Doozo Dumplings & Noodles

Yep it’s good. Decade plus fan…

Best dumplings ever! They are so filling and not soggy like other places. A large order is enough for even the largest of appetites. Much better than the dumpling place in the tunnels. I rather walk further to come to this place and you should too! I would stay away from the spring roll. Not good. Mostly salad and vermicelli.

These are the best dumplings in Houston. I’ve tried several places and they don’t compare to this place. The veggie dumplings are my favorite. I wish this place was open on the weekends! If you’re in the area it’s definitely a must to check this place out!

I used to get these downtown when I worked there. I moved companies out at the beltway and still make special trips down there to get them.

Located in The Shops at Houston Center, Doozo offers authentic hand-​made steamed dumplings in pork, chicken and veggie varieties, plus soups, fried rice, spring rolls, and seasonal fresh fruits as sides.
Dumplings are made fresh every day. $ 7.00 for 10 dumplings, or $ 8.50 for 10 plus a small side (fried rice or soup). Line can be very long during peak lunch hours, but moves quickly.

From a Chinese person point of view of this dumpling place… the dumpling skin are too thick. The meat inside the dumpling is tasty. Don’t really care for the veggie dumpling. Sauce is too sweet.

My favorite dumplings in the entire world! Delicious and cheap! They also have really good spring rolls. like to get the combo small dumpling and spring roll. Yummy!!!

«5 pork. Spicy. Spring roll.»
«$ 6.»
Hand over money, move on.
That is the script to memorize and announce as you arrive at the register. Yes, the rumors comparing Doozo Dumplings to the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld are fairly accurate. Which to me, is absolutely endearing.
Now that I work in an office directly above Houston Center, I’ve become quite familiar with the dining options. Doozo is basically my favorite lunchtime choice. One of the reasons for my favoritism is that it’s the most tasty, filling, fresh, semi-​healthy, and inexpensive lunch option I’ve found in Houston Center. For $ 6 I get a large vegetable spring roll and 5 delicious homemade pork or chicken dumplings. I prefer the pork dumplings as I think they have a little more depth of flavor, but I think the chicken filling stays in the wrapper better. The spicy dipping sauce for the dumplings is amazing, and I could drink it. If you prefer, you can also choose to get fresh fruit or soup as your side instead of a spring roll. I also like the hot and sour soup, and it maintains its good flavor even through the next day.

After working nearby for 4 months, I finally got the chance to try this place out. I don’t see what the hype is!
Chicken dumplings — similar to everyone else’s experience, the dumplings are doughy at the top and has a undercooked taste. In order for them to keep the line moving, they prebox the dumplings so the steam completely makes the bottom of the dumplings mushy (see pic). Gross.
Hot and sour soup — you can’t really go wrong with hot and sour soup. The large is a bit much for two people. I recommend getting the small size.
Maybe I made the mistake of getting chicken dumplings. Regardless, if the chicken dumplings are mushy at the bottom and doughy, undercooked at the top, I’m pretty sure the pork ones are similar. I would rather take my business to the other dumpling shops in the tunnels.

I always worry that I won’t get full by just eating dumplings, but Doozo’s dumpling sizes are no joke! My go to order is vegetable dumplings, their ingredients are quiet different than traditional Chinese dumpling. They use spinach and small glass noodles as filling which I personally think it taste way much better than leak and cabbage.
The dipping sauce that come with dumpling are delicious as well, I always get their spicy sauce but it is not very hot for me.
Overall, they are fast and fairly healthy compare to other spots in the shop. I will come back for my dumpling fix.

Doozo is the best place for dumplings in downtown Houston. I’ve gone to every other dumpling restaurant in downtown and I keep coming back to Doozo.
Dumplings are big, hearty, and flavorful. I always get the pork, but I assume that the other flavors are good too.
A large combo includes 10 dumplings and one side for $ 8.50. If you’re not that hungry, you can get the small option.
The line is very long during the lunch rush, but don’t worry. It moves fast thanks to the owner’s «Soup Nazi» demeanor. Be sure to know what you want before you reach the counter.

Food is decent, don’t get me wrong. Especially if you work in and around the shops area and don’t care for the fast food options. You’ll be rushed to complete your transaction and not interfere with their ‘conveyor belt-​like’ process — I’m also good with that too… not looking for a new bestie. But as a regular customer that was overcharged double the day prior looking for a sense of concern at the very least — I got a shoulder shrug and was told «next time keep your receipt» and was hustled along my way of course. In summary, ask for a receipt and review it since I’m sure this is a regular «mistake» they make. Hence my bitter 1 star.

I always order the small chicken dumplings and large hot and sour soup for lunch on a work day for $ 6! I Their food is good and the service is really fast because they have like an assembly line going! Also, their food is very filling and for the amount you’re paying and getting.

Sorry to say this but… not the best dumpling in town.
I don’t know what all the hype was… yeah I got sucker in trekking all the way here to try it…
Just not the best dumpling I have ever tried.
Would not come again.
Could get better tasting dumpling from Asian market!!!
I don’t think Asian would not come here.
The chef just cater to American taste buds… she’s probably amazed at how she can get away with selling unauthentic Asian style dumplings.
I don’t really rate her on service but at least she could do is smile or something. Maybe I wouldn’t mind wasting my money if the service was at lease nicer.
Verdict…take a pass. Go spend your money on something else, there’s plenty of other places to choose that’s better.

