Review Shanghai Street - Melbourne

Food and fitout are good, but service needs improvement. For those who have issues with stairs, please be aware that much of the seating is upstairs and you need to walk up a lot of stairs. There is very limited seating on the ground floor, which is mainly used as the kitchen.

Mar 2022. Visited HuTong at the recommendation of friends. Bookings are always required as this venue is extremely popular. The manager was quite stressed downstairs, not helped by rude clients pushing for a table even though they'd been told twice already that the restaurant was fully booked. We were on the second floor and served by the wonderful Dee. Dee was super friendly and talked us through the Menu items suggesting complimentary dishes. The meal was one of the best dumpling experiences in Melbourne of all time. The beans and pork mince were THE best. Such a simple dish, done superbly! If you're in town, definitely give HuTong a try.

Everyone has their favourite dumpling place in Melbourne, so it's contentious to say a place is the best. While maybe not the best, this is one of my favourites and I love the chili wontons - a must try dish! The atmosphere is cozy, the staff are really lovely, nice and service is very fast. Enjoy the aromas from multiple dishes while you dine, and be sure to have a peek in the kitchen window in the ground floor to watch the master dumpling makers at work. Price is great given the food portions. Add this one to your list when you want something a step up from your "dirty dumpling" joint.

[3.5] We came to this place as it was highly recommended for its authentic dumplings. We booked a table as we weren't sure how crowded the place would be on a weekend. To our surprise, it wasn't. We were taken by very friendly staff to our table and assisted us with the menu. We ordered the following: Shao-long Bao (8 Pieces) - $12.80 Wantons with Hot Chilli Sauce (8 Pieces) - $10.80 Szechuan Bean Curd with Minced Pork - $15.80 Fish Fillet in Hot Chilli Oil - $28.80 The dumplings were amazing and were served at the right temperature, so you can tuck into them without worrying that you will burn your tongue. The tofu was amazing and was probably the star of the dishes we ordered. The disappointment was when we got the fish filet. Not only did it take a long time to get, but the portion was HUGE, and it was honestly tasteless! They could see that we were only two people, and could have advised us about the size of the dish since the picture gave us the impression that it was a decent size portion good for two. The fish had zero taste and seemed like it was swimming in a chilli sauce without picking up any of the flavours. Despite our experience with this dish (which I will never recommend to anyone unless you are used to this kind of food), we loved the rest of the food and the friendly service. They were very attentive and made sure that our Jasmine teacups were never empty. We will come back again for more dumplings, and the Jasmine Tea.

Great experience expect for the waiter asking for tips at the end. Made us feel tricked.

The OG dumpling house, a trip to Melbourne isn’t complete without stopping in here for a xiao long bao, chilli dumplings and chilli fried chicken. Great staff, the gentleman on the door has been working there for years and is always friendly and hospitable. Make sure you book so you’re not disappointed! They have some walk in spots for singles and couples but don’t count on it.

Hutong has a really good menu and range of food choices for all. They had a lot of different dishes for vegetarians. We ordered the spinach dumplings and the silky bean curd spring rolls. The Chinese tea choices are great too! We enjoyed all the different flavours and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I would recommend giving their food a go if you're craving dumplings and happen to be in the city.

Consistent quality of xiao long bao. Their spring rolls, chilli dumplings are also good. Their shanghai noodles are worth trying

Best xiao long bao in town!

Tasty dumplings! Food always taste fresh, pan fried pork dumplings are soo good!

Authentic food but very small space to sit in. Everyone walking past seems to be up your face but it’s a very good crowd and serves very delicious dishes

This place is always busy and there was a wait line. However the line moves fast and didn’t have to wait long for a table. Food was so delicious, we ordered so many dumplings, our favorites is Shanghai xiaolongbao and pan fried pork buns.

Always a favourite for dumplings cravings. From xiaolongbao to steamed or fried dumplings all are delicious. Service is quick too. Recommend

The best shanghai pork buns EVER! I also love their pan fried pork buns, so juicy and delicious! <br/>I enjoy their pork mince dry noodles and their bacon fried rice too, both are very tasty.<br/>Their dumpling fillings are good, but I’m not a fan of the thick skin dumplings have in restaurants (nothing is comparable to my grandma’s dumplings).<br/>Have also tried their veggie buns which are quite good.

