Dragonwell Bistro Reviews

Our whole family went to celebrate an anniversary. The choices of unique dishes, modern Chinese atmosphere, and great service made this a special event for the whole family.

Until a few days ago, the best Chinese food I'd ever eaten was 41 years ago in Japan, but that changed when my wife and I had dinner at Dragonwell Bistro. Everything was cooked perfectly and the presentation lovely. Dessert? You're not going to get a Fortune Cookie here! They have several to choose from and I had the ginger custard... it was wonderful! You owe it to yourself to have a meal here.

Are you looking to add a Chinese restaurant to your list of favorite restaurants in the Portland Metro area? Our family was, and we found one: Dragonwell Bistro. We loved it so much, that we ate there twice in two weeks, and we plan to return! Here is what we love about Dragonwell: 1. Super friendly staff; clean, current atmosphere. 2. The menu is traditional American-Chinese cuisine, and includes favorites such as Beef with Broccoli, Sauteed String Beans, General Tso's chicken, etc. 3. The is the biggie: The food is flavorful, fresh, and not laden in oil and grease. So many times when we eat Chinese food, indigestion follows, but at Dragonwell, the food is prepared with such little oil, that the food doesn't taste heavy or greasy. Just absolutely delicious! We highly recommend the Singapore Noodles, Sauteed String Beans, Sesame Beef, and the dumpling soup (Xia Long Bao) as an appetizer. We hope more PDX foodies discover this gem of a restaurant!

This is one of the great things about walking around and allowing yourself to get a little whent While taking a long weekend in Portland,a friend and I stumbled upon Dragon well while trying to find another restaurant for dinner. We found that restaurant but decided to go back to Dragonwell. Great idea and great timing as we arrived during happy hour. The restaurant was not very busy at 5:30 but I was fine with that as it gave us a chance to ask questions about some of the menu items posted on the menu outside that ultimately drew us back. Our waiter was great and based on input, we decided on eight items from the happy hour menu. The highlights of the menu were the salt and pepper calamari - which were hot and crunchy; veggie spring rolls; and shrimp balls which were served with a dipping sauce which tasted of mango. The one item which drew us back was the last one out of the kitchen and the most anticipated - the scallion pancakes. They were a little thicker than I had expected and not as crunchy as I would prefer bug were nonetheless flavorful and chewy. Dragonwell is definitely worth getting lost in the city. Even more so when we realized that two people enjoyed eight selections, a glass of house red and a soft drink for less than $45. The happy hour menu at Dragonwell is a great find for those on a budget or just wanting to sample a variety of dishes without making a commitment to an entree sized order. But do not tell your friends. I want this to be our little secret.

Talk about a "funky" Asian place with great food & music in a unpretentious, friendly, atmosphere, Dragonwell Bistro is it! Don't expect to walk into your typical Asian restaurant decorated with all the usual Asian art and lanterns or upscale fine dining. No Sir! It's called a Bistro with a Good Bar & TV, because it is. John, who appeared to be the owner, greeted me & made me feel right at home. I was alone, so he sat me at a table right in front of the TV with the Game of the week on, and he brought me their 20 oz. Mai Tai. It was very good and one was more than enough. He explained that the food is all home-made, with no msg. I ordered the Sampler Appetizer platter along with Happy Hour Salt & Pepper Shrimp, and ribs with BBQ sauce. The flavors were wonderful and served on a bed of sliced, pickled radishes. Flavors of 5 spice, sweet, sour, & pungent all came though beautifully. Although the 5 spice beef could have been a better cut, and the BBQ pork strips were a bit dry, it was all wonderful. Last but not least, for background music, John put together a great mix of 60s/70s music, i.e., Eric Clapton, Simon & Garfunkel, etc. (not overbearing, but just right for the space). Would I go back? You Bet I would!

The options are as close to authentic as it gets. The Mongolian Beef was incredible and Cooked twice over pork was a favorite. Highly recommend the Pot stickers. And their teas are very tasty. Area was great to walk around after.

Our rehearsal dinner for 60 guests could not have been better!!! Jack and Annie did everything possible to make this a memorable family event. The food and drink, the room arrangement, the service - all outstanding!!! In addition, Melanie played a key role with the planning, organizing and serving the dinner, making this a truly wonderful family occasion. Thank you all!!!!

The pity for this place is that at least at night it is located in an area which is not very attractive. everything is closed down, a few junkies around. Consequence the place, quite large, is empty an,d in itself is not very attractive. This being stated, the food is rather good as well as the service. If the "historical center" is renovated, that could be the place to go.

We visited in the summer and thought it was the best Chinese we had ever eaten. This time, came back with the whole family and we weren't disappointed. We all had something different and there wasn't a single plate we didn't love. The size was generous enough to have leftovers. If you don't try the champagne mandarin chicken, you are missing something truly amazing.

We stopped at Dragonwell after walking around in Portland, tired and in need of food. The restaurant was preparing for a private function later in the afternoon, but they were happy to seat us. The food was excellent - among the best Asian food I've ever had. The service was great, and the owner came over to talk about the restaurant. Definitely a place to go again.

We have eaten here often. It is very convenient to eat here before or after an event downtown or at Providence Park since it is on MAX. We have found that every entrée we have tried has been excellently prepared. The string beans and the Kung Pao Chicken are exceptionally good, but don't miss the dumplings as an appetizer. They are truly amazing.

Jade scallops, sautéed sugar snap peas and house special crispy noodle dishes we had were fresh and tasty. Friendly server, little wait time and done to perfection.

