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Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon
Where authentic Chinese flavors meet lively San Diego nights.
4.4(5 reviews)
restaurant
$$
Where authentic Chinese flavors meet lively San Diego nights.
A beloved San Diego institution since 1992, Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon offers a unique blend of authentic Chinese cuisine and a vibrant bar atmosphere. Specializing in soup dumplings (XLB), honey-glazed shrimp, crispy noodles, and a wide selection of drinking-friendly dishes, we provide a welcoming space for casual dinners, family gatherings, and nightlife. With free parking, a great beer menu, and consistently flavorful food that leaves you feeling satisfied—not heavy—we’re a go-to spot in the Convoy District.
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Thin-skinned, juicy pork dumplings, a house specialty served with vinegar and soy sauce.
Classics like Kung Pao Chicken, Cashew Chicken, and Broccoli Scallion Beef, made with fresh ingredients.
Crispy pan-fried noodles, homemade noodle soups, and chow mein, with an option to upgrade to handmade noodles.
Full bar with a great beer selection, cocktails, and a lively atmosphere perfect for drinks with friends.
Spacious seating for families and informal outings, with shareable plates and fast service.
Parking in the lot is free the first 2 hours. The parking structure in the back is not free. When we sat down, I was not impress with their menu. I expected more dumplings for their name, Dumpling Inn. Instead it’s more of Shanghai Saloon with the food mainly fell under drinking food. The food came out fast and I was surprised on the taste and quality. Pickled cucumbers - to my surprised, they were not sour, pickled or taste like vinegar. Seasoning was light and refreshing. Definitely not with dark sauce. Honey glazed shrimp - meant to order honey walnut shrimp but this was our favorite. Big battered shrimp with a bit of sweet and chili sauce. Crispy pan fried noodles- the description said crispy noodles. Wrong. I was expecting pan fried crispy noodles instead it’s the birds nest. The noodles did not taste stale, tons of veggies with very light brown sauce. A but bland but better than salty. Soup dumplings - The wrappings were thin, not much liquid, so it wasn’t juicy but the pork was soft and semi bland. I’m okay with that once you dip. Not the best but not the worst. This place has been around for a very long time. Glad we finally stopped in but it’ll be our last as there are so many others with the same concept to try. 3.5 round to 4.
Took me 15 years to discover this restaurant, love it here! Our go to is 100% soup dumplings, do not leave here without trying them. Broccoli/scallion beef and Kung pao chicken are our favorites but I haven’t had anything I haven’t liked yet. They also have homemade noodles here, pay a little extra for those for your noddle Dishes and soups. My favorite part about eating here is there is no “food hangover” or energy crash after eating. You feel light on your feet when you leave. Also they have a great beer menu! Pricing in the image below, it’s very fair, and that might be the best part!
Came here around 6pm Friday night with no wait for a table although it was starting to become busy after we arrived. It’s a pretty good Chinese American dinner place, would come back again for informal outing with family or friends. The XLB had nice thin skin, juicy, and flavorful but the texture was a bit rubbery as if it had some starch fillers, no the best XLB I’ve ever had but decent. It didn’t come with Chinese vinegar as is usually traditionally served with but instead white vinegar and soy sauce by the table. The cashew chicken was my favorite with some crunchy watercress and cashews and a sweet bean sauce. The shrimp and veggies over rice was pretty standard, it had canned mushrooms instead of fresh but tasted okay. Overall, affordable and comfy meal and nice atmosphere.
I’m so, so happy to be back at the Chinese restaurant! We had Chicken Chow Mein, Wonton Soup, Pork Dumplings, and Honey Glazed Shrimp with rice. The flavors were just right, not too salty, but rich and full of that delicious Asian seasoning. The servers were great, the restaurant is gorgeous, and parking was easy. Loved it!
Delicious food- noodle soups and dumplings. We enjoyed a wide selection of the menu, as well as a warm jasmine tea. Service was mediocre, table was sticky and not cleaned well when we arrived.. but they seem quite busy on the weekends. I would come back again!
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