a few dollars overpriced except for the dumplings. Tough to consider spending $ 20+ for just a walk up and order for one.