Located in the heart of the vibrant Lower East Side, North Dumplings Essex at 23 Essex St, New York, NY 10002, serves as a welcoming destination for those seeking authentic flavors in a bustling urban environment. This establishment has become a familiar fixture for locals and visitors alike, offering a straightforward approach to traditional dumpling preparation. The atmosphere is unpretentious and focused, reflecting the fast-paced energy of the surrounding neighborhood while providing a necessary pause for a satisfying meal. Whether you are navigating the historic streets of New York or simply looking for a reliable spot to enjoy a quick bite, this location offers a consistent experience rooted in culinary tradition.
The philosophy behind North Dumplings Essex centers on the craft of the dumpling itself. By prioritizing the balance of textures and the quality of ingredients, the kitchen aims to deliver a product that honors classic techniques. The space is designed to be accessible, inviting guests to step in from the sidewalk and enjoy a meal that is both comforting and efficient. It is a place where the simplicity of the menu allows the quality of the food to take center stage, making it a noteworthy stop for anyone exploring the diverse gastronomic landscape of Manhattan.
Why North Dumplings Essex Stands Out
Authentic Preparation Methods: The kitchen employs time-honored techniques to ensure that each dumpling maintains its structural integrity and flavor profile, focusing on the delicate balance between the wrapper and the savory filling.
Prime Location in the Lower East Side: Situated at 23 Essex St, the restaurant is perfectly positioned for those walking through one of New York City's most culturally rich neighborhoods, serving as an ideal waypoint during a day of exploration.
Commitment to Consistency: Guests can expect a reliable dining experience, as the establishment prioritizes maintaining high standards in its preparation, ensuring that every visit meets the expectations of those seeking a classic dumpling meal.
Efficient and Accessible Service: Designed to accommodate the fast-paced lifestyle of New York residents, the service model is streamlined to provide quality food without unnecessary delays, making it a practical choice for lunch or a casual dinner.
The appeal of North Dumplings Essex lies in its ability to remain grounded in its purpose. In a city where dining trends shift rapidly, there is a distinct value in a venue that remains dedicated to a specific craft. The focus here is not on elaborate presentation or complex fusion, but rather on the fundamental joy of a well-made dumpling. By maintaining this focus, the restaurant continues to serve as a staple for those who appreciate the intersection of convenience and culinary heritage.
As you navigate the diverse culinary offerings of New York City, North Dumplings Essex remains a testament to the enduring popularity of traditional comfort food. Its presence on Essex Street contributes to the unique character of the area, offering a warm welcome to anyone passing by. Whether you are a long-time resident of the Lower East Side or a traveler discovering the city for the first time, a visit to this establishment offers a genuine taste of local life. We invite you to experience the straightforward, satisfying flavors that have made this spot a consistent choice for dumpling enthusiasts throughout the community.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible seating
Service options
Onsite services
Takeout
Dine-in
Delivery
Highlights
Serves local specialty
Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining
Offerings
Comfort food
Quick bite
Small plates
Vegetarian options
Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Counter service
Table service
Amenities
Restroom
Atmosphere
Casual
Trendy
Crowd
College students
Tourists
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Cash-only
Parking
Free street parking
Paid street parking
Usually somewhat difficult to find a space
Menus
Dumplings
1.Chives And Pork Pan-Fried Dumplings$4.50
2.Chives And Pork Steam Dumplings$4.50
3.Chives And Pork Dumpling Soup$6.50
4.Steam Vegetable Dumplings$5.00
5.Vegetable Dumplings Soup$6.50
6.Vegetable Dumpling Noodle Soup$6.50
Appertizer
13.Hot Sour Soup$2.50
15.Vegetable Soup$2.50
16.Wonton Soup$3.00
17.Kimchi$3.50
18.Spring Roll$4.00
19.Sauteed Bok Choy$4.00
Noodle
7.Beef Noodle Soup$9.00
8.Wonton Noodle Soup$6.50
9.Pork Dumpling Noodle Soup$6.50
10.Julienne Pork Noodle$5.00
11.Noodle With Meat And Bean Sauce$5.00
12.Noodle With Vegetable Dry/Soup$6.50
14.Noodle With Hot Sour Soup$6.00
Pancake
20.Sesame Pancake$2.00
21.Pork Sesame Pancake$4.00
22.Chives Pancake$3.00
23. Vegetable Sesame Pancake$3.00
24.Kimichi Sesame Pancake$4.00
Frozen Dumpling
Frozen Pork Fried Dumpling$11.00
Frozen Pork Steam Dumpling$11.00
Frozen Vegetable Dumpling$14.00
Photos
Reviews North Dumplings Essex
Gloria Sohn
30-05-2026
You can’t beat the price for the amount of food you get here. The dumplings are yummy!
