Sister Liu's Kitchen

I spotted Sister Liu's Kitchen from the highway last weekend and it just looked like somewhere I had to stop by! There are certain occasions where I can already tell the food will be good before trying it and this was one of those times. You are able to order online or at a kiosk located in front of the store. The owner was very kind and checked in on us when we arrived before placing our order. You are then able to communicate via text when you arrive and our order was completed in a timely manner. We had ordered the pork chive dumplings which fulfilled our cravings. Everything is homemade and there was a lot of love put into these dumplings. The dumplings were soft and the filling was seasoned perfectly. The sauce that came with them helps add a little more flavor if you need it but they are also perfectly fine on their own! There were some other menu items we wanted to try but they were sold out. So, we will have to stop by here again when we are in the area. Definitely support this place if you like local businesses that make delicious food!

Very yummy dumplings and quite the interesting burger. I would recommend the pork and chive dumpling with the spicy sauce. The burger is worth a try but if you’re not in the mood to eat a lot of food I would suggest the dumplings instead

I had the chicken and mushroom dumplings and the vegetable rice noodles from Sister Liu’s Kitchen at the Lunar New Year market at Raleigh Iron Works. The dumplings were very good but a little cold. I think the food was premade because the busy line went fast. The rice noodles lacked flavor, honestly without the cilantro, they would’ve been too bland. I would be interested in going to their restaurant to compare against the food truck food, but I did really enjoy the dumplings.

Parking lot is a nightmare. Order for pickup was ready fast and warm, but they included part of someone else’s order in our bag that we returned to them. I could see why some reviews talk about their orders being messed up. The buns, fries or steamed, were dry and didn’t have much filling. The filling inside wasn’t very flavorful. The spicy pork burger had good flavor but felt greasy and dry at the same time. The grease got soaked up by the bun and the meat was dry. The chicken and pork dumplings were good but I would not recommend the shrimp ones. It would also be nice if they offered a fried dumpling option. This place is pretty far out of my way so I am not likely to be a return customer.

I can’t believe I’ve lived right near here for months and only just now stopped in! The pork buns are FIRE and the prices are SUPER reasonable! I got the pork buns and a jasmine boba for $12 and the portion sizes are great 🥰 awesome quick lunch stop

(duke food truck) dumplings need more filling but the sauce it comes with is super good. the pork rice noodles are good but need more sauce and i wish the pork wasn’t minced as small bc that’s where a lot of the flavor was. it’s like an almost perfect place but stuff is missing to push it to 5 stars and make it actually worth the high prices. i like their mango raspberry tea though.

I’ve been getting dumplings here for years. My favorites are the Shrimp Pork Chive and Beef Cilantro, always with spicy sauce! A reliable restaurant that satisfies my cravings ! Thanks guys! I’ve heard great things about their burgers, so I tried the beef one last night. The flavor was great but the meat was dry and tough. I think they just had an off night because usually their food never disappoints! I’ll definitely give it another try, maybe the pork next time

I found this cozy spot when looking for new places to try. the dumplings and "burger" were amazingly delicious!!!! We loved the filling, hand rolled dumpling wrappers, and the customizable dipping sauce. Everything we tried was very flavorful and tasted authentic Chinese. The owners were very friendly and accommodating. There were only a few seats inside for dine in, but it seems like the business is tailored to taking home dumplings to eat at home. We can't wait to visit again to try other varieties of dumplings and take some frozen ones home!!

Absolutely delicious. Hit the food truck at the international food festival. Got chicken dumplings and fell in love. Very authentic! I may have to make the drive to Durham!!!

Food is decent. Taste is definitely there as authentic as it can be Portion size is think they can improve considering they're charging more a than a dollar for a piece Go with their pork cabbage dumplings.

Cute little takeout spot directly next to Namu. I wouldn't recommend planning to actually eat here (ie "dine in") unless you're just grabbing a quick bite by yourself like I did, since there's just two little tables out front, but it's totally fine for takeout. Keep in mind that parking can be pretty limited so it might be better to come outside of peak times. I came around 11:30am on a Friday and was fine. My dumplings were reasonably priced and pretty tasty, def hit the spot as a quick meal. They weren't mind shattering or anything but they definitely tasted fresh and like they were good quality. I'd love to try their buns in the future since they were sold out when I came (at least, that's what the screen said).