This is an ok dumpling place. The dumplings are on the thicker doughier side, which is different than the normal authentic Chinese dumplings which has thinner skin to the dumplings. I think their menu prices needs to be updated. I paid $ 9 which on the menu said it should come with 2 sides (Large) combination, but the lady (boss?) said no, that would be $ 11 for 2 sides, which got me confused. They also don’t like it when you question them, it is basically, a order quick, pay money quick kinda thing, I guess to move the line quicker. Quite similar to most Chinese restaurants in Chinatown (Bellaire). Would I come again, maybe, I come here once every 9 years, since it is quite a few blocks from where I work, and I am never really around the Shops area.
My non-​Asian co-​workers love this place, but my Asian co-​workers didn’t particularly love it, but they don’t hate it, just not their preference I suppose.

An email thread of my coworkers with multiple replies about how they’re «the BEST» dumplings in town, I think it was hyped up a little too much for me. Nevertheless, I had a delightful experience with my first encounter with the dumpling Nazi.
I ordered the combo of small chicken dumplings (6) + small hot and sour soup for $ 5.50. The hot and sour soup was very good, but I couldn’t finish it. 6 extremely doughy dumplings were enough for me.
My coworkers and I did a little dumpling exchange:
1. Veggies 2. Chicken 3. Pork
The veggie tasted more authentic than the meat dumplings. The chicken was good but not as flavorful. I am not too much of a fan of pork in general, but my coworker enjoyed hers. I couldn’t eat more than a bite of that one.
I can see myself craving to come back here within the next few months, but it’ll be more for the spicy sawcyyyy sawce than the dumplings. (it wasn’t even that spicy)

I usually go on Fridays for lunch. I get the 10 vegetarian dumplings. The filling is great: I couldn’t tell you what chopped green veggie is in there, but there appears to be some egg or tofu and cellophane noodles too. These are the best vegetarian dumplings I’ve had in Houston to date.
The Doozo dumpling lady is portrayed as unforgiving, but from all my interactions with her, she’s quite amicable, and nothing like Seinfeld’s soup nazi. If you forget to say you want it (the dipping sauce) «extra spicy», or «spicy», or «regular», she’ll just ask you.
I wish there were a fried dumpling option here. Also, the side of fried rice is awful — I definitely avoid it. Use that money to get more dumplings.

Out of all the dumpling spots in downtown Houston, Doozo definitely takes first prize. It’s got one of the longest lines in the Houston Shoppes, but it’s sheer efficiency guarantees you’re never really waiting that long.
The dumplings here are not entirely traditional, but they’re authentic enough for me. You can choose from pork, chicken, and veggie, in half (5) or full (10) orders. I almost always without fail get the full order of pork. While the veggie tastes quite good, it just doesn’t leave you feeling satisfied, even with a full order. You’ve got a choice of dipping sauces too, and I always get the spicy sauce. It’s fantastic, even if it’s not as hot as I’d like.
For downtown lunch, this is one of my favorites. It’s cheap, efficient, delicious, and (relatively) healthy! What more can you ask for?

I’m fairly new to working downtown, and aside from the usual chain restaurants, it’s kind of hard to find a place to eat that is 1) local and 2) not terrible. Doozo satisfies both criteria by being run by the (affectionately named) Dumpling Nazi and, more importantly, being pretty good!
The main things to order are the dumplings: pork, veggie, or chicken (veggie is leek, FYI). I usually order a large (10) with half pork and half veggie. The filling is substantial, a solid ratio of dough to filling, and more importantly, they’re flavorful!
Speaking of the dough, these dumplings are kind of on the doughier side — they’re not the wet, slippery dumplings most people are accustomed to; they are steamed, but they’re thicker, taller, and have more filling. The soy sauce adds an extra saltiness, a good thing, to the dumplings, which reminds me — stop adding Sriracha to all Asian food! This definitely doesn’t need it.
Things you should know: the hot and sour isn’t very hot or sour, and the texture is kind of off-​putting. Get the fried rice if you want to combo. I personally think 10 dumplings is filling enough, though, especially if you get all meat.
A very satisfying work lunch!

These dumplings are full of flavor and very filling. A great, quick lunch option if you are in the downtown area.
This place does dumplings and they come in three varieties: Pork, Chicken, and Veggie. The Pork is typically the most popular and in my opinion the most flavorful in terms of filling. These dumplings have a great texture and nothing about it feels or taste cheap. Other dumpling places nearby have very thin, or overly slimy/​greasy dumplings.
The dumplings come in 2 sizes: Small (6) or Large (10)
The small is very filling but if I am really hungry, I’ll get the large.
The sauce that comes with the dumplings is great, and I think this is what puts the dumplings over the top. The sauces are not overly sweet or salty. Great ginger flavor, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Besides the dumplings, everything else is middle of the road. Nothing awful. Nothing amazing. Stick with the dumplings and you will be happy.
Lines can get long during peak lunch times, but it moves very quickly, and whatever you do, DO NOT HOLD UP THE LINE! The ladies working the counter don’t have time for your indecision and the hungry customers behind you will give you a stare so evil you’ll feel it in your soul.
Overall, I can’t definitively say these are the best in Houston, but I’m comfortable in saying they are the best downtown.