First time I went, it was hard to find a seat with a group of three. The second time I went, it was with a group of four and we fortunately found seats.
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Jesse Yuan
30-05-2026
Fantastic hole in the wall Chinatown spot offering 10 pork and chives potstickers for just four dollars. … More
ecmie luki
30-05-2026
AMAZING value! Wow! We ordered 4 things for just $11 and everything tasted great. We got chive and port friend pork dumplings, spring rolls, chive pancake, and sweet & sour soup. We went right at opening time so everything was freshly made. Do wish the pan fried dumplings were crispy, as they were soft.
Christi Balaki
30-05-2026
Great dumplings (4/5) at a super duper cheap price ($5). You get about 10 savory pork dumplings with your order and they're very much worth it. They're not super crispy because they've pre cooked lots of them to keep the line moving, but … More
Tony Badalamenti
30-05-2026
Small place where it is tough to find a spot to wait for your order without being in the way, but the payoff is amazing food at a low price. The pork and chive dumplings and Sesame pancakes are my go to order. Always delicious. More
Stephane Beraud
30-05-2026
I love the pork and chive dumplings. The filling is cooked differently than most dumpling places and it's one of the best tasting and well seasoned dumplings I've ever had. I also had the scallion pancakes. Great prices but they are CASH only. More
Patrick Chen
30-05-2026
27A Essex Street dumpling house is always my favorite spot to visit. I am so happy it’s still here and getting more and more fans. It’s small, it’s old, but the food is great and cheap. I have been coming here for more than 17 years. Highly recommend! More
Kai Holyoke
30-05-2026
Had some amazing vegetarian dumplings and soup here with some friends. Definitely a whole in the wall and appreciated the heads up about being cash only. My one friend and I had amazing meals, but my other friend found a hunk of metal in … More
very much so podcast
30-05-2026
my first time in chinatown and i just went thru Google trying to see a place with pretty good reviews that wouldn't be a hassle to get food from (i had just come from the madness that is the viral pork bun) and north dumplings was in a … More
Vivianne Barretto
30-05-2026
Small place but very clean. Quick service. Few seats but comfortable enough for a quick bite. If you want more space, Seward Park is across the street, you can take them to go and enjoy them at the park. The Dumplings were 😋 and super cheap. Four bucks for 10 Dumplings. I recommend this place for a quick bite when in the L.E.S. … More
Emily
30-05-2026
I grew up with these dumplings as I was in this area often. Their dumplings are a classic, they're affordable and come out quick. I'd recommend having them with the sauces they provide for extra flavor. I used to get their buns with rice noodles in them as well! More
Steve Smith
30-05-2026
I cannot rave about this place enough. The food was excellent and the value is unheard of for NYC. The dumplings are tasty and cooked properly, you get 10 for $4.50 and the real star of the show is the sesame pancake. It’s more like a bread of tasty goodness. I imagine that’s what heaven feels like lol but seriously it was that good. I was blown away and it’s only $2. The place is small but has 4 or 5 tables if you wanna eat in. I got dumplings, the pancake and a soda for $8. The place is cash only so be prepared. Can’t wait to come back soon and try other things. I have no doubt it’s all excellent as well. You simply need to go.