Had this for supper at Havoc Brewing. Friendly and speedy service. The food was good and nicely spicy.

The service was fast and friendly. I wasn't a fan. I gave a three star to be far though. This was my first time trying sour soup and a pork burger. I only tasted vinaigrette in the soup. I was thinking it would be other flavors and a hint of vinaigrette but maybe that's what it's suppose to taste like. The pork burger had a lot of fat and not a lot of flavor. The bun was soaked in grease. Maybe this is normal. Everyone else there was ordering wontons. I believes that's the #1 thing people get. There was a guy from CA there and he said he's a wonton person and theres are top notch. It's worth a try. I will go back and try the cabbage buns and maybe the fried chicken & shrimp wontons. I got the combo for a little over $15.

Sister Liu's Kitchen is a homestyle northeastern Chinese Food restaurant with food made by hand with family recipes that opened up shop in Durham, according to its website. Its burger, that landed it in the spotlight, is a $8.45 pork burger, according to Nexstar. The restaurant also offers a beef and vegan burger -- but is known for its cooked dumplings. Sister Liu's Kitchen has 13 dumpling combinations and sells them frozen by the pound so customers can make them at home. There are no descriptions for the burgers on its menu, other than "Chinese Burger 馍". The pork is glazed between two butter-toasted buns with a green garnish. It's some mystery good enough for seventh-best in the world. You should try this burger because it is excellent.

I don't see what people see in this restaurant, I find it bland and way overpriced. I've eaten there at least three times and never has the food been satisfactory. I've learned my lesson, will never go there again.

Got their beef burger, spicy pork burger, and the wontons. Food was pretty good, but my beef burger was pretty dry. I wish there was some sort of sauce that helped with it. Overall, it tasted good. The wontons were veryyyyyy vinegary (a little too much) that couldn't enjoy the soup as much as I would like. The service was good and I got my food pretty quick (10-15 min). I would come back again to try their other dumplings and food items! Just a heads up for anyone who hasn't been here. There's only outside seating only. So if it is a rainy day, prepare for takeout.

You NEED to try to spicy beef burger!! Beef was tender, so flavorful, and really spicy. The bun was soft, but still had a good amount of chew at the same time. I also got the pork chive dumplings which were also good, but not the star of the show. The dumplings had a lot less filling and more dough than I would've liked, but it was still tasty. I will definitely come back for more of the Chinese burgers!

Last year, Sister Liu's supplied my daughter's school with the ingredients to make chicken dumplings for an after-school event celebrating Chinese New Year. Impressed with their flavor, I made a mental note to stop by their restaurant to sample their menu if I was ever in the Durham area. I was finally able to drop in this past July. The parking lot was a little iffy, with potholes, uneven paving and odd parking angles, since the shop was on the other side of what looked to be an abandoned office building (it's not abandoned, just neglected). I noticed that you barely have any interaction with their staff, as you use an outdoor computer to place your food order. That was fine by us. There were only 2 picnic benches with umbrellas situated outside of the storefront, but there was a sign that indicated there was more indoor seating a couple doors away. We chose to sit outside even though it was raining lightly. The umbrellas did their job. I ordered 3 bags of frozen dumplings to take home (one with shrimp filing and two with pork and chive filling), as well as some dumplings and one of their Chinese pork burgers to enjoy on-site. Everything came out within 10mins and handed over to us by a server wearing a mask. My daughter enjoyed her dumplings (especially the dipping sauce that accompanied it), and my burger was filling and tasty. Later that evening I steamed and pan fried some of the frozen dumplings for my family. They all agreed they were very satisfying. If I'm in the area again, I'll make a point to stop here to restock on my frozen supply.

Visited Sister Liu's kitchen & thoroughly enjoyed it! The spicy beef burger is unlike anything I've had before. There was so much flavor. The dumplings were also amazing. Liu was extremely hospitable & we had a nice conversation. I'm glad I came here instead of going to a chain that I've had before. Great experience and I'll be back whenever I'm in the Raleigh/Durham area.

