Xuxu Dumpling Bar

This place was fantastic! Great food and beautiful décor! Super cute date night spot. The service was friendly and very quick. We ordered 3 different types of dumplings and the steam buns. All were delicious and it was a filling amount. The sauces were great but my mouth is still on fire from the spice! The price was also pretty good compared to other places we’ve had dinner. It was a perfect last night in Auckland.

If there’s one thing I love about Xuxu its the table service, having expertly poured drinks brought to your table by hip young staff who gladly let you get your drank on ! With a quality wine and beer menu and choice cocktail options you’ll want to keep this discreet bar the secret it is .
On to the dumplings, not your usual steamed to buggery yum Cha abominations these dumplings are perfect one bite size so you can still keep up the big deep and meaningfuls that cocktails seem to imbibe you with .
A huge fan of this bar, can’t wait to go back.

Xuxu is the perfect spot for after work drinks and nibbles! I came here with a friend for an impromptu dumpling session after a busy day at work, followed by dessert at a close by dessert bar.
We order two virgin drinks which were both really tasty and large and three lots of dumplings. The drinks came quickly and the dumplings shortly after presented in traditional steaming trays, along with mini jugs of chilli oil and soy sauce. Staff are smiley and friendly, happy to explain to you how everything works.
Chicken, Pork and Beef. My favourite was the Beef as it had the most true flavour to the description, but saying that we got the Chicken ones and I’m not a fan of mushroom so don’t quote me ;) Most flavours are steamed, but are cooked to perfection so they aren’t slimy. I feel like the value for money is pretty good for this part of town and the quality and quantity (6 in most) you get. The dessert dumplings sound intriguing too, I think another visit is in order!
Atmosphere is really really nice, plenty of plants in the outside area to create a cozy setting and the inside is dark and moody with great wallpaper and a beautiful handmade light fixture which you should definitely check out!

Amazing décor and atmosphere! We sat in the little courtyard with the greenery and christmas lights. Great place to catch up with friends. Music wasn’t too loud even though the DJ was right there.
TIP: I would recommend coming here for the drinks but not the food.
We had the dumplings and were simply not impressed. The dough was too thick, there was no vinegar to go with the soy sauce and although they tried to be cute by putting the chili sauce oil in a traditional «oil and vinegar» glass jar — it simple doesn’t work for those who want more of the chili and less of the oil. It would be great if they experienced a real dumpling house such as Din Tai Fung and tried to emulate that. Otherwise, if they were trying to be different, I couldn’t tell. Rather, the dish turned out to be mediocre at best.
I would definitely come back here but would not order the dumplings again. Since this is supposed to be a Dumpling Bar I would have expected this to be the star dish.

Xuxu is definitely the best place for ‘date night’ even though I haven’t actually been on a proper date there– but I definitely wouldn’t say no if someone asked me…
The dumplings are the best I’ve had in Auckland city!
Not only is the food great, the location and atmosphere is enchanting. It’s nice and small, so you can feel free to cosy up to that date of yours ;)
The vegetarian options are delicious as well, with the Nepalese dumplings taking my vote for top flavour.
The staff are very kind and professional, there is no way you can look bad if you choose this as your number 1 date destination!

Ok so I love a good dumpling but sadly didn’t find it here. We had the fish dumpling which was bland, chicken potstickers … Not too bad, prawn which was watery and flavourless. Oh and the water chestnut and spinach which were doughy and totally uneatable. Ups to them they took the last one of the bill. We had the Hawkes bay Pilsner to drink and that was yummy but we ordered another and got sick of waiting for it to arrive. We found the staff not very attentive … They were busy but polishing glasses and not actually hosting the diners? Won’t be back.

Xuxu seems like the perfect place for after work drinks or a date night. Like many of the places we tried around the harbour it definitely has some yuppy vibes about it but it’s worth fighting through it.
Inside is dimly lit and intimate with lots of little nooks and crannies to hide out in. there is a seated smoking area right outside too but unfortunately we were seated just inside the doors and the doors don’t get closed so we had to battle through the smell of smoke whilst we ate.
They have a great selection of dumplings priced around the $ 8 mark and you get 6 in a serving. We were only have a light meal so I ordered the chicken and shitake mushroom potstickers and they were divine! I’d recommend going with a bunch of people so you can order lots of dishes to share and try a bit of everything.

