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THE BAO

Last Updated: ~1 month ago

Phone: (212) 388-9238

Address: 13 SAINT MARKS PLACE 10003

TLDR

Authentic Shanghainese cuisine w/ must-try mapo tofu & soup dumplings. Upscale, reasonably priced, perfect for sharing.

Sentiment Overview(Based on 9 Reddit comments)

67% Positive33% Neutral

Achievements and Accolades

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Tags

chinese 7shanghainese 2soup dumplings 4dumplings 3bao 3View All

Neighborhoods

East Village

Details

Known for its authentic Shanghainese cuisine, this spot offers an upscale yet reasonably priced dining experience perfect for sharing. Customers rave about the exceptional quality of their food, particularly highlighting the mapo tofu and soup dumplings.

Food Overview

Specializing in Shanghainese dishes, this restaurant is highly recommended for its authentic flavors. Standout dishes include the mapo tofu, described by one customer as the best they've ever had, and the soup dumplings, which are frequently praised. The food is considered high quality and suitable for sharing.

Highlights / Recommended

"Customers frequently recommend the soup dumplings and highly praise the mapo tofu, with one reviewer calling it the best they've ever had."

Mentioned Dishes:

  • soup dumplings(2)

Customer Sentiment

Customers express high satisfaction with the food quality, with particular praise for the mapo tofu and soup dumplings. The restaurant is also noted as a good value and a place worth revisiting.

Reddit References

Highlighted Posts

A customer enthusiastically recommends The Bao for their mapo tofu, stating it's the best they've ever tasted. This highlights a specific, highly-praised dish.
Multiple users recommend this restaurant specifically for its soup dumplings, noting their deliciousness and quality. One comment also mentions its proximity to another popular dumpling spot.
The Bao is mentioned by a user as a go-to spot for soup dumplings.
This commenter suggests The Bao for soup dumplings, noting its location next to another well-known dumpling restaurant.
This restaurant is listed among several recommendations for a place that users would revisit, indicating a generally positive and repeat-worthy dining experience.
Described as an 'upscale' Chinese restaurant that's reasonably priced with quality food, it's recommended for sharing meals.
One comment notes that the restaurant no longer accepts reservations, which is a practical piece of information for potential diners.

Recent Mentions

From post: Have A Conference In Times Square

"The Bao is mentioned as another option for soup dumplings (XLB) located next door to another Nan Xiang location."

Neutral
Jan 12, 2026View Comment →

From post: A Nice Dinner For Some Reasonably Broke College

"The Bao in St Marks is recommended as an 'upscale' Chinese restaurant that is reasonably priced, with quality food suitable for sharing."

Positive
Oct 9, 2025View Comment →

From post: Go To Repeat Restaurant

"This restaurant is listed as a recommendation for a repeat visit."

Positive
Aug 29, 2025View Comment →

From post: Whats Your Favorite Place For Soup Dumplings

"This user simply recommended 'The Bao'."

Positive
Jul 22, 2025View Comment →

From post: Bar Snacks Crawl Lower Manhattan

"A commenter recommended The Bao for soup dumplings, noting it's located right next to Nan Xing XLB."

Positive
Apr 19, 2025View Comment →

From post: East Village

"Recommends The Bao for soup dumplings."

Positive
Apr 16, 2025View Comment →

From post: Best Mapo Tofu To Try

"Recommends The Bao on St Marks Place in the EV, calling their mapo tofu the best they've ever had."

Positive
Apr 2, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chinese Recommendation Help

"The Bao"

Neutral
Mar 4, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chinese Recommendation Help

"They don't take reservations any more."

Neutral
Mar 3, 2025View Comment →