We reserved the signature soup dumplings ahead, only to be told after waiting an hour for food that they were sold out. In fact 3 out of 4 dishes we ordered were not available. The black mushroom Bok Choy had few black mushrooms and mostly regular white button mushrooms, since this was labeled as black mushroom and not mixed, I was very disappointed. What we did have was tasty, but after waiting over an hour after being seated, most anything would have tasted good. I have enjoyed this Restaurant in the past.

All the standard Chinese fare is good...I literally have tried the whole menu at this point and have yet to be disappointed. The General Tso's is my favorite...and the heat level is very good!! The staff is great...take special notice to what they do with the table decorations and how they "dress" the carrots and tomatoes as character garnishes GO! You won't be disappointed

This is a great happy hour spot. The prices are decent, and the food is worth stopping for. If you like a little kick in your food the salt and pepper calamari is the best. If you don't work downtown and are not walking I find there is usually parking on the street. But remember to feed the meter. There is also a max stop on that corner. Service is always friendly and prompt.

Recently visiting Portland, OR. The food tastes great, the prices reasonable, owner friendly, staff attentive. If you are in Portland be sure to check it out.

After reading so many good reviews, 6 of my colleagues (all on a business trip to Vancouver, WA) wanted to try Dragonwell Bistro for lunch to sample the (soup) dumplings (Xiao Long Bao). Because of our relatively long drive from the office to downtown Portland, I called before we left the office for a reservation and asked whether they still served the dumplings. The response was yes. When we arrived and were seated, I immediately tried to place 3 orders of the dumplings as appetizers. Our server responded that they didn't serve them for lunch because it would take one of their stove burners 10 minutes and that would impact the other guests in the restaurant. After I explained that we had called in advance and driven a long distance, the waiter ultimately (with no apologies for their mix-up) agreed to ask the kitchen if they would make an exception. While the kitchen agreed to let us order the dumplings, we weren't able to order more than 1 order at a time (because more burners would be occupied ... which didn't make sense to us since steamer baskets can be stacked and steamed all at once), and the waiter asked "will you still be dining with us?" Since we had driven such a long way for lunch and there was much anticipation to try the dumplings, we stayed and serially ordered more dumplings. We also placed our regular entrée orders. After about 40 minutes (and 2 orders of delivered dumplings) later with still no entrees, we realized the waiter did not put in our entree order and had to ask him to do so. With such a long wait between individual dumpling orders, I would expect to be specifically asked when we preferred to have our entrees served rather than assuming we could wait an hour. From a food perspective, the entrees were pretty good. The dumplings were just OK.

Thanks Irene for introducing us to Champagne Chicken The spicy chicken is wonderful too Beautiful wraps Great cocktails - Oriental Passion for tequila lovers and Pendleton Blush for whiskey lovers! If you are in Portland - Do not miss this place!!!!!!!

Whenever we visit Portland, we always try to have dinner here. Last night we tried the new menu item: Lionhead (large meatball and braised cabbage). This is one of my favorite childhood dish my mom used to prepare. The Dragonwell verison is simply delicous, brought back some fond memories. We also had the Pei Pa Tofu, a dish with tofu stuffed with minced scallops and shrimps. It was also very good, although we prefer the Jade Tofu, a silken tofu cooked with portebello mushrooms. In the past, our favorite dishes include Ying Yang shrimps (cooked two ways), the peppered tenderlions, and mongolian beef. All excellent dishes. We enjoy the ambience, very elegant. Also enjoy coming here every time we visit Portland.

I used to make fun of my now late parents who enjoyed eating early to take advantage of the lower prices and smaller crowds at their favorite restaurants. Now that I am retired, I understand (belated apology to mom & dad) and I can use that same strategy. My parents would have loved this place -- my wife and I loved it even more! Was that the ghost of my mother's voice in my head? "What's that -- I didn't get any of that". All of our choices featured deep and rich flavors (General Tso Chicken, Salt & Pepper Calamari, Pork Lo Mien, Chicken Satay, Special Bao, & Spring Rolls) plus two drinks from a full bar -- one from the designer list (a perfectly mixed lemon drop) and a gin & tonic. It was plenty of carefully prepared and presented food and the entire bill was under $45 including the drinks! Happy Hour starts at 4:30 and goes until 6 during the week. A quick look at the dinner menu and was impressed with the selection - but the prices do get a bit on the high side. Since we often dine on several appetizers and no main course when eating out, this was a terrific choice for an early dinner. Mom & Dad would have been proud (and envious!)

The food was good Chinese food and the service was excellent. Our waitress was very helpful with regard to the menu and things to do in Portland. The dumplings are excellent!

These Dumplings are fabulous. It's difficult to find authentic Shanghi dumplings. There is one place in Seattle, two in San Francisco, and one in Arcadia. Although the dumplings are 5 star, the rest of the menu is 3-4 star. The dumplings are only served after 1pm for lunch, so eat a late lunch.

We had just arrived in Portland and were hungry and needed to find something to snack on. We got here on a Friday night right when Happy Hour started and were the only people in the restaurant, so the service was incredible. At one point we had 3 different people assisting us. We ended up ordering 4 different items to share. Overall, we decided that we liked the chicken lettuce wraps the best as they were huge and delicious. We also enjoyed the crab rangoon. The best part was the $1.50 Sapporos during HH. Loved that! And I also got the cocktail of the day for $5.00 which wasn't great (a little too sweet), but at least she asked me for suggestions for what the cocktail of the day should be, for example I prefer vodka over gin. Overall for 4 food items and 3 drinks it was only $19 before tip. Pretty good deal!

