Dumpling Eatery

My wife and I are dumpling fans, and having visited the Dumpling Eatery in Eden Prairie, we wonder if this is how they should have tasted all along. Getting a reservation ahead of time might be a good idea, as there was about a 30-minute wait when we first arrived. The staff had blocked off 3 tables in a very busy restaurant and those parties were seated immediately when they arrived. No worries for me, as there is a window into the kitchen where you can observe the skills of the dumpling chefs, nimble hands flying as they craft the dumplings. The decor is simple but charming with nice atmospheric touches. When the restaurant is full, it can get quite loud, requiring raised voices for conversation. When we were seated, we quickly discovered that our table was directly below a vent blowing frigid air. When we brought this to our server's attention, he immediately brought us some complimentary hot tea and had it corrected within 10 minutes (salvaging that 5-star review). Here's the bottom line: The food is delicious. We tried their steamed dumpling sampler (six different kinds of dumplings), their fried bao buns, and some vegetarian noodles. The beauty is in the flavor subtlety. The flavors don't slap your mouth like many Asian/American places that douse everything in MSG. The flavors develop gently as you're eating, akin to excellent sushi. Everything was outstanding, but we remarked on how these may have been the freshest noodles we've sampled in years. The portion sizes are on the small side, but sharing three dishes left our duo very satisfied and cost (after tip) around $60. Overall, we left with very happy bellies.

My wife and I are dumpling fans, and having visited the Dumpling Eatery in Eden Prairie, we wonder if this is how they should have tasted all along. Getting a reservation ahead of time might be a good idea, as there was about a 30-minute wait when we first arrived. The staff had blocked off 3 tables in a very busy restaurant and those parties were seated immediately when they arrived. No worries for me, as there is a window into the kitchen where you can observe the skills of the dumpling chefs, nimble hands flying as they craft the dumplings. The decor is simple but charming with nice atmospheric touches. When the restaurant is full, it can get quite loud, requiring raised voices for conversation. When we were seated, we quickly discovered that our table was directly below a vent blowing frigid air. When we brought this to our server's attention, he immediately brought us some complimentary hot tea and had it corrected within 10 minutes (salvaging that 5-star review). Here's the bottom line: The food is delicious. We tried their steamed dumpling sampler (six different kinds of dumplings), their fried bao buns, and some vegetarian noodles. The beauty is in the flavor subtlety. The flavors don't slap your mouth like many Asian/American places that douse everything in MSG. The flavors develop gently as you're eating, akin to excellent sushi. Everything was outstanding, but we remarked on how these may have been the freshest noodles we've sampled in years. The portion sizes are on the small side, but sharing three dishes left our duo very satisfied and cost (after tip) around $60. Overall, we left with very happy bellies.

Food was excellent, service was spot on and attentive. Little loud for my taste due to a large group lunch NOT the restaurants fault! I repeat NOT the restaurants fault. Soup dumplings and appetizers were amazing! Everything was fresh and delicious!

Food was excellent, service was spot on and attentive. Little loud for my taste due to a large group lunch NOT the restaurants fault! I repeat NOT the restaurants fault. Soup dumplings and appetizers were amazing! Everything was fresh and delicious!

This restaurant is nicely decorated with lots of cute, authentic Chinese, and dumpling-themed elements. The menu is fairly limited. We ordered all the dishes shown in the photos, but it wasn’t enough food overall. The dumpling dishes felt more like appetizer portions rather than main courses, yet they were priced like entrees. The sampler soup dumplings were quite disappointing, as they all tasted very similar. The noodles were very bland, with little flavor beyond salt. The servers were friendly, but we had to wait a long time for our food. For the price we paid, I expected a more upscale dining experience. Instead, it felt more like eating Chinese street food with small portions.