Dumpling Dynasty

Chinese restaurant · Outer Richmond

Dumpling Dynasty

Chinese restaurant · Outer Richmond

1

3319 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121

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Highlights

Nestled in Outer Richmond, Dumpling Dynasty offers a cozy spot for solid Chinese fare, from soup dumplings to BBQ beef dumplings, with friendly service.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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3319 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121 Get directions

dumplingdynasty-sf.com

$10–20 · Menu

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3319 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121 Get directions

+1 415 387 2088
dumplingdynasty-sf.com

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Jul 12, 2025

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"Not to be confused with its unrelated almost-name-twin Dynasty Dumpling in Lower Pacific Heights (because of course this exists), Dumpling Dynasty is an Outer Richmond spot with average dumplings—nothing more, nothing less. The xiao long bao could pass as golf balls in both size and weight, and have less soup than we’d like. You’re better off hitting up Dynasty Dumpling instead." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

Power Ranking Every Two-Word SF Restaurant That Starts With "Dumpling"
View Postcard for Dumpling Dynasty

Edi Danalache

Google
Great new place that opened up on Balboa street. They had a 10% off promo for the gran opening which was nice. The complimentary tea was very floral and aromatic. Food was solid. Will definitely come here again next time I’m in the neighborhood.

Eva Britton

Google
This is a Great little restaurant for authentic Chinese food!! Service was fast, food was perfect!!! Definitely will go back again! There’s only 1 bathroom, I can’t say that it was the cleanest.

Cynthia Lee

Google
I only gave it a 4 star because I have had better Shanghai dumpling, and pan fried bao. Everything else was really good.

Chris Selig

Google
This was one of my favorite Chinese restaurants. But, they decided one random day to just close permanently. They didn't post a sign, they didn't tell any of their loyal customers who go on pretty much a weekly basis. No goodbye or thank you for your patronage. Nothing. It's disgraceful how some people run their businesses.

Cullen REDDY

Google
Enjoyed the food very much but have only been here this one time - was leaving the Bison Paddock and this was on the 31 route back home to the Fillmore. I got the BBQ beef dumplings and the Shanghai Pan Fried Pork buns. Both were delicious. And it took them about fifteen minutes to serve me even with only one other person in the restaurant - which i take as a sign that it's freshly made; I'm happy. Would recommend for take out especially if you live close by.

Jim Ren

Google
Hands down the worst Chinese food I’ve ever had. The green onion pancake is straight from 99 Ranch freezers. The dishes have visible salt on top. I had to drink 5 cups of water to wash down the sodium. The best part of the meal must be the rice, but it’s still the worst rice I’ve had in SF. On top of that, the price is 1.5x whatever you can find in Sunset or Inner Richmond. $2 per dumpling is just insane. For the string beans, they didn’t peel the veins, so good luck chewing and swallowing. At least they are happy to keep pouring me water on request to wash down the salt. 🙄 Edit: towards the end of the meal, the water was the best part

Daniel Buchanan

Google
Stumbled upon this place and saw the grand opening sign so figured I’d give it a try. Staff is super friendly. Had the wonton soup, soup dumplings, and the pea sprout and shrimp dumplings. Everything was delicious and will be coming back. I’d be very surprised if there isn’t a line down the block within a few months.

Syntrico Mysterio

Google
There was no service. They didn’t care about us at all, even when we took a nap, fell asleep, and woke up in the dark. We spilled water by accident and they didn’t even bother at us, just stare at us from a distance as if we were autistic. On the other hand, the food was very delicious.

Steve A.

Yelp
Came at lunch for some good dumplings. Dumpling Dynasty is in an unassuming place north of Golden Gate Park. It may be a pretty small place but it still has a few tables. Good prices for the quality of the dumplings and they were also filling. The rest of the menu has other typical Asian stuff. Authentic is the best description of it. It's like getting these from somewhere in China seriously. The place is a pretty small space, and most people in here are Chinese, so of course it must be good then. Got the Vegetable Dumplings. It's $9 to get 6 pieces. Came steaming hot. These were filled with vegetables such as carrots and peas. Good authentic flavors. It's one of many dumpling places around here. There's a few of these to order that are okay for vegans and vegetarians.