Sensational!! The Xia Long Bao (a dumpling which also contained soup) was a dish that I had never had, but can't wait to have again, as it was truly delicious. The scallops and shrimp were extremely fresh and tasty. The server was extremely knowledgeable about the wide range of dishes and his recommendations were right on the mark. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling to Portland.

I went here with a coworker recently and the food was really good. The portions could be slightly bigger but the cost was not bad at about $11 a plate. I also wish they gave egg flour and/or hot and sour soup with the meals like other Chinese restaurants. My coworker had the General Tso’s chicken and I had Kung Pao chicken. Both were really good. This is a good place to get solid Chinese food.

The fact that my partner and I were the sole occupants of this, large, conveniently located and attractive space over the course of our meal (5:30 - 7:00 pm on a Wednesday) was curious, given the excellent quality of the food and the friendly, attentive service. As first-time visitors to Portland, we initially wondered if we’d made a mistake to come here for dinner. But our doubts were quickly dispelled. For an appetizer we ordered Crab Puffs (delicious) and for main dishes my partner had Mongolian Beef and I had the Kung Pao Chicken. I don’t eat beef so can’t comment except that my partner enjoyed it. I loved the Kung Pao Chicken . . . especially the extra spicy nature of the dish. My partner thought that the Chef might be Thai (my partner is) but no — Mexican. Similar propensity for spice. Portions were generous. Hope Dragonwell Bistro can survive! We’ll definitely be back on our next visit to Portland.

Great people run this place! Not sure if they are family but they work together like one! Great food!

Son was really wanting orange chicken and found this on Zomato near where we were. We were seated immediately and had food nearly as fast. Ordered the champagne orange chicken and General Tso's. No exaggeration, this was the best Chinese we have had ever. This was far from fast food garbage that was greasy or dry or overly seasoned. They used high quality chicken pieces that were enrobed in incredible sauces. The meat was juicy and tender. Not too much salt. Good portions. I left full but not stuffed. Prices were incredibly reasonable! $35 for 2 entrees and 2 soft drinks before tip. Totally worth it. Right on the MAX line.

This place was across from our hotel and we were wandering exhausted that night looking for food. The menu had all sorts of unique options and the staff were very friendly. It was not very busy the entire weekend we were in town but it should be. We shared a plate of shrimp that were cooked in green tea! It was awesome! We also had the peanut noodles. They have lots of very unique options including different dumplings. The atmosphere was quiet and lighting was dim but not too dark. I would surely return and try more on the menu when less exhausted.

It was really wonderful!! We would come back to this restaurant again. Everything just hit the spot and taste excellent!

Good service , Quality Food , Really enjoyable , had a nice seat by the window with out having to wait or deal with a lot Of hustle and bustle ! Quick in and out solid dining experience !

When traveling, we visited here several years ago and loved it. We made sure to come again when in Portland for several days. We were so disappointed. We eat earlier than most people, so . . getting a table of our choice was easy. The host was very pleasant and accommodating (5 stars) - and then it went downhill. We ordered soup, another dish and tea. The entree portion was a mixed mushroom dish and it was soooo disappointing, as it had only button and portabella mushrooms - really not much of a variety!!! And . . .the meal ended - NOT with a chinese type cookie (fortune or almond) but rather an Andes mint - hmmm. I don't know that we'll be back.

Modern vibe, prompt service, fresh Chinese. Lovely sauteed dry string beans. All the food looked nice coming out of the kitchen. Good place for a quick business lunch.

To each his own of course and, for appetizers, my wife and I will not preclude our dining out occasions because of costs- like that old JFK exhortation we will bear any burden, go anywhere, meet any friend, enjoy any cuisine and pay any cost - but there are unfortunately a few exceptions -in Portland, at least, where the name and menu do not live up to our little expectations. Dragonwell is tops on that list. But don't just take my word- have their "signature" dish- that meatball in brown water at $19 per order.

lovely place with fantastic food. The waiter told us it was the best chinese food in Portland and he was right! The food was delicious, prepared at the moment. They were also very accommodating with my 5 year old daughter who likes noodles but not spicy sauce. The owner is very friendly and all the staff too.

Tastiest, most perfectly spiced Chinese food I've ever had. Visiting Portland for the first time and was delighted to find this place. Menu is topped off with incredible Chinese desserts. This is a must-try experience!

We ordered a large quantity of the red bean crepe dessert to go. It was packaged nicely and warm. Irene was very efficient in taking the order and having it ready for pickup at the prearranged time.

I have been eating here for 10 years and the food is consistent and great. We love the Sesame Beef (it is like candied beef), Salt & Pepper Pork-loin (cooked to perfection with a little spice), Champagne Chicken (breaded, crispy, sweet) and the Tangy Scallops (sauce with a zing, and lots of veggies). Most of the time, we cannot stop at just four dishes so we double up so that we have lots of left overs. Simple, quiet atmosphere that is perfect for a date, a group or family. Give it a try.

Had a wonderful time at Dragonwell - if you like asian fusion food, I would highly recommend this spot to you.

The highlight of the meal is the soup dumplings which you need to order right away because they take 10 minutes. Great to get this done before ordering the rest of your meal. They come with a special sauce which MAKES them - don't eat them without it! You can also add spicy oil. The Mongolian Beef was good and you can order it non-spicy (the spice eaters can ask for chili oil) and the House Chow Mein noodles are flavorful. Happy hour looks like a great value but we didn't make it in time.

Stopped in today for light lunch. Had my first bowl of soup dumplings. I am a fan. He had Mongolian Beef. Delicious, great sauce. Jeramy was our waiter and was very friendly and told us about some fun stuff to check out in Portland. The food was so good; would love to go back and try more dishes; great menu.