Fell in love with their restaurant name lit up in neon red in the birdcage– hidden in the corner of their garden outdoor dining area. Known for their dumplings and cocktails– they also make great mocktails.
We sat outdoors to be in the bamboo fenced, garden area– but don’t recommend it if you don’t want smoke with your dinner. It’s also a wee bit loud from the bus station near by though aesthetically pleasing. Definitely indoor next time for me– a very cool tree branch light structure dangling upside down from the ceiling. A cool tiled wall in the bathroom– in the back corner.
If you’re in the mood for dumplings, try here

Xuxu is the little sister to Café Hanoi across the road. The newly modern dumpling bar serves two great combinations, dumplings and cocktails. To be honest, I am a bit of a dumpling snob. Im at yum char either every second week but my expectations are high due to the traditional Chinese dumplings my grandma makes.
Xuxu combines modern with traditional, offering your classic dumplings such as the har gau (prawn dumpling) but tries to modernise the menu with beef short rib dumplings also on offer. To be honest, these dumplings just don’t hit the mark. Most of the time the filling is satisfying and its the wrapper that you judge. The wrapper just weren’t soft and moist enough. They weren’t thin enough either and on the corners of some, they were dry. The only dumplings i enjoyed for the filling were the spinach and cabbage momo. They had flavour and juice. It was sad to say the other dumplings, just were dry. They lacked moisture and that balance of flavours that one has at yum char.
The dumplings are just not traditional and the fusion doesn’t work. Its a shame because the fit out of the bar is relaxed and trendy. The service is friendly. To be honest, go for the cocktails because they were amazing, quite expensive but they are worth the pennies.
Rating
Food: ⁵⁄₁₀
Service: ⁸⁄₁₀
Value for Money: Good
Cnr of Galway Street and Commerce Street, Auckland Central.
Opening Hours:
Mon-​Tues 4pm-​Late
Weds-​Fri 12pm-​Late
Sat 5pm-​Late

Love Xuxu! I am a HUGE fan of dumplings and these guys know what they are doing.
The dumpling menu sounds regular, beef and celery, pork and shrimp and mushroom but the flavours are quite sophisticated — and cheap to boot!
The cocktails are really great — if not a bit sweet. And the staff are charming. The décor is nice and cosy and outside is all leafy and low lit.
On Thursday’s Julien Dyne and friends play jazz from about 8pm — so I’ve been the last 4 Thursdays.
Definitely recommend for a first date, or any date, and drinks and nibbles with friends, so pretty much anytime and with anyone.

This place is nice. By nice I mean super nice. It’s cosy and homely and the night we went along (Thursday) there was live jazz music in the front courtyard which only added to the vibe. (apparently this is a regular thing)
We turned up to our friends just having drinks, but we were hungry, so ordered a few baskets of dumplings. My guy is obsessed with dumplings, so I swear I wasn’t sure if they were going to be that great or if it was a case of ‘if they look, taste and smell remotely like dumplings they are good’. We ordered the chicken and pork and they were in fact, delicious. It was nice and relaxed and a good change where you can eat and carry on drinking without feeling like you are wasting a table or they are shoving the bill into your face if you don’t order a dessert
Will go back — definitely aim for a Thursday!

Perfect place for date night! This intimate venue with inside and outside seating has such a great atmosphere and is one of my favourite spots! Cocktails and dumplings… what a dream combo. The guys here really know their wine and are so friendly. The cocktails are delish and the dumplings are $ 7 – 8 for about 6 and absolutely worth it (try the prawn har gao and the spinach and cabbage). The kitchen is on show in the corner and you can watch the chef work her magic. I can’t forget to mention that they have jazz every Thursday night which is awesome. They are thinking about opening up for lunch soon and I think it will be a hit — I really can’t fault this place.

Great atmosphere at this small dumpling bar. Had the opportunity to try three of the items on the menu — chicken, lamb and beef with the chicken clearly standing out for me! Good service with a nice selection of beer and wine.
The one surprising item is a dessert — banana and toffee dumpling. Very different and not what you would expect in a dessert. Worth a try!
Looking forward to going back soon!

