The Most Delicious Shanghainese in San Jose

Fiery Shanghai

★★★★☆ 3.8 (689) • $$

"Been wanting to try this place for a long time. Wifey and I met up a friend who started working in Pleasanton for a Tuesday night dinner. Got distracted and forgot to take photos of the food haha. noOb mistake. We ended up ordering the boiled fish with bean sprouts in hot chili oil, Shanghai-style deep-fried noodles, and cumin beef.The boiled fish was really good but lacked the numbing spiciness I was expecting.The Shanghai-style deep-fried noodles were okay. Think deep-fried chow mein noodles but with the texture of funnel cake topped with corn starchy toppings that made the noodles soggy. Meh.Lastly was the cumin beef. I liked this dish the most. Strongly seasoned beef with onions and peppers.Despite being a slow Tuesday with only two other tables, service was another miss. I had to ask for rice several times.But what really upset me was that I had to ask for ice water at least 5 times. I mean, when you name a restaurant Fiery Shanghai, the customers would liked to have some water to cool down the "fire".Speaking of fires, maybe the workers were trained by the City of Los Angeles because they acted like there was no water. I literally had to walk to the register and ask for ice water. At the end of the day the food was okay. Fiery Shanghai. Not as "hot" as I thought.* What's with the strange ass interior decoration that makes each table look like a bed frame?When I was paying, I had this hilarious interaction.Worker: Where you from?Me: Livermore Worker: Where you born?Me: Glendale. Oh... I'm Korean lol. Bye."

Little Shanghai Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (716) • $$

"Food is deliciously sacred (xXiao Long Bao (8), Shanghai Style Rice Cake, & Shanghai Style Chow Mein as well as Sweet Soybeans Milk with (X2) Chinese Donut per appetizer starter with Shanghai style pork buns (6) ^-^"

Zen Noodle Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (588) • $$

"Well, when you're in San Mateo, you have to come here. I'm back in town and this is the first place I go to eat and guess what, it's as good as every other visit. The spicy beef noodle soup, the pot stickers, the pork cutlet over noodles and the fried buns. All sooooooo delicious. The newcomers I brought with me loved it too. A must when in San Mateo."

Shanghai Flavor Shop

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (765) • $$

"Solid restaurant that is consistently busy on weekends. Their specialty is the fried pork buns and green onion noodles."

Dumpling Capital

★★★★☆ 4.1 (476) • $$

"Dumpling Capital was pretty solid when we wanted dim sum for dinner! It was pretty easy to order the food online and then pick up. There's many options for dim sum and Chinese dishes. I think overall it only took 20 minutes for our order to be ready. The soup dumplings and fried dumplings were delicious. The pea shoots were really lovely and flavorful. We really enjoyed all the dishes we ordered."

Shanghai Bun Dynasty

★★★★☆ 3.8 (532) • $$

"Shanghai Dun Dynasty is a culinary gem that brings authentic flavors straight from Shanghai to Cupertino! Every dish was a delightful experience, showcasing top-notch quality and care.The Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao was the star, with rich, savory broth bursting from the delicate dumpling skin. The Pan Fried Buns had the perfect crispy bottom, while the Shrimp & Pork Wontons (both spicy and non-spicy) offered comforting, bold flavors.We also loved the variety: the Chinese Little Greens were fresh and vibrant, and the Shanghai Ham and Vegetables Fried Rice was hearty and flavorful. The Shanghai Style Braised Duck and Poached Chicken were beautifully tender, and the Shanghai Stir Fried Noodles were everything you'd hope for--perfectly chewy and delicious.Thank you, Grace Chen, owner of Shanghai Bun Dynasty, for inviting me to an unforgettable dining experience. This is a must-visit spot for anyone craving authentic Shanghai cuisine. Please come here with your friends and family!"

Chef Zhao Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.7 (482) • $$

"We had takeout from this place. Food was just ok, nothing special, probably won't be back.Since we didn't dine in, can't comment about ambience or service much.- Cabbage & Pork: didn't have much flavor, way too oily and watery, too much liquid.- Beef & Scallion: this was the best dish - It came with onions though not scallions.- Prawn Chow Mein: It was ok, too oily and not very flavorful."

Dumpling Specialist

★★★★☆ 4.4 (309) • $$

"There aren't a ton of places that we keep coming back to in the city but Dumpling Specialist is one of them. We specifically come for the fan tuan or sticky rice rolls! It's the perfect thing to pick up and enjoy on the go with some piping hot sweet soy milk which they also sell here. The rice is perfectly QQ, the chinese donut inside extremely crunchy, and the sweetness of the pork floss harmonizes so nicely with the pickled veg inside. Don't change a thing! I have not found another place that sells fan tuan in the city so if you know of a place let me know. I've had fancier versions in LA and in the South bay which were also great but seems to be a dearth of places that sell the sticky rice rolls in SF so we keep coming back here and not mad about it. The other thing we enjoy here is the bean curd salad. Highly recommend getting this! The bean curd noodle texture is chef's kiss and pairs beautifully in the sauce with the bites from the cucumber. So good! I could eat a giant bowl of this. Shanghai dumplings are also a fav. They're solid and the price is right. Unfortunately I haven't tried a whole lot from their menu since we stick to the fan tuans here and they're pretty filling with the rice. Service always fast and efficient. Pro tip: Order online before and take the food to the park right across the street called McCoppin Square. They have several picnic tables you can enjoy your meal at as well as a few benches to sit on. Parking can be a bit tough to find in the area though."

