Bao Bao Dumpling House

Most amazing dumplings I’ve ever had! And happy hour has some amazing deals! Can’t wait to go back!

Service was excellent. Their slaw was amazing. Had the pork and cabbage dumplings which were very good but dipping sauce was limited. They had a nice special which was a steamed pork bun. As I was walking out there were many people with other great looking dishes I wish to I had the chance to try. All in all, very good and at low prices

This is just a great spot for amazing dumplings. Fast service, fresh food and a nice beer menu. Does get crowded so get there early if you can. I can’t get enough of this joint. While I’ve never met the owner I want to marry her and have her provide me with an endless supply of these little dumplings from heaven.

I really hate to write a review based on one visit, but since I am not sure I will ever come back to this joint, what am I to do? Not offer my opinion? My kids and I are on a quest, to find topnotch dumplings without having to jot down to Chinatown in Boston, where a real Cantonese dim sum brunch is to be found. Or was to be found? It’s been over 20 years since I made my regular weekend pilgrimage to ChinaBeanTown, the culinary highlight of my week! Maybe it’s all just Asian Fusion down there now. Or only sushi, god forbid.
So this joint looks a little ragged around the edges. Scrapes and dings and it just made me wonder if this place was the hit, but 10 years ago. But the first Unilocal review that I see is from Oct 2014, so just 1.5 years old this joint? Maybe we just hit this place on a bad day. It was a Saturday afternoon, but after the lunch rush, and about half-​filled. We had pretty lackluster service, the dumplings took 45 minutes to arrive at our table. The white rice that we ordered as a side never arrived, but it was there on the check. The dumplings were piping hot when they did come, that must be said, but people sitting at the bar, who arrived way later then we did, were already leaving their perch, smiling and satisfied, before we got our dumplings. Fooey!
Now, if the dumplings were all that, I don’t mind waiting an hour for them! But they were not all that special. We only tried dumplings, maybe we should have tried the smashed pickles or the Asian slaw that people rave about. A lot of folks did seem to be tucking in to those dishes around us. But we did order 6 of the 9 possible dumpling possibilities, and the only one I would write home to Mother about would be the shao mai, which were succulent and fought over, which with chopsticks always makes for a fun table exercise.
Positives: their tea selection (at a dumpling house, the tea selection has got to be good) was OK, their beer selection fantastic for such a small joint, and the Chai lemonade is chill. It was a grumpy, frumpy, drizzly Portland winter day, so I guess that can result in grumpy, frumpy wait-​service (what a difference it makes to your day when you are greeted with some genuine enthusiasm!!).
Having worked this all out on paper, I have decided I will come back and give this place another try.

Just excellent. Price is right, the dumplings are wonderful, robust andnot tiny. And while most may not notice it, I appreciate the owners and chef noting on the menus their recommended way of cooking the dumplings, yet give you a choice to change that to your own preference, if you so carelessly dare to do so. Yep, nice touch and shows they aren’t after pretense, but making people full, happy and satisfied with good, fresh food… (Do you hear me, people in that strip mall of restaurants near Middle Street & Franklin? THIS is how you cook food and treat your customers.)
One more great thing about Bao Bao we hadn’t realized until recently: During the winter, dumplings are half-​off Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays between the hours of 2pm and 4pm. Incredible deal!

Expensive as hell.
Dumplings were delicious, but expensive. as. hell…
I rather find another place for dumplings so my wallet and my stomach can stay full.
The service here however is INCREDIBLE! Talk about patience! I witnessed some unruly customers mistreat the staff and the staff handled it amazingly.
Then my pain in the ass needed assistance with my friends who showed up late, and the staff was more than accommodating. Excellent workers. Seriously.
I would give 4 stars because the food is delicious and the service was incredible, but the prices are just too much for the little amount of food you get and honestly I’ve had better dumplings for a cheaper price.