Amazing dumplings! It was quite busy when we went but the food was still yum, with the exception of a couple of burnt dumplings. Will definitely return. Ps the interior fitout created a modern Chinese ambience that was thoroughly appreciated :)

So I had a plan to visit Xuxu and went online to check their menu. This is what I do sometimes to get pre-​excited before I visit restaurants. Jesus. I could not read their menu. They have used Arabic serif font in a 6 pt size. Okay, not a great start. I will just have to read it there.
When I arrived, it was totally different to what I thought it would be like. Tiny but cozy atmosphere was extended to its front yard where we settled. We started with some cocktails which included Xuxulicious (18) which were all amazing (thankfully they used a readable font on their actual menu). These cocktails were designed to my liking of being sweet and fruity. The last cocktail left me a bit confused as the mix of Jack Daniel and watermelon had two dominant flavours. Plus I could not sip through the roughly grinded watermelon with my tiny straw. Bummer.
We ordered small dishes such as Chili & ginger fish skewers (12) and the waitress asked us if we wanted to order an extra skewer as the dish only has 3 on it. How nice. The fish was soft and full of flavours. We moved onto the Shrimp dumplings (10) which was quite unique. The skin was rubbery rather than floury, but soft in the mouth. There was crisply sprinkle of some sort which added enjoyment to the dish too.
Our last choice wasn’t as nice as the other two. Beef & apple on shrimp rice crackers were very hard to eat and I didn’t find anything interesting there. Ginger flavour was too strong which made others a bit tasteless.

Café Hanoi is a virtual institution in Auckland now: their consistently great, fresh take on Vietnamese food has won many loyal fans. Xuxu is like the cooler, little sister bar; open late with a distinct French je né sais quoi & swagger to it.
The décor is typically Britomart stylish; hipsters will feel at home with the dark wooden interior and stained-​glass lampshades, which hint to the French colonial style of Vietnam. The bar, and resident bartenders, are centre-​stage, and on the night we attended, they were loving the limelight, and deservedly so. Make no mistake, Xuxu may be small, but she’s serious about her drinks!
The kitchen is also on show; a tiny little corner where Xuxu — the chef who this place is named for — works her magic in the smallest of spaces, creating the biggest of flavours. There is also a terraced courtyard looking onto the street, perfect for those sultry summer nights.
On the night we visited, Xuxu was launching their Thursday evening jazz sessions. With the most delicious Breakfast Martini in hand, lemongrass, coriander & lime dancing on my tongue & the seductive sounds of the saxophone-​led trio pouring into my ears, I could have closed my eyes and been transported to a bar in Ho Chi Minh City.
Xuxu was cooking up her magic as well, and we were delighted with the South-​East Asian flavours on offer. This kitchen serves small plates & snack-​style food; an ideal way to sample several flavours & share tastes. The taro chips and roasted peanuts were liberally but not painfully seasoned with chill salt, and the perfect bar snack to waken your tastebuds. Xuxu can often be the «holding bar» for Café Hanoi patrons waiting on their seats, and these nibbles would be the perfect start to your meal.
The highlights of our nibbles were the chilli & ginger fish skewers with coriander & lime; delicious fish cooked to moist perfection with a sauce singing — or zinging!- of Asia. Also hard to beat were the minced lemongrass pork patties, rice noodles & red pepper mayo, all served in a lettuce leaf. The word «patties» didn’t do this dish justice — they were more like magic meatballs!
The drinks that accompanied our meal were deliciously special. And I got the feeling, from watching the bartender, that drinks served here are always just that notch above. The joys of being a smaller, boutique bar I guess. My aforementioned Breakfast Martini was served in a typical martini glass, and I was slightly nervous taking the first sip. Martinis can sometimes be the wrong side of dry for my taste. This baby was made with grapefruit marmalade & oh my YUM! Definitely addictive. The Scotsman went for a gin & tonic & again, it was crafted with top quality ingredients & finished with a sprig of coriander. They also have wine on tap, a great wine list, and after looking over the cocktail menu, I’m definitely coming back! Think spicy, fruit-​infused concoctions. And Xuxu’s Bloody Mary with horseradish, lime & olives!!! Has to be done!
You won’t be disappointed if you head here pre-​dinner, post-​dinner, or even FOR dinner. Xuxu lives up to the «small but perfectly formed» mantra.

Located directly behind Britomart and across from Café Hanoi (who also owns Xuxu), this hip small-​plates and drinks bar is one of my favourite places in Britomart. The food and cocktails are dependable and creative and the décor and ambiance is trendy without being ostentatious. It makes a great spot for an afternoon drink or late night drinks as well. Have been her many times before and will come back many times in the future I am sure!

