LaoWu Authentic ShangHai Dumpling - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

It's not a very big restaurant, and I queued for almost 25 minutes, but the food is of high quality, the service is OK, and it's a restaurant you can go to.

The food was great. This was my first time at this restaurant and I was really impressed. I will be returning. Give it a try you will not regret it.

delicious every single time, you can taste the freshness!! please be patient as their is usually almost a wait, but so worth it. i have never had a bad experience here. we love the staff! would 100% recommend this treasure.

All our orders were served hot and delicious. Service is fast .

Salmonella, Salmonella. Don't go to this restaurant for your own safety. I am writing this review with tears in my eyes. Me and my daughter had lunch at this restaurant. That afternoon I started sever diarrhea for two days and my daughter had fever and rashes first, and then she started pooping with a lot of blood. My husband didn't go with us, he was totally fine. Then we ended up with going to ER, they detected Salmonella. Doctor said it must from this restaurant bs me and my daughter had same symptoms but my husband was fine. I called the owner and the owner said it is my problem to bring my daughter to his restaurant. Township government also contacted us and suggested us to file claim, soon they will start investigation for this restaurant. I promise everything I said is true. I have all the test results. Don't go to this restaurant I don't want anyone go thought what happened to us. salmonella. Don't go! My daughter and I had lunch here in the afternoon and I started to have severe diarrhea for almost two days. My daughter first had a fever, then a rash, and finally blood in her stool. We went to the emergency room, had a lot of tests done, and found out that we had a salmonella infection after eating this. I called my boss to apologize and even scolded me for bringing my two-year-old child out to eat their food. It was my responsibility. The doctor also contacted the government. We explained the situation to the government and they asked us to fill out a form and said they would investigate. Please don't go there. The quality of the ingredients is really poor. I don't want this to happen to others.

The food was amazing 🤩 pork fried dumplings and the pork fried Buns 🤤 So good , I will be back! Can't wait to return !

This is THE place for dumplings if you can get a table. A must-visit for dumplings

The real deal! The short wait for a table in this cozy authentic dumpling and noodle house is totally worth it! The soup dumplings are the best I’ve enjoyed outside of Asia.

I bought 3 separate entres about to dig in, I never leave reviews, I threw all of it out in the grass for the animals to eat because I couldn’t stomach it, never left a food review before but no, restaurant needs to to step it up I don’t like being rude but that was a waste of $30

I’m going to get to the point and say that the pork wontons in spicy sauce are a must order, was my favorite item I ordered. I also ordered the Pork and Crab meat dumplings that were also good. However the shrimp dumplings was an awful flavor so avoid those unless you like weird tasting fish flavors. Service was excellent they were very patient, nice and attentive. The place is really really small and quite hot so I would suggest ordering to go. Would I go again , absolutely. Overall was a good meal and experience and very affordable in my opinion

The overall impression is good, but the skin of the soup dumplings is a bit thick, although the filling is still quite tasty.

Best hidden gem in Edison. They definitely live up to their name, authentic Shanghai everything. Highly recommend the soup dumplings, cucumbers, spicy pork fried udon, spicy pork dumplings, cold salted duck. Everything I've tried there has been outstanding. I seriously believe that they can't make anything sub par.

Great food, hot and fresh! The service was quick. There was a little wait to get a table, but it was totally worth it!

This is by far the best dumpling place in the area. I have been multiple times and have ordered the spicy minced pork udon, pork & crab soup dumplings, bulgogi scallion wrap, pan fried dumplings, spicy wontons, and the spicy pork soup. My favorites are the spicy minced pork udon (incredible) and the soup dumplings (very flavorful). I'd highly recommend getting the golden lava buns for dessert. Also, beware that the spicy wontons are very peanutty (which is not advertised).

Decent food, especially the very large juicy soup dumplings. Also really enjoyed the Shanghai fried noodles. However, several dishes were just alright (my friends and I prefer Tasty Moment just a ten minute drive from here). Specifically, the scallion pancakes just seemed like fried dough (kind of the same taste as youtiao). The big detractor was the fact that there was little to no AC. By the the end of our meal we were sweating so much.