Our annual end of vacation dinner in Portland at Dragonwell did not disappoint. The service was again amazing and the food was great. The only place we have found for wonderful Xaio Long Bao outside of Vancouver makes it worth the trip alone. Highly recommend this for anyone looking for Shanhai Chinese style food.

Ridiculously overrated. Below average Chinese food. So disappointed to have wasted a dinner out on my recent trip to Portland. Incredibly salty food. "Fake " looking chicken. There are so many other fine restaurants in Portland to choose from. The rating on Trip advisor is ridiculous. Trust me. Pass on this place. The place was near empty when we went which should have made us turn around but we were stupid. Don't make the same mistake we did.

Wow, I don't know why this place is rated so high. I had gone with coworkers before and then one day went in for a late lunch. The place wasn't busy at all but service was slow in not friendly. After what seemed like forever, I got my meal and I found hair on my food. Thick black hair just laying visibly there. Waiter didn't apologize and I waited for a replacement. After that though, I'm never going back. Plenty of better options around.

We picked this place off of our map of downtown. We were in the mood for some Chinese food, and we had walked passed this place a couple of times. Our server was super awesome and helped us pick some amazing dishes. I will definitely be going back to this place next time I'm in Portland. I highly recommend the Mongolian Beef and the Singapore Style Rice Noodles. AMAZING!!!

Literally the most repulsive food I've ever put in my mouth. Like what were they serving me? i couldnt even identify my chicken as chicken..I would rather have passed on dinner then eating at this terrible restaurant. My mother was puking all the next day and claims she could see the "fine dumpling appetizers" whole. Appetizing right? As you can tell I would NOT recommend this restaurant when visiting Portland. It's sad to think I wasted my money and time at this place.

I been coming here for quite awhile, my top choices are the mixed vegetables or the green beans with chicken. The later has been great ever since it was introduced quite awhile ago. The mixed veg. has improved , with less broccoli, and more what I think of as Chinese vegetables. It has a number of breaded chicken dishes which seem quite popular (general tao?) , probably more healthy than a donut but I usually don't get these, and except for say champagne chicken are kind one (two?) dimensional with just nuts and chicken. This place used to have a great basil chicken, which sometimes reappears as a special, but is not nearly good as it used to be (once was better than green bean chicken, but not so much now). The hot & sour soup is not as good either. For a short while they had a mixed mushroom dish which was also quite good, there is another mushroom dish I have yet to try. Still a very good place to have lunch, and happy hour.

Food was inexpensive, high quality and tastes very good. The crispy shrimp were excellent! As was the fried eggplant and the dumpling appetizer.

Nothing was wrong with Dragonwell Bistro, but nothing was outstanding either. They do take reservations which is a plus if you're meeting people during a busy time in town. Very easy to get to from Max. Soup dumplings, the bright spot of the meal, were not on the dinner menu but were available when we asked.

Eat at this restaurant! Fabulous food - many options on menu, crunchy vegetables, tasty chef sauces, generous portions. Clean venue. Excellent service! Great location: a block to the river for an after meal stroll!

Finally got the chance to stop in and try some food--and glad I did. It was happy hour--and the food menu ranged from $2 to $6 a dish. The hot and sour soup was tasty. Also ordered tang tang noodles. They were really good, liked the sauce, but felt like a few more veggies on top would have been nice. Good drink prices, helpful staff.

So when my son suggested we dine at Dragonwell, I asked "Is it buffet style?" Absolutely not! This is the best Chinese food I've had since leaving NYC! We ordered shared plates, like dumplings, pot stickers and rice chips. Yummy! Then I had the Sesame Chicken dinner. Crispy, a tiny bit of spice and gooey...the best! Others in our party had General Tso's chicken, Flower Soup, Dragonwell Ribs...all delicious! The service was very friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was comfortable. Very much worth a try!

We ate at Dragonwell Bistro before a concert at the Keller Center. It was our first time at the restaurant. It was quiet (which was nice). We were there around 5pm on a Saturday. The service was excellent. They found our reservation quickly and sat us at a table we requested. The server was very nice and helpful. He gave input on the dishes and easily described what we did not recognize. Our food was delicious! We had the Sesame Beef, Kung Pao Chicken, and Chicken Lo-mein. The beef had an amazing sweet, spicy, crispiness to it. The Kung Pao was flavorful without burning, and the Lo-mein tasted fresh. We wished could have taken what we did not eat to go, but it would have sat in our car and gone bad. We rarely get to downtown, but we plan to make a special trip to go back to Dragonwell. Just wish they had a location in lower SW Portland! They look like they are set up for business lunches and happy hour. They do have a TV right there at the bar, which is in the middle of the restaurant. Even though we saw one or two families there with young children, it really isn't a family restaurant. We asked to be moved when one family chose to sit right next to us when nearly all the tables were free. The server was fabulous and moved us as soon as we asked. Noise carries in this place, so any children playing makes it loud, and they do not appear to have a children's menu.

I am not a huge fan of Chinese food, but if I go for Chinese or my friends want to go, this is where I recommend in the Southwest downtown area 1 block from the water front park right by the outbound Yamhill Max stop. The outside is not pretentious and you hardly know it's there. But when you get inside it's really pretty nice and looks nice inside and clean. The tables are well spaced and its not noisy so you can have an easy conversation. They have a big selection and you can order sort of healthy if you want. They are glad to give you brown rice. I had the pineapple chicken and the Kung Pao with broccoli added. It was good and the portions were large. We were two guys who were big eaters and I took away a full box take home from two dishes. I have been there for lunch and happy hour in the past and I've never had a bad experience there.

