Bao

Wonderful little dim-sum restaurant on Valencia, very close to the 16 Street and Mission BART station. We started with the crunchy-top baked Bao filled with braised beef and truffles --so yummy!! And it kept getting better from there. Soupy pork and vegetable dumplings are steamy hot so we appreciate that they go the extra mile by serving them on the tiny aluminum foil cup. This assures you that the dumpling bottoms are not "stuck" on the steamer preserving the soup inside. Comforting Rose tea accompanied our meal. Service was excellent and we're sure to come back to try the other items.

(4+) really really good.The truffled beef buns were Amazing. Soft flaky dough, moist, delicate.Sweet bean bao - excellent.Both the shrimp dumplings and soup dumplings were very very good (but not quite as good as the famous dim sum place downtown). Shrimp was plentiful; soup dumplings scrumptious (a bit difficult to eat, no scallions, which is common with this dish).My friend loved his spicy Szechuan dumplings. Jasmine tea was good.Noodle dish next to us looked great. Watching kitchen staff make food is fun.Atmosphere is average; wait staff effective but not particularly friendly or warm, nor all that service oriented.

My friends and I were looking for a place to eat and what caught our eyes were the workers making the dumplings in the window. It wasn't too busy inside, We were seated very quickly. We asked to sit at a larger table since there was 3 of us, but was turned down because those tables are for others that "might" come with bigger parties. So they gave us a 2 seater table and put a chair for a friend to sit in between our table and someone else's.I didn't really know what to expect from this place at first. I haven't seen any photos of the food before hand, didn't search anything up. We just looked at the plain paper menu and picked what we liked.The food was amazing. We had gotten the variety bao buns special, seafood pot stickers, kimchee beef pot stickers, and crab soup dumplings. Pork and shrimp shumai, and for dessert we had coconut bunnies. The bunnies were delicious. The shape was cute too.Everything was a 10/10, I would totally go back.

Bao feels like dumpling home, but with larger portions and without the wait.My bf and I stopped by on a Friday night and despite the packed restaurant, were seated within 10-15 minutes. We shared table but it still felt intimate enough. As usual we over ordered, but mostly because the portions were a lot larger than we were expecting (which was great!) Strings beans 4/5- undercooked but otherwise amazing flavorKimchi beef dumplings 5/5- a get this every time I see this on a menu. Made perfectly. Juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside Shanghai chicken fried noodle 5/5- chewy noodles, good amount of chicken and veggies, not too saltyHoney walnut prawn 4/5- while not the main point of the dish, walnuts weren't quite roasted and could have been sweeterCoconut bunnies 5/5- pretty much just coconut jelly but is a super cute and unique dish ideaGreat service as well! Will definitely be back.

Had heard about this restaurant from many friends so had to try it out. We ordered some green beans, Xlb and dessert buns. Everything was tasty, although I've been to other spots in the city with better XLB. I was also pretty disappointed with the portion size of the green beans. They were the most expensive menu item we ordered yet there were only a handful of beans. Enjoyed coming once but not sure if I would come again

Bao is an upscale dim sum restaurant that delivers on all your dumpling favorites without the intimidation of not having a Cantonese friend with you.Our group of ten were here for dinner and ordered a lot of things to share family style. I was surprised to see a large amount of vegan friendly options which are also indicated on the menu. I had my share of veggie XLB, pan fried dumplings, noodles, and eggplant-tofu stir-fry. Everything came out quickly and tasted great, with the dumplings having a nice wrapping texture and great fillings.You'll be paying a pretty penny here for the dishes. The SF pricing is real when a tray of six dumplings comes out to $15 - $20 each. It's easy to over order so be prepared to spend a bit more than you think.No reservations taken but if you arrive within an hour of opening for lunch or dinner, you shouldn't have issues getting a seat.

Came to SF for a work conference and couldn't leave without trying this spot. I ordered the veggie xiao long bao, and it was fantastic! Each dumpling was perfect, stuffed with veggies and savory broth. The broth inside was light yet flavorful, making the bite comforting. Definitely, dip your dumplings in the spicy oils! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a delicious meat or vegetarian option!

Bao is located in the Mission District, and it is a great place for vegans and vegetarians, as well as omnivores. They have a large outdoor patio space and seating inside from some 50+ people. You order on the yellow menu paper. They offer delicious veggie xiao long bao (soup dumplings), which are vegan. The Shanghai vegetable fried noodle are some of my favorites (and contains egg). Bao makes from scratch their own noodles, and dumplings. Other favorites are the green beans, the garlic pea sprouts, and the veg. mushroom bao. The Sweet Bao Sampler comes with four pieces including black sesame, salted egg yolk (or "lava"), egg custard, and red bean, and its a nice ending to a meal if you can share it. Most dim sum dishes are in the $10 range and the platters are in the $15 range, and 2-3 dishes per person is ideal.

We got here early at open on a Sunday night and there were already quite a bit of people! You can see the staff making the dumplings right in front of the store! They have a large variety of menu items, from classic dim sum items to your typical chinese food. The servers were really nice and attentive. The food was really good and balanced. Definitely would come again!

Amazing food quality!We tried their dessert bao specials and was pleasantly surprised with how soft the baos were! The fried shrimp toast was a star with flavorful shrimp and perfectly crispy you tiao outside. The spicy wontons were also delicious and packed with flavor! The portion sizes were also decent and prices were not horrible!The interior of the restaurant is beautifully decorated and ambiance is overall nice but can get a little bit loud with how closely seated everyone is-- but totally expected with SF spaces