I like soup dumplings! Where can I get some?

September 15, 2014 1:30 PM

The lovely mrspdb and I are going to be in San Francisco in a few weeks. Find me soup dumplings!

I need the green's wisdom - I loves me some soup dumplings and, having missed my chance to get some when we were in NYC a bit ago, I'm wanting to find some of SF's best. I've read Yelp. I've seen other review places. But I want y'alls opinion on the best place in SF to get soup dumplings. Assume I want to stay within SF city limits, but otherwise I'm open to pretty much anywhere that offers soup dumpling goodness.

posted by pdb to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

People will have strong opinions about this one, but I think the best overall dim sum in the Bay Area is actually just south of SF, at a place called Koi Palace in Daly City. It's literally 5 minutes south of SF. The food is excellent (including the soup dumplings), but as you can tell by the negative Yelp reviews, the service isn't the best and the wait can seem kind of insane. I also hear good things about Ton Kiang in SF proper, but I haven't been there myself.
posted by strangecargo at 1:41 PM on September 15, 2014

It's pricey but Yank Sing is downtown right near embarcadero and has soup dumplings. FYI they'r only open for lunch tomes 11-3 week days and 10-4 weekends.
posted by oneear at 2:00 PM on September 15, 2014

After Koi Palace, Shanghai Dumpling King in the Richmond is the gold standard. It's amazing. Get as many dumplings as you can eat along with garlic baby bok choy or pea sprouts. Go in the late afternoon to avoid the long wait, then walk down to the beach to check out the Sutro Bath ruins at Sunset and get an after-dinner cocktail at the Cliff House.
posted by amaire at 2:05 PM on September 15, 2014

I (anglo) have had both Yank Sing and Koi Palace's soup dumplings, and the latter are maringally better, though I don't know what would compel me to visit there after the wait I experienced. Numbers called out in random order, just a confusing, unpleasant experience. There's another Koi outpost about 40 miles east, in Dublin that is also excellent, if you are in that area.
posted by wnissen at 2:29 PM on September 15, 2014

I'll second Shanghai Dumpling King.
posted by janey47 at 2:58 PM on September 15, 2014

Which is not to say that Yank Sing and Ton Kiang aren't great, they just are known more for dim sum and not specifically dumplings.
posted by janey47 at 2:59 PM on September 15, 2014

Another vote for Shanghai Dumpling King. Just dress warmly.

Koi Palace is great, but the wait is insane.
posted by asterix at 3:11 PM on September 15, 2014

If you just want a place to pop into and you're in the Union Square area, Tian Sing has them and they're not half-bad. They add 15% tip to your bill, so FYI on that. Here's my TripAdvisor review.

Check out my other reviews, if you want some ideas for other places in San Francisco.

Have fun!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:24 PM on September 15, 2014

SDK is the king of the shanghai dumplings. They are wonderful and inexpensive. Yank Sing is a fantastic dim sum experience, great soup dumplings but a level or two more expensive.
posted by garethspor at 4:37 PM on September 15, 2014

A question I am qualified to answer. I lived in Shanghai for about 8 months and then moved to San Francisco and have lived here for 4 years.

Shanghai Dumpling King is probably your best bet. But I wanted throw out a name others haven't yet: King of Noodles in the Sunset. Their xiao long bao are pretty good, but the rest of their dumplings are great. And they make their own hand-pulled noodles (I recommend the lamb or mustard green soups). King of Noodles and Terra Cotta Warrior, both in the Sunset, are as authentic as it gets in SF proper.
posted by thebergfather at 7:57 PM on September 15, 2014