Excellent! Their famous dumplings were amazing as was the green bean dish. The crisply rice noodles filled with shrimp & pork was also delicious. We plan to return.

My wife and I were staying at the Mariott Waterfront in Portland and wanted to get out for dinner, but didn't want to get the car out of the valet garage. We checked the hotel-provided map, and noticed the listing for the Dragonwell Bistro. It sounded good, so we walked over (about 120 minutes) We were seated quickly and enjoyed the decor while we looked over the menu, which was nice and varied. As vegetarians, Chinese food is often a good fit for us, and this was no different, although some of the meat dishes sounded quite tasty. Our server was friendly and enthusiastic, as well as knowledgeable about the menu and he made sure that our meals were in fact vegetarian (no fish sauce). The food was spectacular. We have eaten at many Chinese restaurants, and this is one of the best! While we were waiting for our meal, the owner came by and introduced himself and welcomed us to his restaurant. Definitely will be back for more - great food, good ambiance, affordable prices.

My wife and I were staying at the nearby Hotel 50 and came across the Dragonwell Bistro on our way back from an evening of exploring the area. We were so glad we stopped. We entered and were immediately greeted warmly by John who was the bartender. We sat at the bar as we usually do and looked over their interesting cocktail menu. There were so many great choices we didn't know what to try but John made some suggestions which we tried. They were great. While we were looking over the menu the owner Jack came over to introduce himself and welcome us. Jack was very genuine and we really enjoyed talking to him. We could tell he really takes great interest in his restaurant and those who visit it. We ordered appetizers and dinners and all were very good. We recommend if you are in the area you stop by the Dragonwell and experience the gracious owner and staff, you won't be disappointed. Thanks Jack and John, hope to see you again in the future.

Our second visit in 3 months. We tried the new menu item: xiao long bao - juicy steamed dumpling. The dumplings have great flavor, not the best dough/skin, but they are delicious none the less. We also ordered the appetizer sampler that included BBQ pork, fried prawns, spring rolls, and five spice beef. The beef was our favorite. The pickled daikon was wonderful as well. It comes with dipping sauce, Chinese mustard, and soy sauce for the spring rolls. The shrimps and snap peas was very good. Great XO sauce and plenty of shrimps. We tried the egg tart dessert. The custard is wonderful, while the crust was not the multi-layer flaky kind. We look forward to coming here again to try out other desserts.

Our second time eating at the Dragonwell restaurant. Probably will choose another place next time. No major problems, just not up to our standards. The service was okay and our dumplings, spicy chicken and tofu were also. Just not exceptional and in Portland, Oregon, that's not what we've come to expect. What a great foodie city.

My husband and I are from South FL, and we ate at Dragonwell last year when we visited Portland. We loved it so much that we told everyone we knew who was traveling to the Pacific NW that if they found themselves near Portland, they MUST check it out. It's right along the Tri-Met (the MAX), and it's super easy to get there. This year we came back to find that it is under new ownership, and if anything, it's improved! It has a more inviting atmosphere, a good blend of tried-and-true favorites that anyone who likes Chinese food can enjoy, and plenty of new, more authentic dishes as well. The staff is so friendly and lovely that we didn't want to leave. Our personal favorite (had it last year and this year) is the Sesame Beef, which is a dish that we have been dreaming of having again since our last visit. We were not disappointed with it this time around either. We had it with bok choy and garlic (one of the vegetarian options). We also tried the Xiao Long Bao, and oh my gosh, we were bowled over. That's another one that we'll be thinking about all year. All I can say is that if this place were closer to home, we would most certainly be regulars. To have such delicious fare AND this caliber of staff...Wow!

I eat here at there happy hour almost once a week. The food is fresh, tastes great and is presented very nicely.. I have gotten away from Chinese food due to a lot of over cooking and everything tasting like mush but the Dragonwell has made me into a Chinese fook lover again.. Prices are reasonable and I love the beautiful silk curtain at the enterance.

We have been about 4 times (it is higher end and a little more expensive) but worth the cost. It is right off of a max stop and you can walk to the waterfront from their store within two blocks. The Atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Our most recent visit was in February. The food was always good at Dragonwell, but after it changed ownership (about a year ago?), not only did the food get better, but the service did as well. The servers are always smiling and quick, and the food is fabulous. We often are holding them back waiting for family or friends enjoying a drink or glass of wine while we wait. One must get for me every time I go is the Xio Lang Boa (spelling?) These tasty (addictive) dumplings. We also like their scallion pancakes. I have enjoyed several dishes and enjoyed them all. I also like how each dish is explained and some have little stories attached. I really like their ginger custard as well. The food is generous in portions as well depending on what you are serving. The one thing I would recommend for them to improve is their wine selection, but really- people don't go here for wine and they have a special label Pinot Noir we enjoy when we come and they have a large selection of specialty drinks and Saki. Again, great service, great food, and close to so many things downtown!

We wanted something really special for my birthday - but we also wanted good Chinese food. Usually we seek out Asian food at no table cloth restaurants. We found both pleasant atmosphere & unusual well prepared food here. This is a lovely downtown Portland restaurant with lots of exotic drinks & excellent food. We asked our waiter for suggestions and he proved to be a good advisor - from the first course to dessert.

Ordered 4 dishes for pickup to feed two couples. It was fairly expensive but I read the reviews and wanted top notch Chinese food for our guests. I was not disappointed. We had the sesame beef, orange champagne chicken, and two other dishes. I was a little worried that it wouldn't be enough food but it was more than enough. Quality was excellent. Ordering on the website through Eat24 was a bonus - text messages with updates and they followed up to make sure the restaurant was making my order. All I all, a great experience.