Dumpling Garden

★★★★☆ 3.6 (339) • $$

"Came at 1:30pm on a Friday and it was not busy at all. A lot people coming in and out for takeout orders. We got the Shanghai pan fried soup dumplings, beef pancake roll and Dan Dan noodles. The beef pancake roll was super crispy and packed with cucumbers and beef. It was probably one of the better ones I've had in a while. The Shanghai pan fried dumplings were sooo good. The amount of soup in there, it bursted everywhere with the bite I took. The bottom was perfectly pan fried. Would definitely come back for these two. The Dan Dan noodles were a bit different from what I'm used to. With a bit of the hot sauce, it added more flavor! Would def come back here again. Service was good and there is plenty of seating."

Dumpling City

★★★★☆ 4.2 (225) • $

"It shouldn't be categorized as a restaurant as it's a take-away place and also sells frozen dumplings to cook at home. The dumplings are homemade as you see them making them but they are not selling cooked-versions. Nowhere to sit and enjoy the food. So, don't come hungry craving fresh dumplings you'll be super sad."

Din Ding Dumpling

★★★★☆ 4.3 (202) • $$

"It's been waaay too long since Din Ding reopened in Fremont, there was a fire at their old location and the laundromat, hair salon, and Din Ding closed in 2021. The kids afterschool care is close and we've been closely watching their new location being built up from nothing last year. They are finally open and we've already been here 3 times.My wife felt like XLB today and it's super convenient for us to pick the kids up around 5 and come after before it gets crowded. Food quality is still high and as delicious as the original and Union city location.XLB + Fish Dumplings: XLBs were first on the table and came in 2 minutes. They are super popular so they are have their prep and cook time perfected. First time trying the fish dumpling and it's a repeat. The filling is made with cornstarch, wheat flour, and fish so it's more like a solid mass inside and not loose pieces of fish. Fried Rice: We love their "clean" fried rice that isn't brown from soy sauce, very similar to DTF and my wife loves all the leftovers.Chicken Soup with Corn: I would consider this an egg drop soup, barely any corn and chicken but lots of egg and a nice thick texture from cornstarch. The portion size is HUGE and meant for sharing.Cucumber salad + sauteed green beans sprouts: Cucumbers are pickled and the portion size is pretty large, the sauteed greens were good but they were $22!Potstickers: served upside down with an oversized crispy skirt, this one is best enjoyed fresh and not takeout.Our total bill was $130 before tip and it's expensive but we had leftovers of almost everything and it's at least one more meal for us tomorrow."

Jin Jin Gourmet

★★★★☆ 3.7 (157) • $$

"This is my 2nd time eating here. We had the twice cooked pork that came with tofu, cabbage and onions. I do not like tofu so I picked it off. It had a delicious savory flavor. I would def order again. We also had beef and broccoli and the garlic cucumbers that were also delicious. The service was good and friendly. They have a big dining room that can hold larger parties. They also have precooked food behind the counter that you can grab & go. It's a little pricey for chinese food but you get quality food."

Dumpling Hours

★★★★☆ 4.2 (114) • $$

"Food (5/5)XLB were terrific. Highly recommend the hot & spicy if you can handle it, the spice level is medium. The soup inside had a lot of flavor and I loved the ratio of dumpling, pork, and soup.String beans were also amazing! The pan fried pork buns were delicious, similar flavor to the XLB but with an interesting crispy texture on top. The ginger & scallion noodles were fine, would skip them next time.Service (5/5)Waited around 15 minutes for a table. Service was fast and attentive, you order via a QR code on your phone then pay with a standard check at the end. Not my favorite experience but it was quick and worked.Ambiance (4/5)The restaurant is medium sized and has a good amount of seating. It was on the louder side but the music was pleasant and vibes are good. You can see some of the cooks making the XLB depending on where you're seated.Will be coming back to have more dumplings, string beans, and try some other dishes."

Shanghai Delight

★★★★☆ 3.7 (131) • $$

"Second time here in less than a month. Ate the fish with wine sauce and braised cloud's ear and sautéed eggplant.Easy ordering system by QR code on the table or placing the order in Chinese with a waitress.Food comes piping hot to the table.Appreciate their good service and great food.Look forward to our next meal here!"

Din Ding Dumpling House

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"Got few dishes for to go. Pork and shrimp potstickers: best of all the dishes we tried. Flavorful with or without the soy sauce. Shrimp dumplings: were okay. Long mein veggie: Good. The noodles were very flavorful. Next time, we will get with meat. Chicken fried rice: typical Chinese fried rice with the right flavors. Definitely on the bland side, add Sriracha or a hot oil: it becomes really yummy. All dishes are on the bland side. But either with just soy or hot sauce, they tasted really good."