My friends and I ordered take out from Sister Liu's on a weekday afternoon. I ordered the pork burger since it seemed to be one of the more popular items on the menu. The bun was crunchy and there was a good amount of pork inside. I didn't order the spicy version since my spice tolerance isn't very high, but I wished I had gotten the spicy pork burger since the pork I had wasn't very flavorful. I tried one of my friend's dumplings and it was so good - the skin was super thick and chewy! Overall, I had a good experience with Sister Liu's and will definitely be back for the dumplings!

The place is super dirty and greasy floors. In such a beautiful neighborhood how can you shamelessly operate a dirty restaurant. Where are the food inspectors in the area?

The food is extremely delicious!! Best steam buns and dumplings in Durham. The service is all through a POS system on the outside of the building. It shows a picture of each item and a description of it also.

PERFECT! I should have ordered more spicy sauce. Loved it all. Sorry I consumed the free sample dumplings before leaving the parking lot! Will be back... soon! Maybe tomorrow

All the food here is really fantastic but these dumplings are absolutely incredible. Anytime I'm nearby I stop by to buy a few bags of frozen dumplings to cook and eat at home at my leisure. The people are so sweet and they take the food seriously!

Stopped by this place on my way from Raleigh to Winston-Salem. If you are looking for a place to bring a date, this is not it. It's mostly a takeout place. Restaurant is located in a dark strip mall adjacent to a mall. If you want to eat there, it's either standing outside the door or sitting at one of the two picnic tables outside. You order using a tablet outside, and the door opens when your food is ready. Setting that aside, the food was authentic and great. I had the pork and cabbage raviolis and a spicy pork burger. Both were great! Would definitely stop by there again if in the area.

Awesome dumplings! We also had the pork burger which was also great. Reminds me of these dumplings from Brooklyn China Town. Will definitely be back!

I recently tried the Chinese dumplings at this restaurant, and they were pretty good. The dumpling skins were decently thin, and the filling had a reasonable flavor. The dipping sauce was alright, too. While they didn't completely blow me away, they made for a satisfying meal.

I didn't realize that this place is takeout only, but no biggie. The dumplings were pretty good. They have a great variety! I wasn't wowed, but we enjoyed it. The person who brought our food out did so without us even calling/texting to let them know we were there. I'd return to try some of the other items on the menu.

This place has been on my list every time I have been to the research triangle. And this past time I went to Durham with my partner, I finally got to try it! Delicious homemade dumplings at such a great price! They have a big dumpling selection to choose from: pork, beef, veggie, tofu, shrimp, rainbow, etc. You can get them either fresh or frozen! They also have a variety of other Chinese dishes such as cold noodles and Chinese burgers. We decided to get the traditional pork and cabbage dumplings ($11) and they were sooo good! One of the best homemade dumplings I have ever had! The wrapper was chewy and soft + the filling was so flavorful. But what made it better was all the sauces. Definitely get the spicy sauce if you like a bit of kick. My partner also got the Chinese pork burger and loved it. He said it was extremely flavorful. For ordering, you can order online, place a phone order, or order there on a tablet. I recommend ordering online beforehand. We ordered there and it took around ~30 minutes to get out food.

Wowwwww. If you are looking for dumplings in the triangle this is the ONLY place to go. The shrimp dumplings and the vegetable dumplings are outta this world! It is pick up only - and ordering directly from the restaurant will save you a couple of bucks instead of from Uber eats or door dash. There is a place to sit outside if you want to enjoy them there but they stay hot until you get home. The sauces with the dumplings are terrific - I recommend the spicy sauce. Tasty!!

Sister Liu's Kitchen is located in Durham just off US HWY 15-501 next to New Hope Commons shopping center. On the menu is dumplings, noodles, soup, and loose meat "burgers." All of which you can get with beef, pork, chicken. A few of the dumplings will have shrimp or tofu as an option. This is a small operation so service is okay to good. You can not enter the store anymore so you can order by phone or online or in person. If you order by phone or online there is a phone number to call for service to come to your vehicle. The business does have a sign for parking only for Sister Liu's Kitchen. There is limited outdoor seating so the ambiance is what you make it outside or in your vehicle. Will I be back most likely. Food B+ Staff B Decor D Location C