Must try xiaolongbao and shengjianbao, very delicious but it is a pity that they don’t serve sliced ginger with xiaolongbao.

As a Shanghainese who is addicted to Shanghai dishes, I’ve never tasted any XiaoLongBao (with weird meatball-like stuff) , any fried mini bun (why is the flour part sooooo thick???) like those! <br/>I was too disappointed to visit again! Maybe the food is not too bad, but it’s definitely not Shanghai food! Shouldn’t called “Shanghai Street” at all!

This is a pretty small restaurant, and there's always a line outside. The food was not as good as the other branches, but still good.<br/><br/>I ordered the kungpao chicken with noodle which was supposed to be spicy, but it came out to be slightly sweet and sour. My taste buds were confused. The xiaolongbao was good, the dumplings were good as well.<br/><br/>Overall, I'd prefer the other branches as the menu here is slightly diff too (less variety).

We went on a Thursday night, there was a line but the waitress quickly sat us down at the outside tables. <br/><br/>We ordered the traditional pork XLB’s and the pan fried pork and prawn dumplings. <br/><br/>The XLB skin was too thick, and a bit large for our liking. <br/>The pan fried dumplings had a good dumpling skin - chewy and crispy. However the fillings didn’t taste very fresh and a bit too salty. <br/><br/>Overall it’s a good cheap place to eat, but there are better places to go for XLB’s and good quality dumplings.

Service was efficient and fast, but the fillings for the xiao long bao wasn’t as fresh as I would want it.<br/><br/>The dumpling skins we nice and thin, very crispy.<br/><br/>Overall it was an average meal, nothing special

The restaurant was a lot smaller than I expected however this explains the long queue of people waiting to be seated. While lining up you are encouraged to order as you will be handed a menu and an order sheet.<br/><br/>The service here was abrupt with staff running all over the place however the food came out relatively fast. I was slightly disappointed with the Xiaolong bao as there was barely any soup inside. However when it came to the other dishes that I ordered I throughly enjoyed them. Overall Shanghai street is definitely worth a try if you want affordable Chinese food.

Got the homemade shanghai fried mini buns and fried pork dumplings. When ordering we asked for xiaolong baos but the waiter gave us a different order. We didn't bother asking for the correct order as they were busy and we were strapped for time with lunch.  <br/>The pork dumplings were nice and juicy, the skin was crispy however was a bit on the doughy side. Instead of the xiaolong baos we got homemade shanghai fried mini buns and they were delicious, very nice filling, nice skin texture, probably the best out of the two.

Quick service and yummy foods! The place is a little bit cramped but still able to enjoyed my lunch. My favourite is their shanghai noodle for sure!<br/><br/>Will I be back? Yes

Good dinner here over the weekend<br/><br/>The restaurant is a lot smaller than I originally thought. It felt a bit cramped and small.<br/><br/>My favourite dish out of everything was the fried pork bun dumplings. These were delicious. The bun was soft but had an amazing crispness on the bottom. As you bit in, the juicy pork filling was so tasty.<br/>The xiaolongbao had no soup inside which was disappointing<br/>Yummy spring rolls<br/>Vegetarian dumplings were nice but not my favourite<br/><br/>The staff were nice but I felt really rushed. We were encouraged to order while we were waiting in line for a table, and our third friend hadn’t even arrived yet. There was a glass broken just before we sat down at the table, and the staff were very diligent at cleaning everything to ensure there was no glass shards left

Super super good! XLB were great. Pan fried pork dumplings were fantastic. Texture was amazing. Pork buns great. Choi sum & garlic. Yum!!!! And the homemade chili oil is incredible. Be aware it has peanuts & seafood in it if you have any restrictions.

$10 for 12 vegetarian dumplings - such great value, stuffed full of greens, would definitely have them again next time I’m in Melbourne. We also had the vegetarian XiaoLongBao which were tasty as well but not enough variance to the dumplings to have both again. It’s a shame the prawn ones are combined with other meat as being a pescatarian it only gives me one option.