Cozy and quaint, what an amazing culinary experience. I have been to China over 40 times, and one of my favorite things to eat are soup dumplings. LaoWu absolutely hit the spot! Both standard soup dumplings and the crab and pork soup dumplings. We also got the pan fried noodles with veggies and the beef scallion pancake. Everything came out to perfection, even the kids nom nom'd it all up! I only wish that I lived closer so that it would not be such a drive to get to. Since it is a small space, our party of 7 had to wait a good 20 minutes to be seated, but this is in no way a negative on the location. It simply shows how popular it is! They did a great job of giving us time to order, and quickly getting the food out to us. They did not rush us out, either. Also fun to throw some Chinese at them, to their surprise! All in all, a fantastic way to celebrate a good friend's birthday! Will absolutely be back!

Hands down the best soup dumpling anywhere in the United States, and not to exaggerate, better than a lot of places in my native Shanghai as well. Other dishes and dim sum there are also excellent. That said, it is worth a trip to LaoWu just for those heavenly soup dumplings!

This place really does have delicious food! Personally, I always order their soup dumplings, as they are very delicious and are the namesake of the company! Be mindful that if you come at lunchtime that there will be a wait if you do not come early enough. To minimize wait times i would recommend coming to eat at 2-5 or 7-close, but i know these can be odd hours! Also keep in mind that the place is a tad bit small, so expect some crowding. Regardless, they have great service!!

Ahhhhhhhmazing soup dumplings!!!

TLDR: Cramped restaurant, quick service, delicious & authentic food. We (party of 2) arrived around noon on a Saturday. We lucked out in having a table readily available, but throughout our meal people who came in were made to wait for tables. Notably, nobody left while waiting, even when the line was out the door. Surely a testament to the delicious & authentic food. We ordered the Shanghai Chicken in Wine Sauce, Pork Soup Dumplings (on the menu, stylized as "Pork Steam Juicy Buns"), Crab Meat & Pork Soup Dumplings (also stylized as "Steam Juicy Buns"), Shanghai Pan Fried Udon, and for dessert the Floral Eight Treasure Taro Pudding. Note: If unsure what to get, just use the overhead menu. Everything there is classic Shanghai fare. The chicken in wine sauce came first, served cold as meant to be. The chicken was tender and soaked with the strong wine sauce. It was salty and aromatic. Delicious. The udon came next. The noodle texture was soft & slightly chewy. The sauce was savory and rich. It came with cabbage and sliced beef mixed in. It was very good. Then came the soup dumplings. We ate the crab meat one first, which turned out to be a mistake, as it was more flavorful than the plain pork ones. I would recommend eating them in the reverse order. Anyhow, the dumplings were soft and delicate. The soup inside was rich and plentiful. The filling was melt-in-your-mouth. Absolute must have. Finally, the dessert. The taro itself was not all too sweet, but when mixed with dried dates and other various sweet toppings, as well as sweet red bean paste inside, it made for a hearty and filling bite. The service was fast and efficient. They wanted to clear tables as soon as possible for guests waiting, which I appreciated and understood. The restaurant is rather unremarkable. The seating area was small and there were not too many tables due to the extensive kitchen taking up most of the shop space. Overall I would highly recommend trying this joint out, even if there's a line. 10/10 authentic, flavorful, delicious.

Really excellent dumplings and food at a great price.

This is my first time eating a soup dumpling and I was not disappointed! You know when you see all the locals eating there it’s going to be good! We got the juicy pork and crab buns, the spicy wonton, the pork friend dumplings and chicken udon noodles. The order was correct and timely, I was greeted with a smile and despite it being very busy my order came out quick. The only reason for the 4 on the food is we felt the wrappers were a little in the thick side but I think that is entirely because we are Americanized and the way they are made is a bit more traditional. Don’t worry you will get an delicious meal here!

A small authentic restaurant with amazing food. One of my favorite spots!

I go to din tai fung in California a lot and this place is much better. These are the best xiao long bao in america.

My son and I like to eat Shanghai snacks, such as xiaolongbao, pan-fried buns, beef and scallion pancakes, side dishes, and noodle soups with different authentic flavors. The service is friendly, but the place is small, and it was full at once, even after I ordered takeout If you are not on time and have to wait, I have to be considerate...

We found this place by chance and have gone back twice now. The food is amazing and the service is great. Perfect place for some dumplings and other food to try and share. I will definitely be coming back to this place every time I get a chance!