Great food great prices. Place is very nice, friendly staff, fast service. Loved the sesame chicken!!

This was my third visit to Dragonwell. The restaurant is clean and spacious. There are a variety of items on the lunch menu. You will be paying a slightly higher price than for a typical Chinese lunch and there will be no free soup included, but the food it very good. I chose the Mongolian beef on this occasion. The helping was a little on the smaller side (stated by someone who does not eat large portions), but tasty. I plan to eat the fried rice on the next occasion. Staff are friendly!

Three of us went to Dragonwell during a business trip to Portland (based on Tripadvisor rating). The food was excellent, well-presented and beyond the basic standbys. Cashew chicken, Scallops in tangy sauce and Mongolian beef, while not adventurous dishes, were tasty and tender with the right kind of spice. Rice is ordered separately. Unusually, we ordered dessert -- the Ginger Pot de Creme is wonderful, and try the traditional Chinese desserts! Manager and staff were very friendly and helpful. Will definitely come back when next in town.

The, menu is extensive but not overwhelming. I had the scallops in crab meat sauce and they were out of this world as were the special order bows. Worth a return visit when next back in Portland.

Dragonwell had incredible food that all six of my children loved. Especially my Chinese adopted son who went wild over the dumplings and the lo mein. Every dish we had was superb, the sizzling rice soup was one of the best we've had. An absolute must visit when we come back to Portland!

Overall, food was wonderful! The recommended appatizer was fabulous. Ordered 3 entrees, Champagne Orange Chicken, Yong and Yand Shrimp and Lo Mein House Style. Appatizer of BBQ Pork. Honestly, nothing wrong an everything so great about all the dishes. Flavor, portion size, presentation and overall quality of the food was great!! Would definately come back and totally recommend this restaurant to anyone!!

This was a random dinner choice, and we could not have been happier. Dragonwell makes all of its own noodles, and the difference is marked! Chicken lo mein was fresh, light and full of vegetables and bits of chicken. The pan fried Ravioli were amazing, the dough was a delicious, and the filling flavorful. Sesame Beef was literally the best version of this dish that I have ever eatten. Tender beef with a delicate, sugary crunch. Wonderful. Service was very good, and the waiter was familiar with many of the dishes and made solid recommendations.

First time I was there. I will definitely go back again. I have been raving about this place to friends and neighbors. I had the Sweet and Sour Chicken and my friend had Snow Peas and Chicken (which I tasted!) Both were tasty and served hot. Superior customer service. Delighful atmosphere.

Went for dinner and had a great experience. Their speciality Xia Long Bao was excellent and a must have as was the Seasame Beef. The beef was sweet and delicious. Good service, decent value and a good corner location to watch the world go by.

Dragonwell Bistro sits alone down by the river in the SW district of Portland, but it is worth a trip for authentic and varied chinese cooking. No MSG, naturally, in this capital of culinary correctness. All of the dishes we tried (mongolian beef, orange chicken, shrimp, dumplings) were very well prepared and promptly served. Our waiter was extremely helpful in suggesting the specialities of the chef. Nice beer and wine selection, as well as cocktails. The dining room is spare but attractive and the noise level is minimal. A nice evening out.

We went to Dragonwell Bistro late on a Tuesday evening. We had checked out TA for a decently reviewed restaurant close to our hotel and this seemed to fit the bill. The service was good. We had an interesting Joto Sake Flight which allowed us to try the differences in the Sakes. My partner ordered the Lion's Head which was an interesting dish with oversized pork meatballs with napa cabbage leaves on top. Rice did not come with it and was an extra charge. He enjoyed it and I found the meatballs to be good also. I wanted something lighter so I just ordered two appetizers - the scallion pancakes and the BBQ Pork. The scallion pancakes were tough. I am not sure how you even make those tough but they managed it. They felt old even though I can't imagine why you would make those in advance so perhaps it is just the recipe. The BBQ pork was very dry and flavorless. I would stay far way from that also. I was disappointed based on the other reviews. Our experience would say you should stick to their "specialties".

Eating at Dragonwell was like having a really great first date and then wondering what you saw in the person after that. We were there on a very quiet night, a Tuesday. Of the 20 or so tables in the restaurant, only 8 were occupied, five of those just couples. So the load wasn't heavy. But the whole front of house staff was two waiter staff, one of whom was clearly new-ish (he noted on delivering my drink it was the first time he'd made it). There also seemed to be insufficient staff in the kitchen. But more oddly, the two waiters were tasked also with being bartenders and bus staff. That meant that when food for the 8-top came out, my son's drink sat...and sat...and sat, and mine was unmade. Drinks took 35 minutes! (And both were so sickly sweet and unbalanced, they weren't worth the wait. Drink beer here. All this came after a great opening. They are one of the few places that do the juicy, Shanghai dumplings and they were stupendous. But they were also the high point of the night. The combo lo mein was good, but not great. And the General Tso's Chicken lacked both heat and that kumquat citrus hit a good rendition requires. Oh, and it took nearly an hour for these two dishes to come out. Rounding out the indignity, neither rice nor tea was complimentary at the table. This restaurant has been open somewhere about twenty years. It leaves the impression that teh owner has ceased to care. Grab the Shanghai dumplings as a light lunch, but otherwise skip the place.

Good location on the Max line. Nice atmosphere. It was great food. Quiet on the weekends. Charming family run restaurant. We had some of their recommended dishes and were very pleased with the quality of the contents. Meat dish was delicious.

We wanted to find a new place to try some Asian cuisine. The happy hour menu looked good and the price was great as well. We chose 4 different dishes and had a pint of Sapporo. I must say the shrimp chips are pretty addictive. Would definitely come back and maybe try happy hour in the evening.