This was the one I am mentioning on my last review post, the one when we sneaked out and find some Asian feed. There were six of us who craved for some Asian food, for me I don’t care what type of Asian food as long as it has rice or noodles, but the rest of the group was debating whether what to have Chinese, Japanese or Indonesian. It was torn between two factions since we had three Indonesian and two Chinese on the group, the Indonesians want and Indonesian fare while the Chinese wants some Chinese or Japanese. On our short walk to China town they continued arguing until we passed by Shanghai Street, the Chinese from our group marketed it well to the rest so this became our feed for tonight.

My favourite dumpling store in Melb, truely authentic and cheap. Fresh flavours and best to eat with a beer. All the dumplings are so yum from the pork, vegetarian and seafood

Best cheap eats, dumplings were delicious and great value for money. I would recommend take away and not dining in as it's busy and small place. Be prepared for a wait in line but it is worth it. Spicy pork noodles were fantastic too. One of the best places I've ever been to.<br/><br/>If you only try one thing get the xiao long bao

Overall score: 17/25 or ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>in 5 words: classic dumpling franchise in the city <br/>*<br/>Review: it’s really odd to see such a long queue here since there are 2 other outlets in the city. This is a rather cramped dumpling spot so be prepared to squeeze a little!<br/><br/>Really enjoyed the crab and pork dumpling. It was both juicy and flavourful and the soup was delicious! The pan fried pork dumpling was a tad bit oily but otherwise good. Preferred the san Jian bao bun texture and taste. Otherwise, a reliable lunch spot that is good value ($12 pp). Not sure if it’s worth the hour long queue time though. I would wait for a maximum of 15 minutes. <br/>*<br/>Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Ambience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Price: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/><br/><br/>

Perfect! Crab and pork XLB blew our minds! Definitely worth the price and with so many other choices for dumplings and rice, definitely a place we would visit again!!

Quick friendly service. Food delicious. Good value. Fried Dumplings, XiaoLongBao and steamed egg custard buns. Food arrived fast and very fresh.

Had dinner here with my partner, which was good. However we ordered dessert for take away (the Chinese pumpkin cake) and we were given a bag that had a used band-aid in it. <br/><br/>We told staff and waited 20 minutes for the replacement. When we got home, we discovered it wasn't the pumpkin cake, but steamed bun with red bean. My partner has an allergy to beans, so it's very fortunate he did not eat it first. Tried calling the restaurant to resolve this, there has been no answer. Please make contact to resolve this.

We loved 😍<br/>The dan dan noodles ! They were delicious and had a bit of a kick. The xiao long baos are usually nice too! They were extra meaty! This place was also very cheap! You also need to try the prawn wontons.<br/><br/>We disliked 😖<br/>The waiting! There is usually a line out the front and the store is small. But it moves pretty quickly.

Food 3/5<br/>Environment 2/5<br/>Service 3/5<br/><br/>The steam Bun was perfect but the other dishes are too sweet, which not very perfect my stomach. You always saw a long Que in here but the real reason is too small. <br/>

Decided to take my friend to Shanghai Street to introduce them to Xiao Long Bao. We had the XLB, of course, the Shanghai pan-fried mini bun, and the wonton in chilli oil. All three dishes were delicious! The xlb has a thin wrapper and plenty of soup within. They were quite large in size which was awesome! The pan fried mini buns were amazing as I remember - so crispy on the outside and juicy within. The wonton was also quite nice - the wonton skin was thin and silky, and the sauce had plenty of peanuts. Would have liked if the sauce was a little more flavourful and stronger, but otherwise it was delicious. It was very affordable too! Highly recommend checking this place out, but come early as lines get long!

Shanghai Street always delivers their delicious soup filled xiao long bao steaming hot in paper thin wrappers. Would be a 5 star only for the xiao long bao but their noodles were a bit sub par.

Went on a weekday and fortunately the place wasn’t packed and we were seated immediately. We ordered the boiled chicken and prawn dumplings and the braised pork hock on rice. It’s similar to other asian eateries in the area - price wise, portion wise and taste wise. Not much that separates it from hundred other asian eateries in the CBD. We felt the skin of a dumpling a bit thick, kind of you’d find in a bun. And the braised pork was a bit stiff as well. Overall, food’s good but could be better.