Very authentic Shanghai dumplings. Now is my favorite restaurant I will take my kids to eat. 😋

so so so much better than the other locations. i HIGHLY recommend the beef scallion pancake wrap and the shanghai sticky rice shumai, those are genuinely 2 of the best dishes i’ve ever had. my only complaint is that the food is too oily sometimes.

Very yummy and authentic food. 💯 recommended.

BEST soup dumpling I have ever had in US, it is so authentic and I feel it’s even better than most restaurants in Shanghai. BUT, they really need to train their staff to do things more efficiently.They only have one guy to arrange guests and take orders, and it can be very slow during peak hours. UPDATE: service now is improved a lot, but still try to avoid peak hour as it gets very busy.

We just found this little place and fell in love. Food was amazing, pretty affordable and great portions. The pork soup dumplings are to die for. Highly recommend.

Lao Wu's crab meat dumplings are truly outstanding. I have never found such juicy, thin-skinned and delicious dumplings since I returned to Shanghai. The fried buns and pan-fried buns are also cooked authentically, and the meat filling is very fragrant. Shanghai Xiaolong is a place I must visit every week.

Food was so good and service was fairly quick. The quality of the dumplings was so good and I loved the pan fried noodles! Would definitely come back to try more things.

As many have said before, they have the best soup dumplings here. Also, to start off you should get the spicy cucumbers. They're fresh with a lot of snap to them. And then end it off with a sweet lava bun. I like to also make some rice cakes with chicken in there as well. There's only a few tables and it's cramped. But it lends to the excitement of getting such coveted food.

There are not that many places in New Jersey we can get fantastic food. This place definitely has outstanding flavors.

Updated: This place is under new management and the dumplings 🥟 are awesome. Freshly made, juicy and umami. Must try the pan fried dumplings. The rice cake dish was a bit lacking flavor and skinny on the meat. Beef noodles soup is great, love the flavors in the broth. Wait time is long as this is a small eatery, not much seating. Bathroom can use a complete renovation. Menu has changed as well.

Fantastic authentic dumpling house. One of the best I've tried. Definitely the best in the area. Super friendly, feels very family oriented environment. Constantly busy and Definitely worth the short wait. Thanks again!

best soup dumplings i’ve ever had in my life

I absolutely love their crab meat pork soup dumplings !! They’re so delicious 😋 and thr employees are nice as well.

Every dish is cooked perfectly. We came here three times and never had any dish that we didnt like. The staff are super friendly and sweet. Highly recommended!

I’ve been coming to this restaurant since I moved to Jersey back in 2017 and since they were at the previous location. I was thrilled to learn after the pandemic was slowly getting better that this location was relocated and was back in business! The food is amazing. According to some friends that have lived in Shanghai, this food is as authentic as it gets and it’s one of the best spots they have eaten at. The service is quick and friendly. The atmosphere is always bustling since the food is Amazin - there’s always a line, especially right when they open so try to they there ahead of time to stand in The queue!

They have some of the best soup dumplings that I have ever had, as well as the pan-fried udon noodles with spicy minced pork. The service is great. This place is not to be missed!

OMG this place is a hidden gem! So glad I found it. Amazing. Just go. Had the pork soup dumplings (best I’ve had), pan fried pork buns (Amazing!) , spring rolls (EPIC). Everything was so good I got the Pan Fried Udon w/spicy pork to-go. Nice little restaurant love it here. Will be back

Delicious food, good service, and clean utensils. Best soup dumpling in NJ. Tiny resturant with limited space. Founder of Wu‘s Shanghai Dupming on Rt 27. Strongly recommended!

Love this place! The soup dumplings are as good as it gets! The wonton soup was a little under flavored considering we had two orders of the soup dumplings, but the wontons were good. Can't wait to come back here and go through the rest of the menu

Small little place with delicious dumplings and small plates. It was a short wait on a Sunday at prime time lunch, but we were seated quickly. My favorite dish was the Shanghai Special Pan Fried noodles. The food was freshly made.

The best and most authentic Shanghai food restaurant in the area! The chicken in wine sauce is my favorite! Highly recommended

Noodles were prego but soup Bland. Service with a smile. 20 min wait is ok, the other dishes were a bit better. Dumplings was A1 OK... 5 stars, but can't rate that alone.