First off, the food here is definitely authentically SPICY. Make sure you have your Tums and water ready. My partner said her scalp was going numb it was so spicy. But it was a flavorful spicy. Not just hosed in chili oil. A good choice for food if you're looking to stimulate your taste buds. The spicy wontons were my favorite. The skin is thin and the filling was delicious. The sauce was really spicy. You could save it to dunk noodles in if you wanted. The burger was interesting. I couldn't figure out what all the spices inside were, but it was definitely hot. The burger you probably want to eat first. Otherwise the bun could start tasting oily once it gets cold. The noodles...the menu said "rice noodle" but I am pretty sure they're spaghetti noodles. Not any rice noodle I'm familiar with. But the flavor was good once you mixed everything together. The vegetables were fresh and crunchy and offset the beef, which was seasoned very hot and a little salty. To be clear, there is no indoor dining that I could detect. The restaurant itself appears to really just be the kitchen. There is seating outside though if you want to sit there and eat. There isn't a lot of parking either. There is also an ordering kiosk right outside the entrance, which was helpful because you could order and pay very easily and just wait for your food while you took selfies with the food truck.

Fabulous and authentic. It's expensive for Chinese food but it's worth it if you're looking for handmade food. Lots of flavors to choose from. Service is quick and takeout only.

I wanted to try this place because of the rave reviews and I wanted my Chinese food fix. I ordered the spicy beef noodle dish because of other yelpers photos. It looked filling and came with fresh bok choy as well. What I got was not what other posted in the past. My entree had a very small portion of ground meat (the pictured item had easily 4 times the amount of meat) there was also no bok choy instead I got shredded lettuce that looked like it was from Taco Bell. Lastly the noodles that were the base of the dish were extremely soft as if they were over cooked. For a price tag of $17 for the entree I was definitely disappointed. I won't be back unfortunately. Not for the noodles anyway.

Excited to try it based on reviews. Started off on the wrong foot. You have to order online or at a kiosk. Ordered online, showed up when order was "ready", then waited 20 minutes for them to "find" the order, only to then be told they would finally start to prepare it. Checked on status of order after another 20 minutes, finally speaking with the owner, who was very polite. She said they had not started it and would finally prepare my order. 75 minutes after ordering, we finally had our food. Owner is very nice and polite and apologized for the delay. We had beef and pork burgers and various dumplings. Burgers are okay. Dry as others have said. Dumplings are solid with the beef dumpling being the best of the bunch.

Atmosphere: We didn't get a sense of the atmosphere because our order was for pickup due to COVID restrictions. We hope to come back and dine in soon! We've also tried food from Sister Liu's food trucks at various events around Durham. Service: It took around 25 minutes from the online order to pickup! The system is very easy and intuitive, and we had no problems with our food. Food: We ordered the pork burger, the chicken cilantro dumplings, and the rice noodle with pork. The pork burger was a bit salty but had a rich flavor. We weren't as impressed with the chicken cilantro dumplings -- the flavor was there but muted. However, this may have been because the dumplings weren't hot and fresh from being in a to-go container. The stand out dish was the rice noodles! They held up well in the to-go containers, and the pork was flavorful. Overall: Sister Liu's may be most well-known for their dumplings, but the burger and noodles were a pleasant surprise. We had a solid meal, and we hope to try other menu items soon.

Sister Liu's Kitchen definitely delivered on their promise to authentic Chinese cuisine. The spicy pork bun especially stood out to me and was incredibly good. A lot of places market their food as "authentic" or "traditional", but most miss the mark. I can definitely say that the food here reminded me of food that I've had since I was a child, and really brought back memories. If you're looking to try something, give the spicy pork burger a try! I really enjoyed the soft and tender pork on the inside, while biting into a delicate and crispy outer bun. It harmonizes so well and the spicy just adds another dimension to it.

Sister Liu's was not only delicious, but super convenient for a quick lunch! I placed my order online for two pork burgers and ten pork chive dumplings, and headed over the restaurant. When I arrived there was a phone number to text your name, and my food was brought out immediately. I was surprised how efficient the whole process was. The food itself was fantastic! The pork in my burger was spicy and oh so flavorful, not to mention fall apart tender. The bun had a satisfying crisp to the outside, but was still soft inside and soaked up the excess spicy oil. The meat to bread ratio was perfect up front, but as you get to the end it was more bread heavy, but nonetheless a delicious and unique burger that you don't often find. My grandmother, who has zero spice tolerance, thoroughly enjoyed her non-spicy pork burger as well. The pork and chive dumplings were also done well. The wrapper was not too thick and the spicy vinegar sauce was great for dipping. I can't wait to get back to Sister Liu's to try the wide variety of dumplings they have as well as the other burgers and traditional Chinese dishes!