We’ve been here twice now and have sampled almost all the dumplings. Amazing! I particularly enjoy the soup dumplings, the curry dumplings with spicy sauce, and chicken cashew. But you can’t go wrong with any type. The smashed cucumbers and local spicy green salad are a must too.
Service is excellent– attentive, friendly, and knowledgable. Great bar with extensive local beer list, creative cocktails, and a large tea menu. I also can’t wait to try some of their non-​alcoholic mixed drinks.
It’s cozy– would be a great date spot.

Beautiful décor, wonderful staff and delicious food; all things (and so many more) that define Bao Bao Dumpling house.
Having eaten at Bao Bao quite a few times, I am a regular attendee for their delicious Sunday dinners and they never disappoint!
All the foods that they present to diners have their own nuances; each dumpling a different flavor profile from another, their salads extremely refreshing, and their soups phenomenally comforting.
The bars selection of cocktails and beers ties nicely with the menu. Cocktails are fun and feature Asian themed touches of brilliance and their beer selection highlights quite a few local breweries. The restaurant often participates in «Tap Take Overs» in which the evening menu is dedicated to a specific brewery! It’s great fun!
So if you’re looking for delicious food and a great bar selection, look no further: Bao Bao is a wonderful spot that won’t break the bank, but most certainly will fill your belly.

First off we went all out since it was our first time we wanted to try everything. Great dumplings and Asian slaw. I definitely recommend the Kung Pau Chicken dumplings and the pork and cabbage with the house recommended cooking. We also ordered the undon noodles which were amazing but the bartender told us it’s coming off the menu try it before it’s gone. At the end of the meal we got a dessert to go it was fried dough balls with coconut they were amazing! I can’t remember what they were called but try them! The drinks were very unusual and on the strong side but still delicious. Loved the décor it was hip and edgy. Can’t wait to go back!

Bao Bao is a great place to have a small meal on a weekend afternoon in the West End. I’m really only a fan of the chicken cashew dumpling here, but it’s good enough to keep me coming back again and again. The fact that they have Bissell Brothers on tap is quite awesome as well.

Asian food for white people. I guess that is fitting…
Well, the appearance of the place is nice and all. Service was fine. The menu and order that food was brought out was a bit confusing.
One of the dishes we ordered was pretty dismal. They were lobster claw and tail (still in the shell) doused with sticky sauce. How am I suppose to eat that? I’m not going to pick it up. And trying to pry the meat out with chopsticks is not going to happen. Real real bad idea.
We sampled a couple of the other dishes, and some were pretty tasty. However, nothing off the charts.
It’s okay, not terrific.

I love dumplings have been known to down 25 in one sitting.
Why I’ll eat it all +‘s:
+ Bao Bao offers a bent on traditional pork and vegetable dumplings. I dig the lamb with black beans and the kung pao chicken with peanuts.
+ Décor is fantastic. Gold plated dragon slithers on the wall and royal blue cushions await your tired bottom.
+ Service is prompt and courteous. We had a flight to catch and made it in good time.
Why I’ll share -‘s:
— Skin was not as doughy to my liking but held up.
— Price is not cheap for the dumplings but you pay for atmosphere.
— No take out. Ok it’s not a mom and pop shop where frozen dumplings can be bought in a bag of 25. Neither is it a place where you call in and ask something for take away. Too bad.
TIP: Grab window seat, enjoy your tea and eat well!