Dustin

Yelp
During a random lunch stop at Dumpling Dynasty, we were pleasantly surprised by the overall experience. We started with the dan dan noodles, which were flavorful and hit the spot. My fiancé ordered the lunch special with rice, walnut shrimp, and an egg roll. The shrimp was perfectly crispy and coated in a sweet glaze, pairing well with the fluffy rice and crunchy egg roll. We also tried the garlic string beans, which were fresh and garlicky, cooked to just the right level of tenderness. The pork and cabbage dumplings rounded out our meal nicely, with a juicy filling and tender wrapper. Every dish was served in generous portions, making it a great value despite the slightly higher prices. Overall, everything we had was really good, and while the prices may initially seem steep, the portion sizes justify them. I'd definitely consider coming back when I'm in the area again.

Joseph A.

Yelp
This had been a location of Shanghai Dumpling King, which had been a busy shop with great food, and at decent pricing. As for the latest tenant Dumpling Dynasty my feelings are mixed mostly because of the lack of Dumpling variety. The food is okay, but I can think of restaurants that I would prefer ordering freshly made dumplings (example Happy Family Gourmet on Taraval) . I might come back though for Noodle, Vegetable or Meat dishes because of the location. Being a good block from most of the Outer Balboa Shops the parking is not bad.

Cathrin P C.

Yelp
I remember this location from decades ago when it was the original Shanghai dumplings place pre-pandemic. Now it's a sad little memory, not nearly as crowded and the menu looks a little meh. The food also took awhile to arrive even though we were the only people in the restaurant. They forgot our lamb dumplings but were nice enough to give us a free order of lava yolk buns as compensation -- that liquid gold inside was delicious, not too sweet and maybe could've used a little more salt but yum! We ordered a bunch of food so be sure to check out my pic of our receipt. It was a little on the expensive side. Total bill $124! The most interesting item was their "BaoBao" which is the bun that they use for roast duck but they added pork belly, fried chicken or beef on the form of a trendy Asian fusion taco. I couldn't really taste the meat in the center because the bun was overpowering the flavors and it was sure messy to eat but a very interesting twist! $10 for 2 The best item was their 7 spice wings -- perfectly crispy batter that's very flaky and seasoned perfectly $9 for 6 ITEMS TO PASS: Dan Dan noodles $12 - so bad, where's the peanut flavor??! BBQ beef dumpling $11 - absolutely zero bbq flavor Mushroom chicken dumpling $11 - where's the mushroom?? Worth a try: Lamb dumplings $10 for 6 - nice lamb flavor Shrimp roe dumplings $12 for 6 - juicy but a little expensive Pork buns $10 for 5 - lots of dough, small filling, you'll need a lot of chili oil to make this good The restaurant is real bare bones and be prepared to wait awhile.

Lorena T.

Yelp
Came with a friend who recommended this place bc her son likes the dumplings. We had the onion pancake, beef chow fun and xiao long bao. We expected better of the pancake which was just dough and green onions inside. I've had better beef chow fun and xiao long bao. Service was good. Street parking. It's a hole in the wall joint. We had expected better food, and asked if the restaurant had changed hands. Server said 6 years ago. I paid by credit card, so it's not cash only. Sorry, but I won't be back.

Emy B.

Yelp
Comforting no frills hole-in-the wall place for some homemade feel dumplings to warm our tummies on a cold city day. Did not disappoint and parking is easy in the neighborhood. Few tables, but service is quick and no nonsense. Food was solid for sure.

Leo Y.

Yelp
This restaurant just opened a few days ago and there was no line. I would give it 4/5. Service was great and waiter was attentive. Food was pretty solid and definitely worth it here. I would recommend this place! The restaurant didnt spend much on decorating the place and just have the bare minimum but that's expected for most chinese restaurant.

Raymond L.

Yelp
This place has always been a dumpling restaurant of some sort throughout the name and ownership changes. They were exceedingly good during a previous ownership but I understand that the kitchen was too small to accommodate all the takeout orders before so they closed the shop. A great loss since their sister location could not match the quality and flavour of this location. I ordered the XLB and then peeked at the menu and they had lamb dumplings too. Well that was an easy choice of what else to order. I think their XLB were frozen because the bottom fell out upon picking it up. Also the meat had the consistency of a siu mai, it needed some corn starch to soften the filling and there was no hint of ginger in the filling. Their orders consisted of only six dumpliings and not the eight I'm used to. The lamb dumplings were very tasty but could have stood a little more steaming, the skins they used were very chewy. The interior had a very nice painting on the wall and the entrance to the washroom had a similar type of view. The dumplings here were okay but I would look for another place that has more traditional flavours in their XLB.

