Dumpling Time - Berkeley

Food: 4/5Service: 4/5Parking: Sometimes difficultPrice: On the pricier endVibes: Clean, chill, laid-backDumpling Time is simple and straight to the point--if you're craving dumplings, you won't be disappointed. I always come back for the Tom Yum dumplings and the shrimp pancake dish, both of which hit the spot every time.Located on 4th Street, this spot is always a fun visit. There are plenty of shops to check out before or after your meal, making it a great place to grab a bite and explore the area.

I stopped by dumpling time during a weeknight for a quick dinner while running errands in the area. At that time, street parking was super easy to find.I ordered the Beijing noodles, pork gyoza, and jasmine tea which came out to be over $30.The noodles looked small but it was actually pretty fulfilling. I added some chili to add some more flavor to it. There was nothing special about the pork gyoza and I tried ignoring the coloration that was going on inside of it. There was a little bit of orange and blue going on on there. Maybe the veggies were going bad?I wish I got the servers name because they were super friendly and went above and beyond.Prices can get a little pricey but I'd come back to try other dishes.

This was just ok...Overall, everything was overpriced and lacked flavor. We ordered the edamame, and it was ridiculous for a small bowl to be 7.50, when you can buy a whole tray of edamame for $5 or less. The crisp on the pork gyoza was great, but it was quite bland inside. This might be particular, but it almost looked like the potsticker was crimped shut with a dumpling crimper/dumpling maker. And that's not what you're looking for when this is supposed to be a more "authentic" experience. Service was also alright. The staff was friendly, but forgot a drink we ordered, which we were later still charged for. Otherwise, wouldn't feel the need to come again. There are definitely other places that taste better for cheaper, with the same beautiful interior.

I stopped by here before heading to Oakland for a day party. While the food was decent, it didn't really wow me. I tried the garlic noodles and the chili oil dumplings, based on my server's recommendation. The garlic noodles were fine, but nothing I'd rush to order again. The chili oil dumplings were just okay as well. Everything was good, but not enough to make me want to come back. The service was solid, and the place was clean and packed, so it must be a favorite among locals in Berkeley. However, I've definitely had better elsewhere.

It's fine and the place is cute right on 4th Street with inside and outside seating. If you've never had Dumpling Time or you're a big dumpling connoisseur, it's suffices right on Fourth Street, but isn't a destination. It's quite expensive but I get it, it's trendy, it's Fourth Street, but I don't know if the food matches.I prefered the dumplings over the noodles or the shrimp toast. But even the dumplings were a bit muted in flavor. The fried apps like the egg rolls and sesame squares were fine, but nothing stood out. The menu was a bit more limited than I remembered, previously.Overall, a solid spot on Fourth Street for dim sum while out and about. It's trendy and prices follow suit with pricier options. The food was good and unique for the area, but you've probably had better. A-ok!

Loved this spot and got to try a bunch of different dishes, including Beijing noodles, shrimp toast, and Tom Yum. The shrimp toast was our FAVORITE bite!! So grateful the server recommended we order this one because I still crave this dish! We sat outside in the patio and loved the vibe. It's in the fourth street shopping area so it's a cute area!

Overall mid Chinese food, with nice presentation but very muted flavors. Serviceable and not a terrible option on 4th Street, but not something to seek out if you're not already there doing a day of shopping.We were hungry on a Sunday at 1 and thought the menu at Dumpling Time looked appealing. We were added to a waitlist and waited about 20 minutes for an outdoor table (which really could have used more shade).We ordered the Tom Yum soup dumplings, BBQ pork bao, wagyu beef gyoza, and Beijing noodles. I'm used to pretty punchy, salty Beijing noodles (za jiang mian) but these were fairly plain. They were decent with copious amounts of chili oil and soy sauce. This was a theme with all of our dishes, needing lots of doctoring to be more flavorful. When looking at the menu again for my photo captions, I was surprised to be reminded of what ingredients were supposed to be present - I couldn't get any coconut milk, and the "chili butter sauce" added nothing but color.The tom yum soup dumplings sounded like a intriguing dish, but I couldn't taste any tom yum flavor. "Lemongrass pork soup dumplings" might have been more accurate.The wagyu beef gyoza and seared BBQ pork bao were also decent, but again, needed lots of oils and sauces to get the strong flavor we're used to with dim sum/Chinese food.There are definitely better options for Chinese food in Berkeley.

We came to visit the area for family. I've been to the SF location and was excited to try this location. The food came out pretty quickly. The food did come before the drinks, but overall the service was good! We had a party of 7 so they were very accommodating and patient. We got the seaweed salad, garlic broccolini, and green beans for appetizers. I liked the garlic broccolini best. We got shrimp har gow, Pork/Tom Yum XLB, and shu mai. My favorites were shrimp har gow and Pork XLB. The fried rice was good but the shrimp garlic noodles were really good! The Tom Yum XLB was good, but not my favorite. I didn't try the Chicken Potstickers, but my family liked it. Overall it was very nice and a great experience!

10/10 lunch at Dumpling Time!!! We were able to get in right away around 1pm on a Friday and sat outside on the cute and bustling 4th St.We ordered the seaweed salad which I'm normally not a huge fan of (boyfriend loves it) and I still enjoyed it - it did not taste too over-poweringly like seaweed. The cucumber salad on the other hand is a must-order if I ever come back - it was SO crisp, fresh, and oozing with yummy garlic flavor. We got the Tom Yum dumplings which were easily the best dish of the day. I'm dreaming about that coconut broth! The chili pork dumplings and gyoza (not pictured) were also very delicious.

Pretty decent dim sum place in a cute spot on Fourth Street. I wish some of the items were saucier like the chili pork dumplings and the beijing noodles. The veggie dishes were surprisingly tasty, including the garlicky green beans & crispy sesame tofu squares. My fave out of everything was prob the shrimp toast.