I was so happy to return home for a visit and be able to come here. Have consistently heard incredible things about this place since it opened. The interior of this restaurant is flippin’ cool. It’s very small however; we had to wait an hour and a half on a Wednesday at 9:00 PM. No problem, it gave us time to eat and drink at more places. It’s a small dining room with a really cool bar too. There are some funky decorations hanging, good music playing, and an overall happy, cool vibe.
I was weary at first because I don’t eat any meat, but there was a lot of appetizers for veggies like myself. We started with the black vinegar peanuts, because I love peanuts. I did not love these peanuts. In fact, this was the only part of the meal that I was not fond of. They were just too soft and soggy for my liking. They were plentiful though and I like to try lots of things so I’m glad I gave them a go. Would not eat again though. We then had the Asian slaw, which came highly recommended, and yeah, it was delicious. It was a really big portion and was hitting all my taste buds right. There were pea pods, carrots, red cabbage, peanuts, and shallots. I think every bite got better. It was somewhat sweet and the dressing was great. Loved this appetizer. So we only had two options for dumplings, because of my vegetarian self. The one option on the actual menu was a tofu, shiitake, carrot, and cilantro dumpling. Oh boy. These were so delicious. They come 6 to an order and range from $ 6-​$ 8. They were big and seriously delightful. I probably could have eaten a significant amount more. Our server told us to mix the rice vinegar and soy sauce, with some chili sauce as well. So good. Loved every bite. We were then told there was a vegan dumpling option. Obviously, we got that too. I can’t remember what was in them, except spinach. They were good, but not nearly as good as the tofu ones.
Drinks: yum. The cocktail list is awesome. We had been eating all day since we woke up at many different restaurants, so unfortunately, we were more focused on food than drinks. I looked at the drink menu though, and couldn’t say no. The beet and yuzu martini smiled at me and begged me to order it. Man this drink was DELICIOUS! Gin is my go to, and beets are my good friend too. It had beet juice, yuzu (a fruit I had never heard of), thai basil, and a sour-​sugar rim. Like I said, was very focused on food this day, so we were one and done with the cocktail. In real life, I could have had 5 of these. It was amazing, however, at $ 11 a pop, and in a regular/​semi smaller martini glass, glad I just stuck with one.
So, overall, A+++ for this place. I want to go back and try more apps and order more dumplings and have someone pay for me to have 6 beet gin martinis.

Very original.
A somewhat lackadaisical and borderline pretentiousness in service pervades albeit with a new twist on classic bao.
A small space off the beaten Portland path — this is a Place filled with locals and not vacationers.
Seating for maybe 25 with 10 more at the bar in the rear, tables as spaced far enough apart that elbows needn’t rub.
A well thought out beer, wine, sake and cocktail list comprises four menu pages to the single page of food listed.
The menu has three sections: cold, bao and hot.
Boiled chicken skin, spicy local vegetables, Asian slaw and the like comprise the cold.
As in slaw ($ 5.08) is finely shredded and crisp cabbage with peanuts and crisped onions sprinkled on top. Slightly sweet, a refreshing take on an American southern classic.
Dumplings ($ 6.08−9.08) range from traditional pork and shredded cabbage to beef and yellow curry.
Tender, nearly translucent wrappers encase tasty fillings. The beef and yellow curry is beef seasoned in a pungent yellow curry with a fiery chili sauce for dipping. Served pan fried as recommended, the meat is tender and the chili sauce sticks to the dumplings bringing out the curry.
Lamb dumplings don’t seem to contain any peanuts but are heavy with cumin — a good combination. The sweet tomato sauce is not right — skip it entirely and eat these boiled beauties By themselves as you would a soup dumpling.
Chicken Kung pao with peanut are also pan fried and crisp with a well seasoned chicken filling with a smattering of peanuts — it would be nice to see more peanuts better incorporated, ie, chopped and ground with the chicken, instead of whole peanuts halves. Served sauce less, there is almost no «PAO:» no heat at all. Mix together soy sauce and chili oil a la table and dip these succulent morsels in your own concoction.
Zha jiang mian ($ 12.95) arrives in a bowl covered in greens and shredded jicama. A handful of fresh sprouts and piles of edamame beans and boiled peanuts sit next two ground Pork in black bean sauce. Udon noodles support the entire dish. Drizzle chili oil on top and this becomes a far more complex dish.
Overall, a win. Original enough to return for such a narrow menu? Probably not.