4.5/5<br/>We were craving Xiao Long Bao so we headed down to Shanghai street dumplings to fulfil our cravings. The venue is quite small and it was packed, so we lined up outside and patiently waited our turn. Whilst waiting, the waitress gave us the menu to browse. It didn’t take too long for our turn, and we sat at a small share table with two other people. <br/>We ordered Crab and pork Xiao Long Bao ($13.80), Chicken and prawn Xiao Long Bao($12.80), and a plate of Mini pan fried pork buns ($10.80) to share between two people. Although the main purpose of our visit was to eat Xiao Long Bao, the mini pork buns were amazing! The bottom of the buns were crispy, and the skin was quite thin, so as soon as you bite into the bun, you’re able to get a mouthful of the pork filling inside, as well as some of the soup. The Chicken and prawn Xiao Long Bao were quite tasty, and the skin is thin with a generous amount of filling inside. However, just as the waitress said, there isn’t a lot of soup inside, so it tastes mostly like a normal dumpling. On the other hand, the Crab and pork Xiao Long Bao were just as good as we had imagined. It had a very distinctive crab taste to it, and was delicious to eat. <br/>The service at the restaurant is very efficient, and the food came quickly as well. They also clear your plates frequently so you don’t have to worry about the table being too crowded with dishes. <br/>Overall, it’s a very reliable place to satisfy your cravings for Xiao Long Bao or Pan fried pork buns for a reasonable price!

If you’re looking for some delicious and super affordable Chinese food (especially dumplings), this is definitely the spot to check out in the city!<br/><br/>My fave dishes from them currently are their pan fried pork dumplings, pork and crab xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and their hot and sour soup (enough to share between two people). Their dumplings are super juicy on the inside which is a must.<br/><br/>Service is good and the food comes out pretty quickly! Love that they offer complimentary Chinese tea.

Delicious authentic dumplings with no fuss for service but who cares when you only go to satisfy your dumplings cravings. Shanghai fried noodle and fried rice are good too. Highly recommended.<br/>

Cheap fast and delicious. What more could you want. Is a tight squeeze for seating but they cook fast! Chicken and prawn dumplings and the staple pork is recommended. Also cant go past kungpao chicken and red bean buns!

This is epic venue and one of the best cheap eats. Serving one of the best greasy Asian foods, with top flavours and there accompaniments like fish chili sauce is to dye for. Those classic $10 dumplings got my heart.get in early or be ready to Que in

I love their rice cakes and their dumpling CHILI! To be honest, their dumplings are mediocre but I come back for their chili. Though its not spicy, I could just eat it with rice because of its texture

Signature Xiaolongbao really can remind me the taste of my hometown. The pan fried buns were ok. Inside meat and juice were very nice but the skin of the buns were a bit thick. Always love to go back, and feel the efficient service.

Great place to get tasty food fast. Soup guaranteed to clear your sinuses and steer away any bodily toxins. Pork dumplings filling and juicy. 🙂

Food is good as usual, but service is a Negative. I would give zero star if I can. Yes it’s busy regardless, and maybe the boss couldn’t care less. But you are providing a service, so at least teach your employees to try to treat another human being as you should in any other circumstances, let along being paid to. I have observed how they treat everyone in general while waiting for take away, and it’s the same crap service for everyone. That doesn’t make me feel better at all, a business shouldn’t get away from bad customer service.

Since it’s opening Shanghai Street has always been packed to the seams with the customers waiting outside. It took a little while for me to ever make it in but I’m glad I did. Excuse the cramped seating and liberal use of oil and chilli and then feast on some delicious Shanghai Street goodness.

If you like dumplings will definitely love this place. By far the best dumplings I have had in Melbourne. Expect to spend $50 for two people.

We ordered the chicken xiao long bao and the chick dumplings. The chicken dumplings were delicious, very flavourful and heaps of meat. The chicken xiao long bao also had a lot of meat, the skin was authentic however there was no juice at all, and was too dry. It did not taste like the original xiao long bao at all. I understand how there was no pork so it wouldn’t be as fatty and juicy, however adding some chcicken broth to it would be nicer. Still highly recommend and great price for city location! Service was good too.

nice food and service . we order juicy dumplings and shanghai noodle. The juicy dumpling is full of soup inside.we loved it. Will come again next time with my family.