My first soup dumpling experience!! Such amazing food can’t wait to go back!!

Exactly same taste as the old rt27 shop. Undoubtedly the best soup dumpling in the area. Tasty moment is also good but this is the OG one.

Yummy Xiaolongbao, fried udon, beef sliced, spicy wonton, giant meat ball.

We ordered the Pork Wontons in Spicy Sauce. My son had a little bit of an allergic reaction. We asked the server what is in the spicy sauce & she said it had peanut sauce. They need to update their menu indicating which dishes have peanut ingredients.

Expect a line. 24 highly coveted table seats in a small space. We ordered Shanghai spicy minced pork noodle soup, pork juicy soup dumplings, pork wontons in spicy peanut cream sauce, pork fried wonton, and golden lava buns. Our faves were the soup dumplings and Shanghai soup. The service was great. Everyone serving, waiting, or seated were patient and friendly. This is a small space with high demand.

Small, but efficient Chinese food (specializing in soup dumplings and noodle soups) place. Seemed quite popular as there was decent line when I went, but they seem to have a fairly organized system of getting people seated and served in a timely manner without feeling too rushed. Crab meat and pork dumplings were recommended to us by a fellow patron waiting and they were so good!!

Food is fantastic, staff is great, friendly ands accommodating. Nothing fancy about the atmosphere, it’s a small local restaurant, but it was totally worth the visit and the wait to get seated.

The best soup dumpling always. No matter how many other Shanghai restaurants nearby, Laowu is the best. If you come on the meal time, 20 mins waiting. People in and out very quick. The lion head is really big and well seasoned Well, the noodles have a chewy texture. Crab noodle soup dumplings are one of the few places where you can get the crab flavor, and the price is acceptable. I really like its reasonable prices and genuine food; there are no frivolous "innovative dishes". it’s a bit crowded inside, no large table for big party.

Excellent. Will definitely come back!!!

Delicious food!! Came out pretty quick and it is a small restaurant with limited seating. We ordered the Crab and Pork juicy buns, the seafood shumai, beef scallion wrap, and the wontons in 'spicy sauce' (not pictured), which was a tad disappointing since it wasn't spicy at all and was just peanut sauce that they did NOT specify on the menu. Other than that, overall taste was good. Service was straight to the point, but seemed like the waiter was trying to rush us out at 3 pm in a half empty restaurant when we were there for about an hour and still eating lol.

Had a delightful dining experience at Laowu Authentic Chinese Restaurant in Edison, NJ. The crab meat & pork steam juicy buns and pan-fried pork buns were delicious. The Shanghai stick rice and vegetable meat ball noodle were also highlights. Although the lobby is a bit small and the staff seemed busy, the service was still nice. I'd recommend this restaurant for its excellent dishes despite the minor inconveniences.

THE WAS VERY VERY TASTY NOT EXPENSIVE REASONABLY.I WILL COME BACK THE PLACE IS BUSY MEANS THE FOOD IS GOOD

Soup dumplings tasted pretty good but had nasty bits of gristle and a big chunk of cartilage in it. I won't come back.

Love this place. I think this is one of the best places to get authentic soup dumplings in town. Small restaurant, limited space. Prepare to wait if you have a party more than 4 people, but it worth the wait!

Food is always delicious. My family & I love the beef soup & the lion's head meatball. So good!

Food is really good, the restaurant is small, luckily we were there when they first opened, in about 20 mins, there were 15 people waiting and watching us eat our food.. i guess a lot of people like the place.

リーズナブルな価格で美味しい中華料理が食べられました。豚肉の小籠包がおすすめです。おかわりしました。うちの子も完食です。スタッフもフレンドリーで日本語で話しかけてくれる方もいました。 2度目に訪れた時は豚の小籠包、エビシュウマイ、ワンタンスープ、ビーフヌードルスープをランチにいただきました。ワンタンスープもビーフヌードルスープも同じラーメンどんぶりサイズなのでサイズ感は注意してください。味は今回来ても最高でした😃

So good. Cucumbers and soup dumplings a must

Small place serving fresh, delicious Dumplings and other Shanghai dishes. My order: B12. Shanghai Chicken in Wine Sauce C6. Pork Wontons in Spicy Sauce C4. Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Dumplings C12. Shrimp Dumplings C9. Shanghai Sticky Rice Shumai E3. Chicken Pan Fried U-Don

Best soup dumplings in nj. All other menu items are excellent too. Consistant quality every time i eat here.