Ordered the Rainbow Dumplings-Vegetarian. They are homemade and delicious. Got them to go. Wanted to try the spinach noodles with spicy beef but when I was placing my order on their outside kiosk, didn't see them as an option. Maybe they ran out. It's Friday at 2:30pm or so. So I ordered noodles with spicy beef and was not that impressed. The meat was delicious but the noodles were just regular spaghetti out of the box with a garnish of shredded lettuce and carrots. Will go back and try more dishes though but calling ahead next time to see what is available.

I've heard this place a while back but it's far from home. So today after a quickly hiking trip , good place to pick up some food quick. You can order online is faster. I had to say without GOS, I would probably not finding it. It is neatly tucked in a small area - had to turn a few times. Lamb burger - the flavors are bursting. It's pricy but well worth it. Spicy with cumin flavor is a perfect symphony with lamb always. My favor dumpling is pickled cabbage with pork belly. It's a specialty from north east China. It's my first time trying it and I totally get why ppl love it. Get it with spicy sauce and feel the full array of flavors bursting in your mouth. Other ones particularly the cilantro ones were great as well. And I don't even like cilantro. Oh it's just too far ,otherwise it's just a weekly spot for us. Can't wait to come again. Ok - can't be all positive or you will think I am biased. I was surprised to find out on the check they take 10% for tip automatically. It's not a big deal but just a surprise. And they are a bit pricy in my view. But then again business is great so you know it's a good spot. Finally it's a take out only place. But with cooked dumplings it really does taste better just out of the water. We ate in the car - would preferred to sit down. But drive back home is 40 min. They do have 3 picnic tables to the right of their restaurant though.

OMG the last time we were here it was such a pain in the ass. First of all you have to order on your phone, which is just not ideal, it's such a high chance of screwing something up.Then apparently it took a solid 20 minutes for the order to even come through their system, they apologized. We ordered 3 bags of dumplings. Something - maybe it was our mistake (the damn phone ordering) - 2 of the orders went through as cooked. We wanted three bags of frozen dumplings. For like the next 30 minutes we had every single person who worked there come out to our car and show us this printed ticket. It was madness. One of them did a calculation on his phone. Finally, they got it, we wanted 3 bags of frozen dumplings, like an hour later. We got home, and after all that, the dumplings were so damn good, it was worth that giant pain in the ass. Still 5 *'s.

I ordered the Beef and Cilantro dumplings and they were phenomenal. My order was ready for pickup when I arrived and the dumplings were so fresh. I can't wait to come back and try everything else on the menu!

I made some wonton noods and bought the shrimp wontons frozen from Sister Liu's and just heated it up in my homemade broth! The wontons were amazingly flavorful with generous amounts of shrimp in them. Their pork and chive dumplings are very good!

It took me nearly three years of living here (thanks, pandemic... and being broke, social anxiety, general laziness... I could go on), but I finally checked out Sister Liu's and the hype is legit. The dumplings and "burgers" are pure deliciousness and I could just drink the spicy sauce on its own. The amazing part to me is how the food is genuinely satisfying yet doesn't feel heavy at all. Just fantastic. I must now purchase a chest freezer purely for dumpling storage.

We got the rainbow dumplings, the spicy sour wonton soup, and the beef burger. The sauce for the dumplings was really really good and the vegetables in them were really finely diced. The spicy sour wonton soup was delicious and full of REAL FLAVOR. The burger was okay. There's only outdoor seating, and it was a very nice casual place to sit and eat. 4.5!

Very good Pork dumplings and yummy oolong tea. 10/10 would recommend and great value as well! Very nice workers as well.

Best dumplings in the area! And the BURGERS are fantastic! Recommend all their menu items!

Very disappointed w our dinner. Dumplings were 'ok' Burger was v skimpy on the beef The noodle dish was awful. Noodles very over cooked and mushy. We could not eat it. Will not be going back.