Wendy H.

Yelp
Looks like Dumpling Dynasty replaced the New Dumpling King. There's been a slew of dumpling shops occupying this spot. We dropped in here today to buy lunch. We ordered the shanghai pan fried buns (this was very good); shrimp garlic noodles (this was meh. No garlic flavor, 6 shrimp and absolutely no veggies); shanghai pan fried noodles (this one is good. Noodles were chewy comes with chicken and veggies). Service was fast. Looks like they didn't really remodel from previous owners. Right now they are offering 10% grand opening discount. Check it out

Natalie S.

Yelp
Usually don't write reviews but this place scared me. Very undercooked soup dumplings and the dan dan noodles weren't good just tasted like the meat sauce was frozen and reheated and had a heavy oyster + soy sauce flavor without any spice. They took the soup dumplings off the bill though which was nice. Also there was a kitten running around inside the restaurant and jumping on tables/ trying to eat our food. Love cats but health standards at the place seem a bit scary.

Tony C.

Yelp
Many dumpling places to eat I don't recommend this one. Ambiance is pretty bad. Dirty, dark and a pet cat in the dining area. It's pricey as well

Alicia L.

Yelp
Everything we got was delicious and well worth the visit! We got the: XLB soup dumpling Lamb dumpling Beef dumpling BBQ pork bun They recently changed ownership but sifu (head chef) is the same so food lived up to its predecessor. HK dim sum items were added to the menu so we will try next visit

Ivy L.

Yelp
Came here on Saturday morning and there was no line. Ordered a couple traditional dishes like the string beans, Shanghai noodles, dan dan noodles, beef dumpling, general tsos wings, and green onion pancake. The quality and flavor was quite lackluster across all the dishes. I probably would not come back.

Cameron D.

Yelp
Pretty cute place me and my friend found while we were walking around Outer Richmond. It is a pretty small hole in the wall, but not too difficult to find. You just need to walk down the street and you'll eventually find it! We stopped by here because the wait to The Laundromat was way to long. The vibe in there is pretty bland to be honest. Theres not really much decoration inside so its not really good looking on the inside. Its a pretty tiny place too so its not like they have much to decorate anyways. It is a cozy place though which has its own charm when it comes to indoor dining. You can kind of picture it as more of a family restaurant. It also wasn't too loud in there too which is nice so you can have a convo. The service was pretty good and they even gave us some pretty good herbal tea. The servers were pretty attentive to us the whole time which was nice and they gave us enough room to ensure that they weren't overbearing. The food itself was really good. But I do have one complaint. My friend is allergic to peanuts and one of the dishes that we ordered had some sort of peanut butter oil on it. Definitely wasn't pleased about that and it didn't show in the menu so we didn't know. Overall though, the food was excellent and I really enjoyed the Shanghai Pan Pork Buns that tasted absolutely delicious. Loved how how plump the buns were and the juicy meat inside basically melted in your mouth if it wasn't burning you. Overall. Would recommend coming here, but the restaurant definitely has to do a better job in ensuring that its clear in their menu whats in each of their dumplings.

Amy Z.

Yelp
This was a great weekend lunch in the Richmond district! The prices were fair, and during the grand opening period there's a 10% discount off your total bill. The soup dumplings were generously filled, and the dishes were all fresh and flavorful. The ordering process is all through their QR code, and service is fast and prompt. Definitely check it out!

Dianne Y.

Yelp
No-frills Chinese spot in the outer richmond with a focus on dumplings. The pan-fried pork buns were excellent. Actually buns/bao and not just dumpling skin if you were expecting XLB, so it's more filling and still with juicy flavor. Shrimp dumplings were good as well, and the string beans are a good choice for veggies. A pot of flower tea is only $2. Would come back to try more dishes and maybe add another star depending on those. (No-frills as in a typical Chinese restaurant--no fancy decor, no music, fast service, no annoying interruptions checking if everything is ok. Just to-the-point serve food.)