Absolutely the best food around. My husband and I have been following the chef/owner since he opened his restaurant on Rt. 27. We now come here at least once a week, usually twice. The soup dumpling is a must. All other items on the menu are equally delicious. Great service - the waiting staff is extremely polite and friendly. The only caution is try not to go during peak dining hours. This place is small with limited seating.

他们的小籠包比台北的鼎泰豐还要好吃喲，我几乎每个星期去報到一次。他们店里有一位女服务人員是甘粛來的！ 他們用的蒸籠太小，六個小籠包蒸好之後，會全部粘著，夾取時很容易破皮而導致湯汁流出來；我建議老闆換大一點的蒸籠，蒸好上桌時六個小籠包要全部分開完全才不粘著。希望他们生意興隆，以後換個大店面，可以有更多座位！

Wow! Delicious food friendly service decent price this place remind me of Wu’s Shanghai Restaurants on Rt27 Edison used to be .

I almost don't want to reveal how good this place is. It's tiny, there's always a lunch rush, and the one or two waiters here are always visibly hustling. Hands down the best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) in the area. Dumpling skins are a perfect thickness and there's so much flavorful broth in the dumplings without being overly salty. No porky taste at all. Even their crab & pork soup dumplings are delicious and I don't usually care for the crab ones. Other hits: -Preserved egg w/ tofu -Chicken in wine sauce (would go better with rice imo) -Spicy minced pork noodle soup -Pickled cabbage fish filet soup -Lion's head noodle soup (the lion's head meatball is huuuge) -Shanghai pan fried noodle Not bad: -Beef scallion pancake wrap: the scallion pancake is deep fried and really puffy/heavy if you're into that -Pan fried pork buns: really filling, I could probably make a meal out of two of these -Pan fried pork dumplings: bigger than I expected! Also pretty filling. I would guess it uses the same pork filling as the pan fried buns -Rice pudding and taro pudding: not actual pudding, imagine the consistency of steamed mashed taro, densely packed. I enjoyed both of these puddings. They're on the sweeter side and would be better shared. Some misses: -Chive boxes -Turnip cakes: not what I expected, tastes alright but on the dry side -Cold noodles with sesame sauce: much too thick and heavy, could only stomach a few bites of this

The best soup/pan fried dumplings you’ll get in central jersey and there’s no denying it. Great authentic Chinese food and people that make the environment worth coming back for more.

Best Shanghai Bums ever! It’s so fresh and juicy! Strongly recommend!

An absolute gem hidden in a small shopping center on Route 1. The restaurant is very small, so if you have more than two people in your party, expect to wait. Luckily I waited about 10 mins for a table for two. We ordered the classic pork steam juicy buns, Shanghai pan fried pork buns and beef scallion pancakes wrap. All were absolutely delicious. The juicy buns are freshly wrapped as you can see the workers in the back actively wrapping them. As always, just be careful eating the juicy buns as they come out piping hot.

I like the restaurant. Every food I ordered was awesome (except lion head; more on this later). The soup dumplings are among the best I've ever had in the US. The pan fried dumplings were browned beautifully at the bottom. Just when I thought the restaurant would never disappoint, I ordered lion head soup and had a second thought. The lion head was bland (despite 2 hours emerged in sauce!). The soup was bland too. My partner who often complains about restaurant food being too salty couldn't stand it. We gave staff our feedback and got her insistence that nothing was wrong. I don't know what to say. Were all the lion heads I had overly seasoned and cooked the wrong way? I wish the staff could make some attempt to double check their food that night, instead of insisting our taste was off. None other food tasted bland that night. Why just the lion head?

What this place lacks in decor and ambiance it makes up for in taste and service. I very much enjoy coming here and partaking in several different dishes.

