Review Tora Dumplings - Fitzroy

To be 100% honest, I only walked in because the name Tora was the name of a character in a game I was playing at the time. Talk about being guided by the hand of a divine being, since my life has never been the same after walking through those massive wooden doors. I love the food, plain and simply this is hands down the tastiest food I’ve had in Melbourne. It is the only restaurant I don’t mind ordering the same thing at and it’s the only restaurant in my list of things to do before leaving Melbourne. We have brought every single visiter to Melbourne to Tora, and even accidentally multiple times since we are so enthralled by the food. Good service and even better food!

Went for a late dinner after early evening drinks. Huge variety of tasty dumplings and mostly fried noodles and rice dishes. Service was good, attentive and kind. Portion size for fried noodles was amazing, felt full and satisfied. I ordered beef dumplings in chili soup too which came in chicken broth I think. Beef would have been nicer but still good. Noise level was way above average.

Delicate tasty food and great service! Their soup dumplings are phenomenal!

Food was delicious. Dumplings were plump and juice, fried rice was great and pork belly succulent. Would definitely recommend and would eat there again 🤤

VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS WERE DIGUSTING. Come to Melbourne for some “good food”? Well done come here, yeah you think it’s a traditional, wholesome dumping restaurant. You are wrong. The staff were mean and the dumplings were almost like a deep fried spinach sack. Don’t come :)

Tuesday 15/5 Celabrated our granddaughters degree graduation. Being our first time we weren't sure what to expect. Boy what a surprise. The food was absolutely sensational, quite possibly the best Chinese and dumplings I have ever had. The Teryaki squid and belly pork were divine. Our dinner was a wonderful conclusion to celebration. Tora deserves 6 stars. We will most certainly be back.

Disappointing meal, with disappointing service. Food is below par, and the server didn’t take my full order. Only went to them cos my usual takeout, Rize BBQ, was closed. Definitely will never go to Tora Dumplings… The pan fried pork dumplings, pastry too thick, and not the right texture. The mushroom fried rice, let’s just say you’d need a microscope to find mushrooms.

Great place, good location. But they’re lying about pint sizes. They say “full pint” but the glass is 400ml big. When I asked I was told it was a pint size. Disappointing from an otherwise nice place.

Dumplings were below average and soup was like fast food standard, given by the cost that's what you are going to get.

My bf was raving about this dumpling place he was keen to show me. The only good dishes that we ordered was the XLB and the chicken and prawn dumplings in the chilli oil soup. Otherwise, everything else was a let down. The XLB was good cause the skin was thin unlike most places its quite thick. However, they were slightly stacked on top of each other so when you grabbed one it would break, releasing the soup inside. Honestly, wouldn't come back or recommend. There are better places to get dumplings.

Finally got to try Tora Dumplings, while not blown away, we found it to be of a good value.<br/>The location is pretty handy if you are around Fitzroy and do not want to head to the city.<br/>The service was good

Good location for a quick feed before hitting Fitzroy. Pretty average dumplings though. <br/><br/>📍 Located in the absolute heart of the Fitzroy. The location is the best part about this restaurant. <br/><br/>🍽 💲The dumplings and other various dishes are quite over priced for their overall quality. <br/><br/>👥 The staff are really friendly and attentive. Our glasses were filled up with water at all times. We didn’t even notice they’d come and refilled it.. they were so attentive and efficient. Very impressive service. <br/><br/>We ordered the Peanut Chilli Wonton’s, the Vegetarian Dumplings, the Chicken and Prawn Dumplings and Special Fried Rice. <br/><br/>💚 Service and Staff<br/>💚 Location <br/>💚 BYO Drinks Option ($8 Corkage per bottle)<br/><br/>🚫 Overpriced <br/>🚫 Interior is a little rundown <br/>🚫 Dumplings were just average

Had lunch and ordered the braised pork belly, pork and prawn dumplings and the noodle in chilli + sesame oil (pork mince), yesterday arvo. The food was divine! The pork belly melted in our mouths, dumplings were absolutely delicious and the noodles were perfect! Good work Tora! Will def be back when in Melbourne next 🤗

3.5. I was craving for some late night noodles and got some Shanghai noodles with home made spring onion oil from Uber eats.<br/><br/>It was exactly what I was craving for but if it was more evenly sauced and I can mix it (noodles too squished into the box) then it would have been great.<br/><br/>The sauce was really nice except it was just mainly at the bottom and you can see it's a very dark colour but it is actually very very very light in flavour. So the top sauce literally taste like nothing. You can only taste something at the bottom. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it.