Falisha R.

Yelp
No, no, no, no just no. First of all me and my wife were really excited to try this place and we were HIGHLY disappointed! I asked for water and the guy pointed to the nasty water jug behind him, but ok I went with it, I get up and ask for ice and he said "no Ice did you place your order yet" I said yes and asked again about the ice so his dad brought me some and the son said "I didn't know we had any" ok... they have dandelion tea on the table but they don't tell you that they are going to charge you for it which is ABSURD TO ME!!! i mean only 2$ but it's the principle, they know most people aren't going to complain about 2$ extra on the tab so they try and trick you! I don't like that at all... if you have something sitting on each table when you come in customers are going to assume that it's complimentary and they know that... that's why they do it that way. **(Side note if your going to make me drink water from a jug and lie about not having ice the tea should be free sir) ** moving on... I hope your not too thirsty when you go there because the cups are so tiny, so plan on making 5 or 6 trips to the water jug, get soda instead you say ?? No they thought of that too, they charge 3$ for a can of soda when we all know in California a can of soda is 2$ max at a restaurant. I seen that they had almost 5 stars so I was thinking ok the food is probably bomb and makes up for everything lacking... I didn't notice they only had 16 reviews lol... the food was bland and was in serious need for salt... don't worry they don't put salt or pepper or sugar on the table either. I'd never come here again. I did make a comment about the tea and he took it off right away so that wasn't a fight, but I shouldn't have to say anything... don't try and cheat your customers. If I had a restaurant I would want people leaving happy so they will want to come back, not cheated and let down.

Elena C.

Yelp
Stopped here for a quick dinner before a concert after finding them on Yelp. Got in right at opening so it was a bit quiet but since was very quick. Loved their XLB dumplings and the green onion pancake (so crispy and delicious!). My personal favorite was their pan fried pork buns. Definitely will comes back again!

Carolyn J.

Yelp
This is a local gem! I am a born and raised SF local and serious about Chinese food and dim sum! You will not be disappointed in fact you will crave the food so much! You are greeted and welcomed by kind staff and the food is beyond delicious, clean fresh tastes that are savory and beyond amazing! We brought our family back for a second visit and I already can't wait to come back . I am almost afraid to promote bc I know there will be a line out the door!

Mike Y.

Yelp
Pan. Fried. Pork Buns! I'm obsessed. Tiny spot but great food. Garlic Broccoli was great too.

Jennifer T.

Yelp
This showed up in the Hot and New. New owners and they are having a grand opening 10% off for February. We tried the following: 1. XL boa was juicy 2. The shrimp roe dumplings was very flavorful and was our favorite 3, Spicy wonton was ok - there was not much flavor or spicy 4. Broccoli beef was ok 5. Pan fried buns was really good - I liked the dough 6. Sesame mochi dessert was not in the menu and they were very good Highly recommend you stop by and give them a try.

Christy V.

Yelp
Fist time here and it was ok. The dough was too thick, hot and sour soup is bland but glad they have the vinegar on the table which we added and made it perfect. Noodles was ok nothing wow. Service was ok too. One worker but the food came out fast which is a plus. Everything was just ok with decent price. If I had to choose one I like out of the everything, I guess the spicy wonton. I did like the tea pot. Very cute. Would I come back? I guess if I'm in the area and crave something simple but I wouldn't go out of my way especially I don't live too close.

Hyacinth D.

Yelp
Terrible! Place was dirty. Tables not clean and food on floor. Then a cat came from the back, jumped on my table and literally started licking my plate!! I complained then left! Place should be reported to for sanitation reasons. DO NOT COME HERE.

Kenji K.