We (Tourists from Switzerland) ate there tonight and experienced great chinese food - you definetly have to try their chef's special appetizer loa xiao bao (can't remember the spelling) they were just great. Best chinese I've ever had in the US (5 trips so far)

The service was excellent and the place was empty. Only four of us in this large restaurant. The potsticker appetizer was excellent, but the dinner went downhill from there. The kung pow shrimp had almost no flavor and was not very spicy...the shrimp had a very fishy flavor. The chef's chicken special was better, but still not great. Probably okay for lunch, but I wouldn't go again...there was a reason no one else was in the restaurant.

We stopped in at 8 pm on New Years Eve for our traditional Chinese dinner. The place was busy but not jammed. They are not normally open on Sunday night, but they were open that Sunday for the holiday. The atmosphere was very pleasant. We like casual places, and we felt very comfortable there in street clothes, but we also saw people dressed for New Years parties later that night. The food was very good, and we really enjoyed our dinner. The service was good, not great. I think that they were light-handed on a Sunday night since they usually are not open. My only complaint is that they were closing at 9 pm as is their customary 'weekday' closing, and the staff was already in major shut down mode at 8:45 pm. I fully appreciate that this was not a normal night to be open, and they likely had other places to be for New Year's parties, etc. I would have expected tables to be bused, etc., but there were many tables that had been put together for larger parties, and the staff was lifting and pulling them into place all around us while we, and several other customers were still dining. It would have been great if the 'heavy lifting could have waited until 9:00 pm or even 9:15 pm. Despite that, we had a good time and would recommend this restaurant to others.

I've been eating at Dragonwell for many years, and have never been disappointed. It's packed at lunch--it's so popular with the downtown office crowd that sometimes it's hard to get a table. At night it is often not busy. But don't be fooled--it's an overlooked gem for dinner. Well prepared Chinese food. Some of our favorites are the soup dumplings, dry-sauteed string beans, and twice cooked pork. Good drinks (several good beers on tap). Friendly and efficient service. And solid portions--we ate dinner there last night and enjoyed leftovers for dinner at home tonight!

Actually we ended up here totally by accident due to GPS mix up. We saw that it had good reviews but were skeptical when went in and it was almost empty. Realizing we it was still early we ordered. I don't like pot stickers as rule these were huge and sooo yummy, we also ordered their specialty pork dumplings with a ginger soy sauce again not disappointed. I could have been fille dup sharing just these. I decided to take the rest of the dumplings home and had the honey coated prawns with walnuts. Delightful!! Huge prawns. My friend had teh kung pao chicken which on the spicey scale was just right according to her. Will defintely be back next time I go to Portland. Only downside, no moscato or strawberry daiquiris.

After two weeks vacationing in Oregon and eating at mostly craft beer pubs, we decided we wanted a little something different. Dragonwell Bistro fit the bill perfectly. Our food was flavorful and you could tell they used homemade ingredients throughout from the dumplings to the noodles. The Xia Long Bao dumplings were excellent (and unique). The service was very attentive. When we return to Portland we will definitely go to DragonWell again. Xia Long Bao dumplings

Have eaten here several times over the past 9 month or so, as my office is nearby. The first time the food seemed pretty good. But since then nothing I've had has been really any good at all. Mostly tasteless with poor quality meat. I don't think I'll be going back.

Had several courses here with my wife. Very attentive staff. The house specialty dumplings are a great place to start. Their version of Mongolian Beef was quite spicy, which meant more for me, as my wife prefers less spicy. The Sesame Chicken went well with it, with a good balance between sweet and spicy. Overall a nice relaxed, enjoyable meal.

Very pleasant bistro ambiance with wonderful Asian food, a good selection of wines, friendly and efficient service -- all at a reasonable price. The absence of a sales tax in Portland is always a pleasant surprise.

Dragonwell Bistro is my default go-to location in Portland for lunch. The food always is excellent. I especially recommend the Mongolian Beef and the Dried Sauteed String Beens.

The waiter went above and beyond to see to it that we were satisfied with our food and drinks. All the workers were very friendly, and when they realized we were tourist took the time to make recommendations to nearby places we may like to see.

Went for happy hour but ordered from happy hour menu and dinner menu. Our selections were quite varied, delicious and well prepared/presented. The young lady who served us was very well acquainted with all the menu items and made great selections. I would suggest you try the dessert menu as it has some delicious offerings. A Portland treasure.

We have been challenged in the past finding good Chinese food. We enjoyed our lunch at Dragonwell a lot. The Bloody Mary was very tasty. We split a few dishes and the fried eggplant was our favorite. It got very busy during lunch on a weekday.

Dinner is a bit more pricey, but it looks more reasonable then I remember it. Some tasty choices, such as Basil Chicken.

We tried this place tonight since it's in our neighborhood and had a higher rating on google than a very well regarded restaurant across town ... what a mistake! The dumplings were soggy and flavorless, and the Ma Po tofu had no Ma (sichuan peppercorns) and very little La (chilis) ... I've had this dish over 100 times, including in Chengdu and our own homemade version, and this was by far the worst I've ever had ... to be fair, the dry sauteed string beans and orange chicken were adequate and might garner a 3 star rating in a small town in the midwest, and they did have brown rice, but for $100 with tip and a couple of drinks for 3 people, it was probably the worst value meal I've ever had in Portland ... it sounds like this place used to be OK, but is now an "avoid at all costs" as far as this diner is concerned ... the service was slow and amateur-ish, but I would have happily tolerated it if the food was good, but sadly it wasn't ...