This place always has a queue so I decided to check it out for myself. I ordered the traditional steam xiao long bao (soup dumplings). They were fresh and steaming when they hit the table - load it up with ginger and dipped it into vinegar - delicious. There is enought soup to meat ratio and as you bite into the dumplings (risking burning to your mouth but oh-so-worth the pain), the soup bursts in your mouth filling it with warm tasty soup. Very satisfying. The skins of the dumplings were also a good texture and thickness. The shop is a little small and can be claustrophobic but I didn’t mind as the dumplings were yum!

I would give this place a 3.5 stars. Food is good, more than happy to wait but the service is totally disappointing. The waitress are rude. Won’t give us a bigger table for 3 people. We had a small table and had to hold our bowls all the time cuz there is no space for us to put them. Waitress are just rush and wishing you to go ASAP. Don’t feel welcome but the food is good. Might only come back when isn’t busy and can get a bigger table lol

Great food and really good price. Even when there is a line up, which is daily, it doesn't take too long to get in. Have tried most dumplings & bao, highly. Recommended everything!

I tasted my first dumplings in Chinatown in 2013 so was keen to ensure that my dumpling experience was an awesome one. This place was recommended by a local retailer and we were not disappointed. The seevice was awesome, despite it being packed (due to popularity) - we still enjoyed the atmosphere, food and meal. Thank you to the staff for the love that goes into your food xo

Got here for an early dinner, just missed the long queues. Very small place. Had to sit on the end of the table where I was hit each time a customer or waiter/ess walked past. <br/>Thought was self service water but was given the biggest sigh by a waitress who was trying to pass.<br/><br/>Ordered the xiaolong bao, fried buns, noodles, steamed dumplings and wontons.<br/>Delicious however small portions for the price paid.<br/>Service was a hit and miss with certain staff members.<br/>Quick in and out, no time to chat or rest after the meals. <br/><br/>Food: 3/5<br/>Service: 3/5<br/>Ambiance: 2/5

Probably the worst Dumplings I've had. I tried the vegetarian ones which were full of leaves! I expected some vegetables to be in there but all I could taste were a mouthful of leaves. Vegetarian food is not boring and can be made really delicious. So it's hard to accept vegetarianism as an excuse for boring food.

Affordable prices. Service was alright. We ordered chicken and prawn xiao long bao and dumplings. The dumpling skin was very crispy and well cooked. The meat in both dishes was very generous, however the xiao long bao lacked the broth/juice that is usually in it and was quite dry. Will go again sometime!

When I am craving for xiao long bao,<br/>This is my to go place for it.<br/>They do it realy well! 🤤<br/>The noodle is also very good.<br/>I used ti come here very often last year.<br/>I miss the dumplings now. Drooling.. 🤤

Loaded with msg, too much seasoning, kinda letdown considering the high score at Tomato. In fact you'd better not rely on zomato ratings when it comes to Chinese food. Ridiculous.

A place to satisfy your dumplings craving if you don't mind waiting for a seat as it's often busy with hungry patrons however the fast service will compensate and you'll be able to dig into hot and juicy dumplings.<br/><br/>Price is also reasonable; less pieces but offset in size. Do expect to self serve if you want water and tea.<br/><br/>The food is flavourful, but a tad salty with some dishes. As with all their other branches the XLB was delicious; juicy and melts in your mouth, and with skin so thin you need XLB eating skill to not waste the juice.

It wasn’t the best outlet. The peanut sauce was lack of flavour and too much oil. The xiao long bao was a classic, still good. The noodle was average, nothing special. I’d recommend going to other outlets.

Pretty good offering of dumplings, service was very quick and efficient. Good selection of dumplings at reasonable prices. Area is small and very tight, but seems to work. No reason not to go back!

My favorite place for 炸酱面 cos the sauce and noodles are just soooo good! Love their xiaolongbao filled with soup as well as they were thin and tasty, unlike other which tends to be doughy and chewy.<br/><br/>Their hot and sour soup with dumplings are also outstanding. There is nothing to fault about this place, really.

Great cheap night out. It is exactly what it says on the label. No fuss, tasty food. Food delivery is always swift, table service a bit slow but always leave happy.