Yelp
I was a fan of the previous two dumpling restaurants at that location. First it was Shanghai Dumpling King, then another similar name I forget now. Both were excellent. This was my first visit to Dumpling Dynasty, the latest iteration of Chinese restaurant featuring XLB Shanghai soup dumplings, and I was sorely disappointed. First I ordered green onion pancakes, were were small, dry, and tasteless, with almost no filling. Next of course was Shanghai soup dumplings. Oddly, they steam their XLB in little disposable aluminum foil cups, which do seem to prevent the soup from leaking out in the steamer, but unfortunately the dumplings stick to the foil, making it almost impossible not to tear the dumpling while trying to get it off the metal foil cup, losing the soup anyway. I suppose you could bite into the dumpling and drink off the soup first, which I didn't try. But even then the dumpling pastry was unevenly cooked, since the steam can't get to the dough in the cup. The top was soft, the part int the cup chewy. Not a good cooking method, in my opinion. Also, they do not serve the usual ginger/soy/vinegar dipping sauce with their soup dumplings. The one dish I was happy with was wokked string beans. Nice crisp bite without being undercooked. Just right! I would have preferred a bit more heat, but that said, quite good. I might try this place again to try some of the dishes that other Yelpers are loving, but I'll be going elsewhere when the hankering hits for XLB Shanghai soup dumplings. And I'll definitely pass on their green onion pancakes.

Sarah E.

Yelp
It seemed as if parking attendants were running the restaurant, not professional servers. (And nothing against parking attendants, of course.) They knew nothing about how to set a table or even which plates to use. No tea was offered. Plates the size of saucers for coffee were offered for the main courses. The glasses of water tasted of soap. The jersey of one server was covered with what looked like spilled food. Another server wore extremely torn and ripped jeans. The appetizers were served *after* the entrees. Unfortunately, all that does make one worry about the food. Hard to judge that. Two vegetable dishes seemed good (albeit oily and salty), but I still worry about the pork and shrimp wonton. On the plus side, nobody got sick or died.

Scott B.

Yelp
I've always enjoyed their food but didn't like the taste of steel wool in my spicy won

Katerina L.

Yelp
Came here and was quite disappointed. The pan fried dumplings weren't crispy enough (barely any crisp except a little bit on edges), the Shanghai chow mein was very oily including the eggplant dish. The table was rickety and the restaurant just didn't feel very clean/ comfortable to be in. Just not a meal you feel good about afterwards due to the oil. Won't deny that the taste is pretty decent, so maybe that's why there's 4 stars. I have a sensitive stomach so I typically care about oiliness and the aftermath.

Alicia T.

Yelp
Ordered delivery because my usual spot wasn't delivering for some reason. If you like very meaty dumplings this place is for you, I personally like my dumpling fillings really really grounded but there were full on shrimps in mine. They are also very thick dumplings. The won ton soup was pretty good, the mapo tofu was basic but hit the spot.

Eileen S.

Yelp
Food is plentiful & very good; atmosphere is comfortable, not noisy; price is good; service is slow.

Danica N.

Yelp
Awful service. Tried takeout to avoid the endless waiting and they didn't even get the order right.

Vick V.

Yelp
I've only ever gotten delivery from Dumpling Dynasty, but each time it's been consistently great.

Adriana S.

Yelp
so much dank . thank you dumpling gods! everything was amazing and incredible service

Hubert L.

Yelp
If you are in a pinch and happen to be in the neighborhood, this place may fit the bill. Although it appears that there have been several ownership changes as is reflected by the food. Because of its small size, service is adequate. Otherwise not too bad.

Kathy K.

Yelp
Tasty and fresh! Green beans fresh and still crisp. Fillings in dumplings well seasoned. Very satisfying.

Amanda B.

Yelp
Awesome amazing food customer service was really friendly and fast and efficient and the food was awesome

Ben B.

Yelp
I love the lamb dumplings and vegi pot stickers! Haven't tried much else, but I believe this spot is underrated! Very nice and helpful staff as well, happy to answer any questions you may have on the menu.

Chris Y.

Yelp
This is my favorite Chinese place in the city. I will always come here and bring people that I know.

Natalie O.

Yelp
Excellent food, cozy space, great service. Using QR codes for menu and payments was easy and convenient. Take out is excellent too!!!

Daniel B.

Yelp
Stumbled upon this place and saw the grand opening sign so figured I'd give it a try. Staff is super friendly. Had the wonton soup, soup dumplings, and the pea sprout and shrimp dumplings. Everything was delicious and will be coming back. I'd be very surprised if there isn't a line down the block within a few months.

Eddie D H.

Yelp
Food was great, but after having been served, they kinda forgot I was there. Had to get up and look for someone to get me a can of soda, and after waiting for more than a half an hour after that, I finally had to get up and bring my leftoversto the counter to pack them up to go and pay the tab. That's pretty weak. Not going back.