Order type
Take out
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Sesame Pancake, Chives and Pork Steam Dumplings
Wait time
No wait
Jonathan
30-05-2026
You really can’t beat these prices, just $4 for noodles with meat sauce! It’s a very humble location, so don’t expect bold or complex flavors, but that simplicity is exactly what makes it so comforting. The noodles are always cooked just … More
Najela Singleton
30-05-2026
AMAZING!! So cheap and so delicious. I paid 4.50 for 10 dumplings and they were so good and fresh! The sauces they have are rlly good More
Gloria Sohn
30-05-2026
You can’t beat the price for the amount of food you get here. The dumplings are yummy! … More
Russel Howes
30-05-2026
It’s doesn’t look much but if you are after some cheap and cheerful dumplings then this is the place. Best food on the planet…..no, but good value. Sat inside and there was a steady stream of customers. More
Matthew Frankowski
30-05-2026
Unfortunately after we ordered we saw a rat scurry past above the table there they were making the dumplings. I wasn’t fast enough to snap a photo but it definitely left my girlfriend and I feeling uneasy about eating the food.
I took solace in the fact that the rat wasn’t on the food prep area and decided to eat the food. The dumplings were comparable to other China Town cheap dumplings as they were plentiful but not very flavorful. The noodles with sauce offered a nice rich beef taste and were filling.
Your best bet is to go somewhere more reputable and deeper in China Town. It’s New York and there are rats everywhere, seeing one in a restaurant especially near the cooking area however is worrying.
Order type
Take out
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 3
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Group size
Suitable for all group sizes
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking, Paid street parking, Paid parking garage
Mohammad Mazhar Hussain
30-05-2026
My first venture into Chinatown led me to North Dumpling, and what a discovery it was! After navigating the bustling streets, I was looking for a place with good reviews that offered a hassle-free experience, and North Dumpling delivered perfectly.
Stepping inside, I was greeted by a warm, friendly atmosphere, and the service was super efficient. On a chilly day, their hot and sour soup felt like it had magical healing properties – it was absolutely delicious and comforting. But the real stars of the show were, of course, the dumplings. I opted for the pork and chive pan-fried dumplings, and they were, in a word, phenomenal. Juicy, soft, and packed with flavor, these dumplings are truly something I think about daily. At 10 for just $3-4, they are an absolute steal and offer incredible value for the taste.
I also tried a chive pancake, which was equally "bussin'" as some would say – perfectly cooked and a great complement to the dumplings. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and was served hot and ready in minutes. While it's a small, "hole-in-the-wall" spot, the quality of the food and the friendly service more than make up for it. Many people opt for takeout, which is a great idea, especially if you want to enjoy them in a nearby park. I seriously regretted not grabbing more to take home. I will absolutely be back to North Dumpling; it's a 10/10 experience!
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Wait time
10-30 min
Leanne Castro
30-05-2026
Best dumplings I’ve ever had, bar none. So good, in fact, they inspired a tradition called first of the month dumps (ew), wherein my friends and I come here, you guessed it, on the first of every month. We also bought merch. Literally obsessed.
Thank you to the woman at Bathhouse Williamsburg who recommended this place. Lives were changed.
It’s a small space, so be prepared for limited seating. Also, bring cash!
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Donald Zheng
30-05-2026
Small and cozy restaurant in Chinatown serving mainly dumplings both fried and steamed along with noodles and a variety of side dishes such as spring rolls (Vegetarian), sesame pancakes, and chives pancakes (small and round). The restaurant is clean and workers there are very nice and welcoming. It is the best dumpling place in town. Especially for the cheap price I’ve been going here since high school and they recently just moved here from a block down it is cleaner and nicer than I remember.
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Wait time
No wait
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Vegetarian menu or section
Kaitlin C
30-05-2026
Super crowded with very few tables. Not a place to sit and chat for a long time. Eat and leave quickly.
I recently did a taste test comparison of this place vs North Dumpling on Division Street and this location won easily. I ordered sesame pancake plain, hot and sour soup and 10 fried pork and chive dumplings at each location. Essex Street location beat the Division Street location in every single item
1) Dumplings had thinner skin
2) Hot and sour soup was less gloopy here
3) Pancake was lightly crisp and fluffier
Although Division Street had a slightly better crust on their dumplings, the thick dough and uneven crispness detracted from the dumpling. The Essex Street dumplings had almost no crunch on the skin but the thinness and moderate amount of meat was more enjoyable.
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 3
Recommended dishes
Sesame Pancake, Chives and Pork Steam Dumplings, Hot & Sour Soup
Reviews North Dumplings Essex