lao tian dumpling house

Name: lao tian dumpling house
Address: 1115 Emerson St, Evanston, IL 60201, Evanston, IL, 60201.0, US
Telephone: +1 224-491-1849
Price range: $
Rating: 4.7

Essential

Chinese

Is this your business?

Claim this profile to update your info and track analytics.

Claim Profile

About

lao tian dumpling house — Evanston chinese that sets the standard. Order the Xiao Long Bao. You're eating the real thing here. Wallet-friendly. HaoChris Chen: "They crispy at bottom and tender on top and juicy inside"

Experience Breakdown

🍴Food

5.0

👥Service

4.8

✨Ambiance

4.5

💬Sentiment

4.6

Jonathan Lee

466 reviews

Highlights

Quick BiteTakeout StrongGreat Value

Must Try

Xiao Long Bao

What Diners Are Saying

Diners loved

Authentic flavorsGreat prices

Some noted

I’m really only rating the food, the service was as it expected order, wait, receive, although it did seem ready orders were waiting 5 mins after ready (mine included).
— Paivia Brown

Our lunch experience at Lao Tian Dumpling House was quite disappointing.
— Tony Liu

These are BARELY fried dumplings from Lao Tian Dumpling House, a new restaurant in evanston.

Specialties

Xiao Long Bao

Location

1115 Emerson St, Evanston, IL 60201

What 166+ diners say about lao tian dumpling house

A fun little spot for delicious dumplings! You can order online for carryout, and there’s a kiosk to order inside as well. It’s quite small with only one table and some bar seating, but we still enjoyed sitting to escape the cold and chow on some fresh dumplings. We got the xiao long bao (soup dumplings), shrimp shumai, pork, shrimp, and chive dumplings, and the Szechuan wontons. We chose to get the pork, shrimp, and chive dumplings pan-fried, which is two dollars extra. The xiao long bao were filled with hot, soothing soup, the shumai were the perfect consistency, the pan-fried dumplings were nice and crispy, and the wontons tasted homemade and tossed in sweet, tangy sauce. The prices were fairly reasonable for the 12-piece orders, and we were left very satisfied. I’ll definitely be returning whenever my dumpling craving emerges!

“I love a well made dumpling, and this is the best dumpling I’ve had in Illinois.”

I love a well made dumpling, and this is the best dumpling I’ve had in Illinois. I preferred the steamed dumplings over the fried, the pork and chive dumplings were the stars of the show. Very modest storefront with a table for 5 people and a small self service counter for four people ~ honestly the perfect size. I will be sure to come here again and again. A little pricey but worth every penny!

GCPG

Dec 2025

“Great authentic dumplings.”

Great authentic dumplings. They offer various flavors. I’ve tried a couple of them. All yummy! Juicy and tasty. They have cold dishes too. The slice potato salad is great! Crispy and the aroma is sooo balanced.

Susie Jing

Nov 2025

“If you love authentic and good northern China dumplings, this is a must go place.”

If you love authentic and good northern China dumplings, this is a must go place. I love it and recommend it to everyone. If you order zucchini dumplings, order the fried ones. They crispy at bottom and tender on top and juicy inside. Pork soured cabbage is one of my favorites, they are so good and easy to digest. Try it and you will love it! Btw, not huge restaurant, not a lot of seats. Take out could be a choice but make sure not eat cold

HaoChris Chen

Nov 2025

“Small storefront restaurant with incredible food.”

Small storefront restaurant with incredible food. The Xiao Long Bao is amazing. If you are longing for a wonderful meal this is the place. I suggest take-out or delivery not much seating.

Chris Tuytens

Sep 2025

“Just passing through and found this little gem.”

Just passing through and found this little gem! Dumplings were absolutely delicious and filled with meat and soup! Perfect!! Highly recommend and I’ll be back!

Kyle Rugletic

Sep 2025

“Wow, just wow. All dumplings! And other stuff I didn't have room to order. Chicken Egg rolls,...”

Wow, just wow. All dumplings! And other stuff I didn't have room to order. Chicken Egg rolls, which were actually meaty and savory , not just cabbage and carrots goo like I usually experience. Pork Flatbread, so yummy, and filling. Then the soup dumplings came out and I enjoyed, until the Zhong's Dumplings blew my mind. I just wish you could order smaller quantities so I could have tried more options. I have leftovers

Cody Reynolds

Sep 2025

“Awesome dumpling shop.”

Awesome dumpling shop! One of the best in Chicagoland imo the Xiao Long Bao are to die for (I ate all 12)

Na Pe

Jul 2025

“We stopped by this place by chance and we’re so glad we did.”

We stopped by this place by chance and we’re so glad we did! The dumplings were absolutely delicious, full of flavor and perfectly cooked. We’ll definitely be coming back again!

Anna Nazarevska

Jun 2025

“Easily the best dumplings I ever had in the States.”

Easily the best dumplings I ever had in the States. Juicy and flavorful and thin wrapping. Will have to come back to try all the other dumplings 🥟

Ginger Tsang

Jun 2025

“Small calming interior, friendly owners and workers who can make a perfect recommendation if you...”

Small calming interior, friendly owners and workers who can make a perfect recommendation if you ask… food is AMAAAAAAZING. Just makes your soul happy.

Shira M

May 2025

“If this place was in Chinatown, you'll never get in without a long wait.”

If this place was in Chinatown, you'll never get in without a long wait. It's that good. The space is very small with only about 8 seats but the food was incredible. The dumplings featured wrappers with just the right thickness packed to the brim with the most flavorful filling and hot, hearty broth. They were steamed to perfection, offering a satisfying chew without any mushiness. I didn't expect to find such a gem here.