包大人 Mr. Bao Kitchen
357 Castro St Unit 3A, Mountain View, CA 94041
Reviews:
Really good soup dumplings and pan fried pork buns, probably the best I've had in the South Bay/Peninsula!
Those pork buns were amazing with crispy bottoms and hot flavorful broth inside.
Soup dumplings had great broth too.
Shanghai-style food, with a specialized dumpling menu.
The crab and pork xiao long bao was good, but the pan-fried pork dumplings were even better. The shanghai-style noodles were also good.
Service was very attentive and kind. Will definitely come back!
Great XLB. Freshly made and visible.
Staff were extremely attentive.
Bean sprouts and ribs were great. Enjoyed the noodles and cucumber.
Overall solid Chinese food.
This place is legit. Nice service (though they were very busy, waitstaff was very nice- several of them checked in with us throughout the meal). The shengjian bao is good- maybe one of the only places that have earned a "this is done right" from my super persnickety and picky sheng jian bao loving husband. Our first order, the dough was a bit too tough, not quite risen enough. The second and third orders were much better. To be fair, the assessment that this dish was done right came only after all three servings had been consumed. I have to admit to those reading this review that my husband's love of these pan fried buns stems from the rose colored memories of a charmed childhood growing up in shanghai, eating this stuff from "the right street vendor" in secret collaboration with his loving grandma to his fathers consternation. Guys. Him saying he wants to come back not only means authenticity, it means this bao has risen to the level of him reliving a loving childhood memory of false perfection in full technicolor (as we used to say) aka 4K Ultra HD.
As for me, I enjoyed the pan fried buns more than the xlb but really appreciated that the xlb meat had a different flavor than said buns (lots of places we've tried all use the same or similar meat/flavoring for both). I also enjoyed the hot and sour soup (serves 4 perfectly , a bit light on the vegetables and tofu but flavored well) and the onion noodles (thicker noodles than I'm used to, and came with delicious dried shrimp!). Finally I really enjoyed being able to eat all this heavy food without a huge food coma/msg thirst fest afterwards. We will be coming back again.
They have great XLB and other great dumpling dishes. Portions are very generous, and food tastes very authentic!
Have been here several times. Love that they make the Xiao long bao FRESH behind glass panes so you can see it
Everything we ordered here is yum.
service is good
ambiance is clean chinese restaurant
Definitely coming here over and over.
Bao Wow!
Discovered a new dumpling gem in Mountain View--Mr Bao! The menu is short and sweet, basically all about dumplings (steamed, pan-fried, boiled) and honestly, that's all I need.
We did both the regular and the crab xiao long bao--hot tip: get both. The skins were delicate, the broth inside was rich and slurpable, and they disappeared way too fast at our table.
For sides, the cucumber salad was cool and crisp--perfect palate refresher. The scallion oil noodles came out glossy and chewy; I gave them a soy sauce boost and they were spot on!
Delicious and affordable
This place is unassuming. Relatively small restaurant in the heart of MV. We were seated immediately after walking in. They set up the kitchen to be open and you can see the chefs handmaking XLB, which is a nice touch. Their menu is really simple and they have all the usual suspects. We got the XLB, string beans, gluten salad, shanghai fried pork buns, chive pockets. All were delicious. Despite ordering a fair amount of food, the total came out surprisingly small. Service here is excellent - will be coming back.
So juicy and the bao wrapper is so thin I'm surprised they didn't break while we were transporting them to the spoon! I am so happy with the xiao long bao and pan fried buns here. I'm definitely coming back!
Service was a bit slow because they were understaffed the day I ate here. The waitress was apologizing to us for the slow service. So I don't think it's normal to have slow service.
Restaurant was clean. I sat right next to where they were making fresh dumplings so I got to watch it while waiting for my food. Such an art to make the perfect dumpling! I wish I knew how to make them myself so I can stop going out for xiao long bao. But before I do, I'll keep supporting Chinese restaurants like this one that serve it!
The food is incredible! We love the dumplings, rice cakes and cucumber. Thank you for the great meal and service!
Finally tried Mr. Bao Kitchen in MV. This place has been on my list for the past four months, and I am so glad we tried it. Even on a Thursday evening, it was packed, and there was a long wait to get in. The food was authentic and delicious, the atmosphere is unpretentious and comfy, and the service was friendly.
We had the Pork Belly XLB, the Pork and Shrimp w/ Chives soup dumplings, the Hot and Sour Soup, and the Shanghai Style Fried Noodles with chicken. Everything was fantastic! The dumplings in particular were so good. Probably one of the best XLB we've had. The soup broth has a sweet taste, which was interesting, and the fillings are generous. The only hiccup we had was that the H&S soup was lukewarm - which was surprising because usually when we have the H&S soup, I joke that they serve it so hot that it'd stay warm till the next day. LOL. But when we asked, they immediately replaced it.
You could see that the servers were a little overwhelmed with the rush, but they still did a good job managing everything. We waved at the cooks who you can see prepping all the food through a small area they've purposefully kept for open viewing. That was pretty cool.
Highly recommend if you haven't tried this place. I'll be back for sure!
I just got back from China a few months ago, but the soup dumplings here were even better. Flavorful but not overwhelming, smooth but not greasy, they were just perfect.
Our server was super nice, totally reminiscent of a friend's mom. You could tell how passionate she was -- I'm very grateful for the extent to which she showed care.
Cannot recommend this place enough.
The service is amazing! Very friendly staff! Foods are super yummy! Highly recommend!pretty authentic! Must try the pan fried Suon
Dumplings
What do you say? Bao in Mountain View?
Well, if you're looking for Taiwanese style bao, this is the place for you!
Ample seating (all indoor), you can even watch them make the bao at the 'bao station'.