Xuxu is the old Smith bar with a great little outdoor area out the front, and dimly lit tables indoors. It’s a very cool spot, but the only unfortunate thing about it is the proximity to the bus stop. If you’re sitting outside, it can be quite noisy. Have a few more drinks and I’m sure it won’t bother you, but if you’re looking for a quiet spot you won’t find that here.
They’ve got a decent wine list with a number of cocktails. They use a lot of interesting flavours in their cocktails — I was not a fan of the chilli-​infused gin cocktail, just didn’t sit well. But the Sweet Mama Quilla (sp?) is quite tasty, and I love the addition of the macerated grapes. It’s a gorgeous pink colour too. I suppose they’re on the expensive side — around $ ¹⁹⁄₂₀ per cocktail.
Food wise, I’m a big fan of their pork patties with the lettuce wrap. Yum, can’t get enough. The chicken lollipops — wtf? — I would not bother ordering again. It’s just a tiny chicken drumstick with no meat on it, and essentially just a honey and soy marinade. Bit blah really. Taro crisps are delicious — nice and salty.
All in all, Xuxu is a fun place to go for a few drinks after work. Take advantage of the proximity to Café Hanoi if you’re waiting for a table. From recollection, they’re owned by the same people, so Hanoi will quite often tell you to go to Xuxu while you wait.

I adore Café Hanoi and was excited when the opportunuity arose to finallly try out it’s younger, more alcoholic sister, Xuxu.
Nestled behind a fence of neatly manicured bamboo, Xuxu has a rich, elegant feel to it with small, intimate tables, beautiful glass lampshades and luxurious, draping curtains. It’s the perfect spot to rewind after work, drink in hand.
Whilst, Xuxu’s wine and beer list is very well constructed, I definitely recommend splashing out and trying one of their beautifully made cocktails. The bartenders are seasoned professionals and the Asian-​inspired cocktail list is full of all the fresh, zesty flavours that make us love Vietnamese. Admittedly, I opted for a comparatively boring Negroni, but boring or not it was downright delicious.
My small taster of Xuxu has left me wanting more and I am looking forward to heading back with a couple of friends to sample some of their more inventive cocktails and much-​admired food.

We were sent across the road to Xuxu upon waiting for table from the nearby Café Hanoi. The two seem to have a mutual understanding (or even business relation) to accomodate customers when the Café is teeming with waiting patrons.
We enjoyed a range of nibbles and ironically we were waiting for the first to arrive when our table was ready. The beef skewers were delicious, followed by prawns wrapped in a leaf from the mint family, which ultimately was a tad overpowering (feeling a bit like a koala). This was followed by another leafy surprise, which was much nicer this time — a pork meatball wrapped in cos lettuce.
We had a few rounds of drinks also, with a few beers on the menu I had never heard of before. I went for the Monsoon Original Pilsner from Canterbury which was very nice and full of flavour. I ordered the Xuxulicious next, which if my memory serves me correctly had chili-​infused gin, as well as cucumber and pineapple — very refreshing and tasty.
We then made our way to Café Hanoi, to do it all over again.

What a cool place! Xu Xu is tucked into an awesome corner bar in the ever-​improving Britomart area. Before XuXu, this premise was occupied by Smith Bar, and this was a favourite of many. I predict Xu Xu will follow suit.
It is inspired by Vietnamese and South East Asia, and this evident from décor to food to drinks. There are cool bamboo plants and a great colour palette, which creates a really fresh area that you want to hang out in.
The little chips you get on your table are made out of parsnip or something, I should have asked, but they were soooo good and left me feeling much less guilty than some fries.
They have clearly continued with the emphasis that Smith had on quality drinks and quality staff. The cocktail list is amazing, the staff are professional and friendly and the food menu is mouth watering. Pop in after work for a few or plan to spend awhile. You may be smack bam in the middle of town, but you’ll be transported to a tropical paradise.

Xuxu is a little cocktail bar nestled on the corner of Commerce and Galway Streets, it is the perfect place to finish off your evening or begin one. Inspired by the flavours of Vietnam and South East Asia is a small menu of light plates to enjoy with an extensive drinks menu. The service is always friendly and often complementary roasted nuts accompany your drinks. In particular I really enjoy the fresh tea here, the outdoor seated area is quite lovely too, a nice place to sit and relax after dark.
The interiors are worth mentioning, bamboo printed walls and exquisite stained glass lights, you must check out the toilets, they were not forgotten! Open from 3pm onwards, often I go here often for coffee. Xuxu serve up Allpress and you can enjoy it in the relaxed atmosphere amongst the bustle Britomart.