This place was so delicious! We found a random parking spot so we decided to try them out. So glad we did.
We got a couple of cocktails. Mine was served in a cute ceramic pineapple! And we ordered the Boiled Pork and Cabbage dumplings and the Pan Fried Beef Curry dumplings. They were some of the best we have ever had.
The pork and cabbage ones were so fragrant and juicy. The filling was so tasty and the dough was perfect.
The Beef curry ones were like a little explosion in your mouth. Perfectly seasoned and because they are pan fried they have these little crispy lattice bits. Soo yummy!!!

so lovely! I stopped by today while visiting Portland on a business/​fun trip; it was incredibly convenient because I was staying at the Inn at Park Spring (an amazing b&b! check it out if you’re hunting for lodgings) right next door. since I was dining alone and didn’t want to take up valuable real estate during the lunchtime rush, I arrived right at 11:30 and was out by 12:05.
I had the kung pao chicken dumplings and the wonton noodle soup. the dumplings were amazing; I highly recommend them. if you get them pan-​fried, they’ve got a great crispy exterior and an equally dynamic interior, with flavorful chicken and whole peanuts. they’re also a great size.
the wonton noodle soup was just fine. the wontons themselves were great – well-​seasoned and yummy. but, like others, I found the noodle broth to be incredibly bland with no real body to it. ramen broth is a hard thing to master, and I don’t think BaoBao is trying to be a ramen house, so that’s fair. but it basically just tasted like boiling water.
if I am able to make it back to Portland, I’ll definitely visit BaoBao again, and just order two dumpling dishes. or maybe three.
ps. service was attentive and kind. no complaints.

Dumplings are an (all-​too) frequent staple in my household, thanks to Trader Joe’s, but no more! At least not for this gal. I’m ashamed to say that as someone who lives a mere three blocks away, it took me this long to stop in for a bite. Seriously, I plan on remedying that forthwith after such a stupendous first experience. No really, I literally have already gathered a posse of friends and my roomies with a plan to go there again later this week…
I was pleasantly surprised at the pricing. Very affordable for the quality, and portion.
The gent behind the bar, who late advised me his name is Chris, was SO patient. I was in indecision city as to what dumpling variety to try for a ridiculous amount of time, until finally settled on the Kung Pao Chicken, pan sautéed, with a Vietnamese coffee. The dumplings came out cooked to perfection, the kind I have been unsuccessful at producing at home, so really, why would I bother going through the motions now, when I can mosey up the street? The coffee was more lightly sweetened than I’ve had in Vietnam or in the states, but was still tasty and refreshing.
I finished with the Sansho-​Spiced Pie Crust with custard, passionfruit and rambutan and a pint of the Trashmaster Stout, which coincidentally, was the pairing they’d recommend anyway! This is an inadequate description of the dessert, but liken it to having pie filling in a container and dipping what would typically be the crust inside. Then imagine that action being accompanied by a burst of unbelievably tart, tangy and fruity flavor. Actually, don’t imagine it, just get your butt over there and hope it’s still available!

I have never been a dumpling lover. Something in my heart tells me there will always be better combinations of meat and carbs than dumplings.
But 6 largeish dumplins’ for $ 6 ish bucks is a good deal and their sauces are delicious. I got the pan-​fried Chicken Cashew, but I also tried one of the Pork Wontons and the pan-​fried Kung Pao Chicken & Peanut.
Chicken Cashew– delicious dipping sauce, sort of bland insides (at least compared to chicken cashew that you’d get at a Thai place). But overall a good experience.
Kung Pao Chicken & Peanut– not too peanutty and packed with more flavor than the Chicken Cashew, these were my favorite and paired very nicely with some of the spicy sauces they brought.
Pork Wontons– The soup broth was INCREDIBLY bland. It tasted like hot ham water. Just a smack of ham to it. No other flavor. The wontons themselves were fine, but I’m not raving about them.
Service was exceptionally accommodating to our party of 10+, and the dumplings came out as they were done, but with less than 10 minutes between the first and the last dishes.
I would recommend ordering several different orders of dumplings and sharing because at their prices it’s worth trying a few different types.
I give them 4 stars because even though I’m still not quite won over to the dumpling discipleship, I appreciate their high-​quality food and great service and I think that anyone who does like dumplings would have a great time here.