Been (or ordered from) here a few times. And really depends on what you’re after. Their spring onion pancakes are absolutely great. Their Xiao Long Bao will be the best you’re getting in the north side. The minced pork noodle thing is pretty basic but has potential? All in all it’s a high quality venue with a few duds on the menu that should either be improved or removed. Still my go to for soup dumplings and spring onion pancakes etc - would definitely recommend if you’re going for the best sellers.

An average place. The pork dumplings in chili peanut sauce were ok (soggy wrapper, tiny bit of filling) and the stir fried mushroom noodles were ok (good amount of veg but too sweet for the style). Friendly and quick service, eating here won’t break the bank but the food is really nothing special.

Popped in here for a quick dumpling lunch.  Xiao Long Bao were good, tasty and did everything a good XLB should, although they didn't come with the ginger / vinegar / soy dipping sauce they often do.  Not a big deal as the tables have all the usual sauces on them.  Boiled chicken and prawn dumplings also decent.<br/><br/>Light, airy, and cute interior, a step above your usual dumpling houses, with decent service.  A great place to go if you want decently executed dumplings in a space that's actually nice to hang out in.

Lunch Special rice-stir fried shredded pork in ginger and sweet source. The food looks nice and very delicious! It’s worth to come again. Enjoy the food here!

HOW ARE THESE REVIEWS SO LOW?  This place is amazing.  Friendly, efficient service and super tasty dumplings.  The sauces that come with the dumplings set them apart and oh. my. god. cheese. and. corn. dumpings. So good.

Not reading any reviews or even knowing about this place, Tora was an impulse visit to eat a late lunch. I was out and about in Fitzroy and I was hungry. I eat a lot of dumplings- I know what they should taste like, and I know there are many variations to the tasty morsels -Tora calls itself a dumpling place and has all the usual suspects on the menu, so unwittingly, I went inside. <br/><br/>I usually judge an Xiao Long Bao as a litmus test of a dumpling place worth its weight in my top 10, but Tora takes an award as one of the worst eating experiences I have had in a long time!<br/><br/>The fried pork buns were so burnt and tough, you could barely break them open- even with a fork. The pork inside was a shrivelled tasteless lump of meat with virtually no broth and the dumpling skin was as thick as batter and tough as an old boot.<br/><br/>The wontons in chilli oil and peanut came out drowned in sickly sweet peanut butter and if I scraped it all off, the wonton was a passable taste, but swimming in the sauce did it no justice at all, and there was barely a taste of chilli. <br/><br/>The salt and pepper squid was the most insulting dish of all- it really should be renamed salted batter- because the 2 cm long strip of calamari that was inside the batter was a joke, and it was cold and rubbery too. <br/>The dishes I tried were definitely were not worth the price tag and there was nothing remotely authentic about any of them.<br/>The wine list was a let down too- obviously Tora thinks they can charge $9.50 a glass for a bottom range $5 bottle of wine I would only use for cooking, and I am no wine snob. I declined, and drank lukewarm tap water that was given to me in a small glass, and not refilled for my entire (salty MSG ridden) meal. <br/><br/>The place was almost empty and the sullen rude staff sat at the back on their phones, occasionally rushing to the front when someone outside waiting at the tram stop ventured over to read the menu on the window. I really am surprised this place can survive on Brunswick Street and pay its high rent and stay open. <br/>Hopefully not for long.<br/>Lesson learned. <br/>Never again.

Best dumplings in Melbourne!! Our regular. Love the chilli dry noodles, mapo tofu rice and their dessert is actually pretty good too! So glad it’s around the corner from us!

The food was not too bad. Just didn’t expect to wait 25 mins for the stir fried pork noodle and 27 mins for the spring onion pancakes. It should be normal for Friday night, if the gentlemen who sat next to me didn’t get the food 5 mins before me while ordering his soup and fried rice after me. And the group of 3 gents who arrived after me git their food before me as well. Long wait for busy night is totally understandable, but probably not in this case. I really liked your corn and cheese dumplings though. But almost half an hour for noodle and trying to get the staff to notice me to order for 10 mins was a bit too much more me :(<br/><br/>But thanks the girl with glasses who noticed that I haven’t got my food after 20 mins and followed that up for me! I gave 3 stars instead of 1 or 2 because of you.

Rude. Booked a table for 7. Arrived to a table for 5. When I asked for 2 more places they displayed a very annoyed attitude. I will never come back. Left immediately.