Very good spot for dumplings and noodles. This visit was back in the end of summer/fall of 2020 and at that time, the restaurant was not open to patrons and you would need to wait on your food outside. Not an issue for me as I know they are being precautionary (not sure if they are still doing this now). The dumplings and noodles were super tender and flavorful. The dumplings were full of meat and came with a good respective sauce. The noodles I couldn't get enough of, just wished it had more spice to it. Also got the pork bun which was nice and crisp and steam bun was alright. I had heard many great things before and was glad it met my expectations.

When searching for places to eat in the Triangle area, we found Kenty's review of this place and were sold. Covid-19: the restaurant is not open inside. You order and pay online. You text them when you get there. They bring out your food, put it in a box, and text you which box they put it in. We got the Spicy Pork Burger 辣猪馍, Spicy Beef Burger 辣牛馍, P2 Cooked Pork Chives Dumplings 煮猪肉韭菜, Warm Rice Noodle with Meat 猪肉米粉, P5 Cooked Pork Belly Pickled Cabbage Dumplings 五花肉酸菜饺子. The dumplings were good, but my preference was for the burgers and the noodles. I think the noodles were my favorite. I loved the peanut sauce. The burgers were basically a Chinese style Arepa. The pork one was my favorite, but I also liked the beef one. They had a little spice, but weren't super spicy. Overall, we loved the food and would definitely recommend checking them out for some more authentic chinese food!

really really good taste. It make me feel that I was in my hometown. I will buy it again.

Sister Liu's Kitchen is fantastic! We had the pork and beef Chinese burgers, spicy sour wonton soup, and rice noodle with pork. Everything was perfect. We ate there at one of the charming picnic tables (there is no indoor dining.) The service was fast and extremely friendly. I cannot say enough nice things about this truly wonderful gem of a place.

Delicious dumplings. Great, friendly service. What more can you ask for? We were in town for two weeks and went three times.

All of their dumplings (both fresh and frozen) are so delicious! I also love the light brown sauce that they have. I wish it could be made more spicy but even the spicy sauce is not that spicy. The dumplings are so juicy and the dumpling skin is just the right thickness and has amazing chew to it. They used to have spinach noodles with their special beef that was so freaking delicious. They still use the same beef in their burgers but I don't see the spinach noodles anymore. I miss this item intensely haha. One thing they could improve on is speed of ordered items. I feel like more often than not, the wait time for dumplings is at least 20 minutes and for a shop that mostly makes dumplings, you'd think it would be faster. Taste: 5/5 Presentation: N/A Recommend to a friend?: Yes Consistent: 4/5 Cost: $ Parking: good enough parking in Durham location.

I've been a regular at Sister Liu's even before the physical location opened. Back in the day, she would deliver food to college campuses in the area every Wednesday and I'd always look forward to her handmade dumplings, Chinese burgers, and spicy pork ears :) I'm surprised at how the quality has NOT deteriorated since she scaled up and opened a physical restaurant - although the prices certainly have gone up over the years. My favorites are the spicy cumin lamb / beef burger, and the classic pork dumplings. It is expensive but you are paying for the labor of handmade from scratch food - so it makes sense that it's pricier than what you find in the frozen aisle of a grocery store. This hole in the wall place has minimal street side parking and I believe indoor seating is unavailable given the times, but it doesn't stop me from visiting to satiate my craving every so often. Absolutely love this business!

Exceptionally good dumplings. I've driving by a couple of times and didn't even realize they were there. So glad I took a chance and tried them out. Will be back to try a couple more different dumplings!

We had a great dinner tonight from the food truck. We tried the pork and cabbage dumplings, noodle with spicy beef mushroom sauce, and the Chinese burger. Our meal was prepared quickly within about 5 minutes and all items were delicious. Perfectly seasoned and unique flavors in each dish. I will definitely visit again soon. Support your local businesses!

This place was a great disappointment after coming highly recommended. The food is very greasy. Not just in texture, but the taste of grease competes with the food. Not a very filling lunch. Doesn't take cash. Polite service. [Edit: messaged business owner, at their request, more details of Chinese hamburger cooked with way too much oil.]