😱Lizzie’s first impression: another place where I’ve been many times especially during my uni years just because it’s so good and affordable. <br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: the xiao long baos are delicious and so are their fried pork dumplings. I’ve also tried their hot and sour soup which tastes delicious and is a personal favourite. I also really like the steamed dumplings and dumpling baos! It’s always consistent. <br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: the lines are ridiculous both at lunch and during dinner time so I recommend coming in during the early part of the peak hour. <br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: personally one of my favourite dumpling places but be sure to get in at a non peak time!

4.5<br/><br/>I love coming here for the xiao long bao, probably the best in Melbourne by a long shot. There is always a line here but well worth the wait. Love the dumplings here too, they also have very authentic Shanghainese dishes

Generous dumplings for a very inexpensive price. Restaurant is busy during lunch times and the space is quite small but my boyfriend and I was lucky to get a table quickly. Food arrived at a reasonable time as they take your order while you wait in queue.

Pisang & Goreng, featuring 2 of our colleagues took a stroll down to Melbourne Central and visited this joint on the way there for a quick little dumpling session.<br/><br/>Needless to say, as per the other reviews this place has a good range of food in their menu however none can compare to their fried pork dumplings.<br/><br/>Unsurprisingly, there was a line right before peak lunch period but they mitigated the wait time by providing a quick and efficient service through taking orders whilst we were in line.<br/><br/>Food quality was extraordinary as the dumplings were crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside, service was nothing special and decor was also ordinary.<br/><br/>If you want to try this place, we would recommend to arrive slightly earlier then the usual lunch hours as they do tend to get very crowded. Other then that, i would highly recommend this place to anyone that wants to try authentic dumplings at a good price.

There are so many dumpling restaurants these days but none really compares with Shanghai Street's combination of taste and value.<br/><br/>These dumplings are large, flavourful and they come at a cheap price. They taste great with a beer as well.<br/><br/>Also expect a long queue, rushed service and don't expect a proper xiao long bao (they are made just like the dumplings)

The line at lunch times and at dinner is always out the door so to avoid lining up I tend to get my dumplings takeaway. Why would anyone line up for dumplings when there are so many decent options available is beyond me - that said , I really like them. As they say the people have spoken and Shanghai Street is The People's Choice.

The best Shanghai dumpling I have ever had in oz especially the crab & pork one which is very light with both flavour blend very well together. Love their potstickers too. Wish I get to try their juicy pork bun & other dumplings too. Strongly recommended this place.

Had dinner with a friend here after seeing the queue and was curious. Tried the xiao long bao, pan fried dumplings and noodles soup. Dont know what the rave and queue is for as the food was pretty basic and nothing stood out in terms of flavour. The xiao long bao was sweet rather then savory which was a disappointment. Dont think it is worth the trip for the food which is served better elsewhere

This place was recommended by friends so tried it out after queuing outside for a while. Not sure what the rave is about, the xiao long baos wasn't the quality I expected. A bit disappointed.

Another recommendation from a friend! Located on Little Bourke Street, this smallish restaurant was packed to the rafters. The queue stretched down the footpath and didn’t seem to stop. The waitress handed out menus to the diners waiting on the street so people could make their choices. I overheard the wait time was about 1/2 hour but once they got to me they asked if I was willing to share a table as I was alone and I said yes as didn’t want to have to wait too long in the cold! <br/><br/>She quickly took my order and I was seated quite quickly. The service is okay but obviously it was all about the food and churning through the diners so they could turnover as quick as they can. The main dishes they serve were the dumplings, noodles, rice, and meat. I ordered the XiaoLongBao which were the steamed pork soup dumplings. They were plump and very filling. The skin of the dumpling was very good and tasty meat inside. I also ordered the Shanghai Fried Noodle which had vegetables and shredded pork. The portion size was massive and barely finished it. It tasted good and was definitely of sharing size. <br/><br/>Don’t let the queue put you off from trying here but definitely sample the dumplings as they were the highlight and could see all the happy diners had them!