I'd say this restaurant would just scrape it's way into being completely average (just barely). The dumplings were soggy but that may have been an ordering error on our part (the fried, always get the fried!).

I were there with a large group and had a wonderful time. The staff were very accommodating and friendly and I loved the décor of the place. Very stylish but also very cultural. I enjoy and love the prawn and crab were delicious, I could eat heaps of them!

The food is delicious especially the dumplings, the price is also reasonable, as well as the service is so good, I hope the next time to have a big dinner with my friends here.

This place was absolutely horrible and such rude service. I defiantly will not be returning. It was open late me and my friends decided to come here for some late dinner. The food was very over cooked and oily a lot of fat left on the meat. Very cheap cuts of meats which were not tasty. To make it worse our meals came out all the wrong times and the staff were very rude. Worst place in a few years that Iv been to. Save yourself the time don’t even bother.

Where do I start?? The food was disgusting we ordered the dumplings which were so over friend and burnt you couldn’t even break them open. We also ordered some sort of peanut chicken which was actually just chicken fat. We approached the manager and raised our concerns with the dish and Cindy the manager was nothing but rude towards us. She didn’t even offer us a slight reduction or a new dish. Instead she accused us of eating the whole dish and we clearly left 3/4 full. I would never go back again. I strongly suggest you do not go here. I haven’t had bad Asian food in at least 4 years like I had tonight,

“BEEN AROUND THE WORLD AND I-I-I, I ATE ALL THE DUMPLINGS. I DON’T KNOW WHEN, I DON’T KNOW WHY” <br/><br/>Not entirely up to scratch these dumplings. That is the conclusion Your Dear Luncher has arrived at. The beef dumpling contents were just a round lump of meat - a distinctly noticeable trait of a dumpling that is not prepared fresh. The vegetarian dumplings consisted of just a whole bunch of spinach and both from a taste and texture point of view, left a lot to be desired. Perhaps these levels are acceptable on late nights for the inebriated folk of Fitzroy, but not for this particular Dumpling Hound. The saving grace was the spring onion pancake. As well as the Mornington Pale Ale. But you don’t want the minor items to be the highlight now do you?

I had the vegetable dumplings in choice oil soup and Chinese broccoli. So tasty! The vegetable dumplings are the best ones I've tried yet, the chilli soup was flavoursome but not overwhelming, and the Chinese broccoli was crisp and fresh.

The dishes are somewhat ‘westernised’ (featuring elements such as sweet and sour flavour, deep fry) as I understand it. But the food is very well cooked so both my wife and I love it. Their banquet is a fantastic choice for a small group of people. It also saves you from making decisions since dishes are decided by the chef.

Avoid at all costs! Ate here 2 days ago and haven't been able to eat anything else since...literally! 24 hours of vomiting and diarrhoea - the worst I have ever had in my life. I think it must be salmonella poisoning. I wish this upon no one - again, avoid this place at all costs!

My partner and I went here and had the vegetable dumplings in chilli soup and the pancakes. Terrible decision, we both got hit with the most painful food poisoning I have ever experienced. This was the only same thing that we have eaten, so I am in no doubt that we got it from here.<br/><br/>I think they need a health inspection

Great service! Super friendly even though we got there at 11pm and stayed pretty much until closing! Sorry! Got the dumplings (pork & chicken/prawn) and bacon fried rice (huge portion!) - very quick, met expectations so no complaints (added a fair bit of soy sauce -readily available- to the fried rice). Also ordered the white chocolate dumplings for dessert - compared to oriental teahouse these were massive, not enough chocolate is the only thing that could be improved! Couldn't finish everything and were offered containers without having to even ask even though it was literally 3 minutes until closing. <br/><br/>Good food, great atmosphere, really comfy seating and superb staff! Will definitely be returning!

I think this dumpling place is serving probably the best dumplings and buns in Melbourne. The juicy buns are at mouthful size and full of soup. Wonton with peanut sauce is a bit spicy but balance in flavour. Would be nicer if the music is on ;)

Been here few times now. Great service, affordable, food came out quick and was delish. Highly recommend peanut & chilli wontons and XLB! Surprisingly quiet during the week, well worth trying.

The fried vegetable dumplings were nice, perhaps fried a tad too long? But I definitely want to go back to try the steamed ones and some of the noodles.<br/> Loved the decor and service.

Excellent dumpling restaurant. Good variety of dumplings and some more routine dishes available. Been waiting for a dumpling restaurant in brunswick street. Already been 4 times!