Service was fast and attentive, but not overly so.
The food came out hot and when I say hot, let's just say.. be very careful when eating the soup dumplings!
Very nice place with great food and service!
4.5 pretty good, similar menu to Shanghai flavor shop, but not the crispiest bottom on the sheng jian bao despite the appearance. xlb, dumplings hand made and pretty good for the area on thin wrapper and medium juice and nice flavor. string beans and Shanghai noodles also standard and not too sweet. would still go to dumpling hours first.
We came here at 630ish on a Saturday and it was pretty empty, but by 7pm there was a line out the door!
The food here is delicious. We tried the soup dumplings, cucumbers, scallion pancakes, hot and sour soup and their special pork buns. Everything tasted fresh and the portions are generous. Overall this place is great for a casual meal with friends/a group.
It is a surprisingly fantastic new restaurant recently opened in Mountain View downtown. All the foods we ordered are great. The green beans is the best I’ve ever eaten. The buns are great. The scallion oil noodle is so delicious. I definitely love here. From now on, I don’t need to drive to Dingtaifeng and wait several hours for their food. Mr. Bao is a better substitute.
Just left Mr. Bao Kitchen in downtown Mountain View and wow, what a treat! We tried the crab & pork soup dumplings, the chicken & cabbage soup dumplings, and the pork & veggie steamed dumplings. Every bite was juicy, flavorful, and piping hot—exactly what dumplings should be. Perfect spot for comfort food that hits the mark. Can’t wait to go back!
First, I was extremely impressed with the service. Very attentive, very courteous and friendly. Even when they were overwhelmed.
XLB - It's good. I use chop stick to hold it and dropped it and it didn't break. The skin is legit. The pork meat was juicy. Great texture. Good amount of soup inside the bun. But I have to say the marinated flavor is on the light side. I would add a little more soy sauce and sesame oil to intensify the flavor.
Mr. Bao Kitchen is currently in soft opening in downtown Mountain View, located right next to Sakoon. If you’re a fan of Shanghai-style xiao long bao, I highly recommend giving this place a try.
The interior is spacious, clean, and welcoming, with warm and friendly service. One of the highlights is the glass kitchen window, where you can watch the chefs hand-make dumplings on the spot—a great touch that adds to the overall experience.
We ordered several dishes, and each one had something to offer:
Pork Xiao Long Bao: Six large dumplings per order, filled with rich broth and tender pork. The skin is medium-thin and well-crafted. Compared to similar restaurants in the Mountain View area, this is easily the best xiao long bao I’ve had around here.
Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao: A unique flavor with a nice balance of crab richness without being overpowering. While I personally prefer the simplicity of the pork version, this one is definitely worth trying.
Shanghai Sheng Jian Bao: Ever since Top Dumplings closed, we’ve struggled to find a worthy replacement. Although Shanghai Lao Nong Tang in Sunnyvale still offers them, the rest of their menu is less appealing. These sheng jian bao are very similar in flavor to Top Dumplings, with crispy bottoms, juicy filling, and generous size—an excellent surprise.
Potstickers: Surprisingly delicious! They’re larger than average, with a juicy filling that includes both meat and greens, giving a well-balanced, fresh flavor. The bottoms are pan-fried to a perfect crisp, and there’s even broth inside—something you rarely find in potstickers.
Radish Pastry (not on the menu yet – we were lucky to try a sample): The pastry had wonderfully flaky layers without being greasy, and the filling was flavorful. I truly hope this makes it onto the regular menu soon.
Overall, Mr. Bao Kitchen focuses on authentic Shanghai flavors, offering dishes that are not too greasy or overly salty, which makes it a refreshing option for modern palates. With so many handmade noodle and dumpling shops opening in Mountain View, this place stands out. If they can maintain their quality, it has the potential to become a local favorite.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Shanghai cuisine or handmade dumplings—this spot is definitely worth checking out!
Loved Mr. Bao Kitchen! The Shanghai juice bao, noodles, and short rib bites were all delicious. Our server Oliver was super attentive—great experience all around!
Xiao Long bao, pancakes and pan fried dumplings were all delicious. The service is a very friendly and responsive as well. The food came out very quickly and hot, as it should be. Highly recommend for both the soup dumplings and the other selections on the menu.
Fairly new (as of this writing) to the Mountain View scene, Mr Bao clocks in amazing pan fried buns (careful they are hot), excellent shao long Bao (opt for the pork belly for so much flavor) and fantastic service. I am hopeful they will be a mainstay of Mountain View and I will definitely be visiting again and again!
A wonderful, wonderful hidden gem. I was craving a taste of home and instantly knew this place would be authentic just from seeing a picture of the xiaolongbao from previous reviews. Everything was incredibly delicious— the craft of the xiaolongbao was perfect! The ratio of skin, filling, and soup was perfect and even better than some traditional restaurants back home in Shanghai. Upon talking to the waitress we learned that the chef had been making soup dumplings for over 30 years. We also ordered a tomato soup, garlic cucumber, and the string beans, all of which were delicious. The staff was so attentive and very sweet. The atmosphere was very calm and everything was incredibly clean. My parents were very happy to have stumbled upon such an authentic place and we will certainly come back for more!
Went here for lunch on a Friday, and this brought me back to Shanghai, where I was born. The xiaolongbao and shengjianbao were perfection, and egg and tomato soup felt homemade in a good way. Service was great, and the restaurant was clean and modern. Will be back!
Very friendly and helpful staff. Food was delicious! Loved ordering family style so we all got to try a variety. Was a little crowded for my preference but we were seated very quickly for a Friday night. Loved the decorations and getting to see the kitchen making the dumplings.
By Google and Yelp
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