Well,If anyone is reading this,it means it’s not too late to change your mind and decide NOT to go to this hole.<br/>I have NEVER EVER been treated like that in my life.Can’t believe such people can still run a business like this. I wish it will be shut soon,because you simply do not deserve to be in such industry .Reading all the reviews I can say this place hasn’t been improved over 2 years,it’s very sad!!<br/>When you see racism,discrimination plus rudeness from the staff,you are losing your appetite and can’t enjoy your meal even if it’s the best food in the world. <br/>1st issue: We were asked to go on a shared table or leave. We ended up finding one small table outside on our way out. A Chinese couple asked for our previous table and they got it a few minutes later and they didn’t need to share with anyone. This is extremely biased just because of talking the language. Staff are extremely rude and lack the basics of customer service. Some staff lack the basic commands of English to understand our orders.<br/>2nd issue: Once we ordered our food, we were asked to pay upfront and it’s not advertised anywhere in the shop to do so. We got the impression that we’re not trusted as legitimate customers. This is not normal for us to pay cash at the table before we even see our food. <br/>3rd issue: we ordered Pork spring rolls but the only things that we found in them were vegetables. I asked staff to replace it however they refused to do so as it’s how they make their Pork spring rolls!!! Staff try to prove that there were some tiny bits of pork in the rolls by opening it by hand. I can’t even eat it after staff touching it. This is highly poor hygiene. Basic food safety!! <br/>We are extremely angry about this and we’ll take further actions. <br/><br/>

Value for money and flavours are strong without being overpowering. The fried chicken and prawn were a highlight, the crispness and large prawn filling are a standout. The xiao long bao is a bit on the less soupy side however, but still good

There’s always a long queue here, and for good reason. Pre-ordering your food whilst waiting saves time when you get inside and ensures your food is fresh. Great spot.

These foods that I ordered so delicious. And I could say this place is a cheap eat place in CBD. I understand why it always have long queue outside this restaurant. <br/>Highly recommended!

Delicious, quick and well organised. We had a small wait on a Friday night. Our orders were taken in the line and food was delivered almost straight away. Fresh dumplings and general price.<br/>Would recommend.

Waited 50 minutes for takeaway. Seriously? The customers are just got so much time to waste? And no one ever apologized. I would never go to there again.

Everything was fast and efficient here. The food was great especially if you compare it to the price you pay - quite cheap and extremely delicious! I would say I absolutely loved their crab and pork xiao long bao - great stuff.<br/>As expected though, if you get there during peak hours, you will need to wait in line... and sometimes the line can be very long, so get there earlier! Service is not too great here, I feel that it's one of those places that you just come for to eat and then go. Don't expect the staff to be friendly, but hey with price you pay, it's still absolutely great.

Spot the tiniest restaurant that always always has a queue outside. Now we all love them dumplings and xiao long bao, their spicy beef over rice/noodle really got me! Left Melb ever since, but still crave for them😭

The pork soup dumpling are 10/10<br/>The wontons in soup didn’t have as much flavor but still tasty <br/>Stir fry greens w/ Garlic has whole cloves not the canned stuff. Nice and fresh <br/><br/>I’ll be back soon. <br/>

Tiny and busy, squeezed 4 of us at a table meant for 2.<br/><br/>Service was fast and efficient.<br/><br/>Xiao Long Bao was quite tasty, more meat and less soup. If you enjoy this ratio, you will certainly enjoy these. Fried prawn and chicken dumplings were alright, I personally wasn’t a fan of the texture, that said the dumpling was nicely crisp as they should be. The shanghai noodles were the highlight of our meal, flavours were on point. The chilli pepper wagyu beef on noodles were tasty.<br/><br/>Come during the off hours, otherwise expect to wait or head to one of their bigger locations.

I've visited this place countless times with friends. It's quite a large place, but there are still lines sometimes. It's a very traditional place and some of the waiters only speak broken english. I've tried a huge range of the menu and overall, I prefer the steamed dumplings the most. Their wonton soup is also very nice. The prices are so-so, definitely go somewhere else if you are looking for a cheap place though. <br/><br/>Try this place out once though! (For me, once was definitely enough, but my friends kept taking me back....)

Food is pretty good. The Shanghai noodles were not greasy unlike the other similar stores. Service was very good except at the end. The cashier was very rude when just because he didn't have a $20 bill to return. I was flexible in saying I can accept other denominations. We then came out with smaller change to pay the bill . In the end, the cashier remained rude. What a prick. Look out for a young Chinese boy and his face has 'prick' written all over.