Fructose-filled, bloat-inducing eating experiences are like books – more often than not, they culminate in a score of 3 out of 5, but Tora Dumplings went above and beyond by delivering my first five-bloat score since Shizuku Ramen back in March. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, however. As referenced in a previous blog post, the inner north is severely lacking in good dumplings, and I wanted to find out for myself if Tora Dumplings was to Fitzroy what Yo-Chi is to St Kilda.

Awesome dumplings. Tasty, fresh and well priced. Try the xiao long bao, best in Melbourne! Great service and very friendly staff. It's about time there were decent dumplings this side of town.

It is awesome to have a decent dumpling joint on Brunswick St.. it was very much needed. Tora looks like an up beat dumpling place... the seating is spacious unlike other dumpling joints... this is a big plus! The dumplings here are decent (I had the pan fried pork dumplings) and reasonable too! I've been here a couple of times now and the service is always great!

Chose this place at random for dinner one night and we were so glad we did! Good service and tasty/well-presented/well-priced food!! Fitzroy really needed a great dumplings place so this is definitely a nice addition. We had fried chicken and prawn dumplings, steamed vegetable dumplings, hot & sour soup, Chinese broccoli with garlic.

Decent dumpling spot. We had the wontons in spicy peanut sauce, XLBs and beef fried rice. Way too much for two people :)<br/><br/>XLBs weren't the best since the last ones we had were at Din Tai Fung. But even Juicy Bao ones are better we reckon. There just wasn't enough soup in the dumplings. Wontons were ok and the beef fried rice was tasty.<br/><br/>Service was polite. Would be good to have little saucers for the vinegar/ soy sauce. Will come back as we are often in the area anyway.

We have been here time and time again since the below review. Still consistently good. This place is a winner. A must-try for any dumpling lover. <br/><br/><br/>Probably the best dumplings we've had in Melbourne. We've tried hatted dumplings, the best yum cha, multiple dumpling houses but these are still the best, pan fried or boiled. Well priced. Not too much dough, tasty, not served straight from a freezer bag. Clean, pleasant enough little dining space, reasonably priced, polite and efficient staff. Consistently excellent. Always space to dine here, staff are friendly and obliging & not pushy. Can't wait for them to join deliveroo.

The best of Chinatown without the worst! Chinatown quality dumplings, but with better service, and in a more relaxed atmosphere. The dumplings (chicken and prawn xiao long bao, pork and veg boiled dumps, and pork wontons in peanut chilli sauce) came out really fast and were at least as delicious as the ones at our (formerly?) favourite spot in Chinatown (Shanghai Street Dumplings, 146 Little Bourke St). The staff were friendly and appreciative of our custom and positive feedback. Give these guys a go! You won't regret it. Their peanut chilli sauce will leave you wonton' more!

Loved this place, we had the pork dumplings, hot and sour soup and pork in sweet and sour sauce and all of them were wonderful. The hot and sour soup in particular was outstanding and for only $6.50 super cheap. I am so going to be a regular

A new addition on Brunswick St; I popped in for a late lunch on Friday afternoon. Given there was only one of me I decided to forego dumplings and have a hearty plate of Ma Po Tofu on rice and a serve of spring rolls. I was pleasantly surprised by the spring rolls which seemed home made and reminiscent of what my Dad makes. Crispy golden with shredded meat and Chinese mushrooms they were pretty darn good. The plate of rice and Ma Po Tofu was generous and hearty; packed with flavour and a good chilli kick.The tofu was silky and soft and melted into the rice. I couldn't actually finish all the tofu.

Great addition to Brunswick Street! Went here with girlfriends on the weekend and ordered some spring onion pancake, pork xiao long nap, boiled pork dumplings, choy sum and stir fry beef with black pepper. Beef was a stand out - it was delicious! The dumplings were also tasty - on par with some of the dumpling places in the CBD. <br/><br/>Service was great and the staff were really friendly. The place itself has a great vibe and a trendy fit out. Only thing to note is if you order chinese tea the cups are tiny!! Pour at your own risk because they will overflow so easily. <br/><br/>Will definitely come back!

Walked by randomly—perfect late night eats. Accommodating staff, friendly, and excellent flavoursome food. Dumplings were great value! Dessert was on point: coconut and peanut balls with white chocolate.

Excellent experience - good service, friendly folk and delicious dumplings. Well done - we will be back when next visiting Fitzroy and Brunswick St

Excellent dumplings. They have just opened in the last week. Nice and friendly staff. Good range on the menu at a reasonable price. Definitely the best dumplings I have had in Fitzroy