Who doesn’t love dumplings? What a great comfort food, especially on a chilly spring afternoon. Cute location with a sort of cheeky Asian décor.
Pros and Cons from our first visit:
— We went this past Saturday around lunch time. It was packed. The manager told us it’d be about a 40 minute wait and took our name and number and said they’d give us a ring once a spot opened up. Obviously a 40 minute wait is not a positive, but the fact that we could leave and get a drink elsewhere knowing that someone would call us was reassuring. Brownie points!
— My beet & yuzu martini was very good, but so very small. It came in a glass that resembled one of those little plastic champagne cups. I guess for $ 11 I was expecting maybe something larger.
— We ordered the black vinegar peanuts because everyone on Unilocal seemed to love them, we too really enjoyed them! They’re a pain in the ass to eat, but delicious. Trying to navigate them to our mouths with chopsticks kept us pretty preoccupied while we waited for our dumplings.
— I ordered the kung pao chicken peanut dumplings while the squeeze ordered the beef yellow lentil dumplings. His came with some sort of a sauce on the side, mine didn’t which I was pretty bummed about. They should all come with a sauce IMO. I also wish the waitress expressed the heat of the sauce, I love spicy, but the squeeze nearly had to leave the table because it was so spicy. The dumplings themselves were very good, we ordered ours pan-​fried, they were soft, warm, and crispy.
… Until I found a huge black hair embedded in my last two dumplings. They did comp us for those dumplings and gave me a fresh order to-​go free of charge.
— We did opt for desert despite my traumatizing discovery. We shared the $ 6 a piece crème brûlée and chocolate mousse. The crème brûlée was very yummy, the chocolate mousse not so much.
Overall, I think we would go back. Maybe not tomorrow, but perhaps down the road. Other than the drinks I feel as though the menu prices are very reasonable for the portions. Service was OK, we might make this a take-​out spot if anything.

I’m so glad that we went here tonight. The dumplings were flavorful and delicious. We ordered way too much food but we wanted to try a bunch of different things. Here’s what we got:
Black vinegar peanuts-​delicious
Smashed cucumbers-​the perfect combination of refreshing and salty/​sweet goodness
Spicy pig ears-​I don’t eat pigs and my husband who does took one bite and decided that this little piggy was not for him either. Weird looking dish with a strange looking texture.
Cashew chicken dumplings-​so good. I just recently started eating chicken again from time to time and I could eat these every day.
Kung pau chicken dumplings-​also very tasty with a slight kick.
Tofu, shiitake, carrot, and cilantro-​yum. Heaven in a veggie dumpling.
Lamb, black bean chili, and peanut-didn’t try these because I don’t eat lamb either but they came with a tomato sauce/​relish that was tasty and my husband enjoyed them.
The dumplings come 6 to an order and you can get them steamed or pan fried. We ordered some of each.
We were also lucky enough to be sitting at the bar next to a couple that wasn’t afraid to share food with us so we tried their greens in oyster sauce and steamed hake both of which were really good.
And we ordered dessert! I know, we ordered a lot! We got the fried red bean steam buns. They were kind of like mini warm donuts filled with red bean and topped with sweetened condensed milk. They were maybe a little dry but tasty.
Overall we had a good experience. We sat at the bar which I sometimes prefer because it’s nice to talk to the people around you or the bartender. However our bartender was not the most talkative. In fairness, he was busy making drinks and he wasn’t unfriendly but wasn’t super memorable either. There was a woman behind the bar as well and she was really friendly and shared a lot of information about the food which was nice to hear. It’s a new restaurant, all of the servers and bartenders should take a cue from her and assume that people want to know about the menu. I will say that this is probably not the most vegetarian friendly restaurant. But there are a few veggie items on the menu and they were all delicious.
We will definitely be back.