The best dumplings in Melb. Don’t go expecting anything fancy/quiet/relaxed. This place does its best to keep up with the demand while they dish out consistently good food!

I’ve seen the queues out the door but not ventured in until last night. The pork XiaoLongBao are definitely good, right up there with some of the best in Melbourne. The chicken and prawn pan fried dumplings had thick, chewy skins and were marginally less impressive than the XLB. Service was efficient and The staff helpful. It’s definitely good and reasonably priced but not so good that the queues make any sense to me.

4/5 Taste<br/>3.5/5 Display <br/>4.5/5 Quantity <br/>3.5/5 Customer Service <br/><br/>Great Chinese Restaurant in CBD<br/><br/>This place had Authentic Dandan noodles, which is why I had to try. Food was good, decent price, decent sized. Everything was fine except that they were so busy I had to sit with some random girl on a 2 seater table.<br/>Made me pretty nervous and uncomfortable. <br/>

Thursday 1pm late lunch. Looks like a popular, street-style dumpling place! There was a line and we were told 10-15min wait (only ended up waiting 5min!) and were allowed to order while waiting (efficient!). We ordered steamed pork xiao long bao ($11.80)<br/><br/>The good:<br/>- xiaolong bao was the standard, delicious steamed bun and were good size<br/>- efficient service: didnt have to wait long<br/><br/>Not so good:<br/>- soy sauce / vinegar sauces were scarce on our table <br/><br/>This is a good place for xiaolong bao, you get what you want and cravings are efficiently satisfied!! Simple.

Absolutely love the xiao long bao here, out of this world. Always come here and will continue to. YUM. Crispy skin duck is yummy too, crispy skin and soft meat.

Had my first experience at Shanghai Street for Lunch.   Had to wait less then 10 mins to get a table which was cramped and shared with other, but you know what...  As soon as you start eating everything else doesnt matter.   I had the Prawn and Pork Dumpling Soup - generous serve and delicious taste.   You wouldn't come here for service, but cant wait to come back

There’s a reason for the queue! Juicy, yummy dumplings with super fast and friendly service and beer if you want - that’s the reason. It’s not romance in here - as others have pointed out, you order, you eat, you go. But omg loveliest vego dumplings I’ve ever had. We will be back 👌

The dumplings and bao here are next level. It is common knowledge. If you get there during peak times you will have to line up for sure. Have a look a the menu and order before you sit. When you are seated the food is pretty darn fast. Juicy dumplings and fried buns. The place is a hole in the wall. The staff are efficient and care not for conversation or flair. Get the food. Eat the food. Leave. It is pretty awesome. There is another Shanghai street on Little Bourke street about 10 minutes walk away. Make sure you are specific about where you are meeting. You could be in the wrong place. <br/><br/>This place is worth the line. It is fast and very good. One of the best dumpling places around in my opinion which is all this is obvs.

Had my first experience of xiao long baos here and my gosh it did not disappoint. Understand why there's always a long line outside and would defs come back for the porky soup dunplings.

Customer service was very poor. The waitress rushed to take our order, she asked “could you please hurry to decide because we are closing soon.” <br/>Besides poor customer service the dumplings were delicious, I had ordered chicken and prawn (12 pieces for $10.80) which was very good value for money. I will be returning again but definitely not near closing time.

Everyone lines up and they take your orders out the front. Spot on and quick. As soon as you sit, a plate of steaming dumplings arrived. For us, it was a simple pork and prawn- delicious. Two types of XLBs hit the table, pork and then prawn and pork. Both had delicious meat, but every one of them split in the bamboo... not great. Pork chilli wontons were nice but had a peanut sauce on it. Strange. BYO all booze. I’d head back, but the need to sort out those XLBs!!

Absolutely love this place! I come here for lunch very often the and quality doesn’t fluctuate too much! The only problem I’d say is that if you come in a pair you might have to sit opposite strangers but when I went with my cousin we expectedly started talking to them! The food was absolutely delicious! The xiao long bao and fried pork dumplings are a MUST!! Always always tasty and freshly made. The wonton dumplings are good as well but don’t expect too much from the broth (a bit bland and lacks a strong flavour). <br/>Anyways, this place will always be my favourite dumpling joint on little Bourke street!!