在二個不同的周末我們和家人來過二次了 中午的客人就比晚上的客人多 這二次的經驗 今天特別問過店家說 ‘’沒有辦法預先訂位‘’ 需要來到現場排隊等候 價位平易近人和食物新鮮美味 故 客人絡繹不絕 全部的餐點 都是現點現做呦！ 所以，無法等候的客人也可外帶😀

Everyone says this place is authentic, but in reality the food is exceptionally disappointing due to it being overly greasy, and of an entirely lower quality grade than of the food expected in China. The soup dumplings were bland, and skin lacked the desirable tender texture. The fried buns were saturated with thick oil, and tasted of grease rather than flavor. Wouldn’t recommend.

Nice service, pretty good food! Really liked the juicy pork buns, spicy chili wontons, and beef scallion pancakes. We tried the chicken pan fried noodles and salted duck which were delicious. The cold seaweed salad is not cooked well and a bit sour. The xiao long baos are yummy but the flour is very thick. We liked trying so many dishes though for the good prices. Would definitely come back to try more. Now for my standard comments as of November 2023. Location is relatively clean and tables are nicely distanced. Comfortable eating indoors.

Best xiao long bao this side of Flushing. Don't take my word for it, friends from Shanghai say the same. We stop by whenever we are passing, and always get dishes to take home as well.

Best Soup Dumplings in the universe 😀🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟

One of the best places to get xiaolongbao in the area. The soup dumplings are made to order. They are large, the skin is thin for the size and there is A LOT of soup in them. Delicious and affordable. Arrive early if you want a seat when they open on the weekends. There are not many tables so they fill up fast. Tables are small and close to each other. No-frill restaurant. Typical service. Must also try the Scallion Oil Noodles, Chicken in Wine Sauce, and Cucumber appetizer.

This is the best soup dumplings in town. The pickled cucumber is crispy and delicious. A must dish before the main meal. The owner Mr Wu is friendly and he helped us to pick the best dishes in his restaurant.

Oh my goodness. This place is absolutely delicious. The udon noodle with spicy pork is memorable. Like…. Forever. The soup dumplings are executed perfectly. I am so excited to go back and try more and more.

This is the real deal. Best xiaolongbao I've had in the NYC area. Don't mind the slightly thicker skins since they never break.

The food tastes very Shang hai authentic flavor soup dumpling which has full of soup inside and tastes so good Lien head meat is so soft that made you feel it will melt when you put in your mouth The cold noodle with sesame sauce is also tastes very good Fry pancake with beef wraps is also good The best part is the portion is big and the price is very affordable, I recommend this place The only thing is if you come at dinner time, you might have to wait for a long time, the line is out at the street when I finish my dinner, their dining area is very small, cannot contain many tables…

Come here for the pre-pandemic prices Food is so good you can almost forget you are touching elbows with the table next to you

Our first 2 visits were 2 days in a row before heading back to PA. Food and service were both excellent. Highly recommend. 👍🏼

All the food tastes authentic and fresh. Very well seasoned; not too salty. Soup dumplings were the best.

Place serves authentic Shanghainese food and their xiaolongbao are pretty great. Really good bang for your buck. Only downside is that there is no digital wait system so you will be lining up. Overall, can’t wait to come back!

The dumplings are just great. Good noodle soup, good everything. Cozy little place with simple but friendly service. Parking is easy as the l'Ave is in a Plaza. Fairly priced. It gets very busy.

The crab meat soup dumplings are absolutely amazing. It's probably one of the best crab meat soup dumplings I've ever had in my life so far, including the ones I've had in Shanghai.

Great little place !! First time here and had a good time. I came here for the DIM SUM I order the Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Bums , Shrimp Dumplings and the Beef stream Dumplings and there was all great. My favorite is the Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Bums so far. Well come back

Extremely impressive. This small restaurant has the best dumplings I've ever tasted. Everything, ranging from their soup dumplings, to their pan fried dumplings, to even their fried bread, tasted heavenly. We drove 40 minutes to try this food and it exceeded all expectations. The only thing I would reccomend is to be prepared to wait or to go there at around 3pm. They have very limited seating and there are lines out the door most of the time. I cannot wait to go back!

Absolutely incredible! From the staff to the food everything was perfect. The lions head meatball is a must try. I loved the soft texture of it and it was flavorful. The green onion noodles were also really good. Very bouncy noodles and good green onion flavor. The soup dumplings were packed with lots of soup and held their shape well. Also really liked the spicy beef noodles. Not too spicy and also a great noodle texture.