We came here for dinner prior to the symphony and enjoyed our meal. The service was great and the food was very good. The duck was particularly good.

We were taking mass transit in a trip to Portland--it had been slow all day because of the Rose Festival. We were at the Yamhill District red line stop, which was delayed, and wandered in. It made the day much better--the music and atmosphere was very relaxing, the serving sizes were fairly large, the prices were good. The server ran out after I left because I forgot my jacket.It was such a great experience that we came the next night for dinner. Our server remembered us the next day ! Everything was very tasty

My husband and I, being from San Francisco, are very picky about our Chinese food, we happened upon this restaurant late Saturday night. There was a party happening on one end of the restaurant; the hostess quickly gave us a great table away from the noise of the party. She quickly recommended the house specialty – the pork dumplings, she wanted to make sure that because it took a while to make, that we would have ample time to enjoy them. The owner, a SF transplant himself, learning we were from San Francisco, came by to chat with us, reminisce about the Bay Area, he was friendly, but not overbearing, the dumplings were out of this world. We also ordered the ribs and the spicy chicken, everything was well-prepared and very delicious. The restaurant itself was clean, had a beautiful ambiance, and wonderful people working there. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone going to Portland!

We have enjoyed several good to great Chinese meals in Portland over many years. This was not up to our expectations. There were warning flags: when we arrived for our reservations nobody else was there. Our server was not Asian, nor did any Asians arrive to dine. Our sizzling rice soup did not sizzle! Our courses did not arrive in the sequence we specified. Our server blamed that on the CHEF'S lack of understanding English. Scallion pancakes a big disappointment Each dish ordered lacked for something. So it was OK but nothing memorable that we would want to come back for. Unfortunately this is located in a deteriorating block of downtown Portland and unpleasant street people were annoying outside between our car and the front door. Not the restaurant's fault but the City's lousy civic pride.

Wonderful and classy atmosphere in this hip version of a Chinese restaurant, worthy of its hip name. Service was great. The menu has no Chinese translation of the food items, so the target diner is made obvious. Reading the description of the xiao long bao (XLB) outside, we had high expectations, also given the glowing reviews from some others here. We were, unfortunately, disappointed with the XLB: the skin was not easily broken so it was not very tender. The meat was notably absent: usually there is a round lump of meat inside the bao along with soup, but in this case, there was a gelatinous nearly tasteless mushy inside with scarce bits of discernible meat among the sparse contents. If you've never had XLB, maybe this is heavenly to you? However for our experienced party we expected a juicy pork morsel inside with a savoury broth, and this XLB did not deliver. We also ordered shrimp with broccoli. This was more successful, but the shrimp's cornstarch coating seemed to be uncooked. Our third dish was the best one, a beef rice noodle. The taste was good and seemed to be that of oyster sauce with sweet notes, but the noodles were oily and there were so few noodles. Usually this dish comes with lots of noodles (cheap ingredient) and less beef (expensive ingredient), so this was pretty surprising. We would have preferred 1-2 more cups of noodles in this dish. As it was, this was more like stir fried beef and onions, with a few rice noodles. Still, this restaurant hit the spot as we are travelling and had too many restaurants offering clam chowder and everything deep fried. The price was also reasonable. We have not compared this to other Portland Chinese restaurants, so we hope we were not too harsh in this review.

The title pretty much tells the whole tale. But I want to start out saying that we have been loyal customers to Dragonwell (and back when it was Sungari) for over a decade. But no more. We (4 of us) had reservations for 6:30 on Christmas (our ritual for years). Our table wasn't available when we arrived. Okay, whatever, that happens -- you can't control how long the people before you take (the hostess told us they had been late for their reservation). We sat down and immediately ordered 1 crab & corn soup, and 1 hot & sour. Five minutes later we ordered our entrees. It took 30 minutes for the corn soup to arrive, and the hot & sour took 45 minutes (we're talking one cup, not 5 gallons). In the meantime, people who sat down after us were getting their entrees. Our (very nice) waitress told us it was because we ordered appetizers, and that threw the kitchen off (it's really worth noting that our waitress -- maybe Lauren? Laurel? was very pleasant throughout). After an hour and 20 minutes, we still hadn't gotten our food, although we were told it was on the way. An hour and a half went by, and tables who sat down long after us got their food. So, we decided to give up and go home. We told the waitress we were leaving, and the waiter standing next to her said, "Well, you have to pay." I said, "You're kidding?" and he said, "You have to pay something," so I said, "Fine. How much do we owe you?" And he said: "Just give me your card and I'll figure something out." Seriously??? I said, "No, just tell me how much we owe and I'll give you cash," (like I'm really going to give my card to this guy now) and our (very nice) waitress said, "You don't owe anything," and the bossy waiter said, "No, they HAVE to pay something!" and she said, "They just had soup!" and he said, "Fine, whatever. Go." Now we can't even imagine going back for a normal meal (much less Christmas again!) because this was such a negative experience. And weird -- more than anything, just really, really, weird.

After reading all the positive reviews about this place here my sister and I decided it would be a fun place to try for my belated birthday dinner in portland. I was so shocked after what a lousy experience we had compared to everyone else reviewing. We went Monday for happy hour, arrive shortly into the start and the place was quiet. The waiter was friendly enough, but our issues started shortly after being seated. We both ordered drinks, I got the huckleberry lemonade and she got the iced tea your way with mango and vodka. We saw the waiter walk over to the bar to make them and were surprised, even more so when he pulled out the recipe and started making them. Almost 20min later we got both drinks... The huckleberry lemonade tasted like neither huckleberries or lemonade, My sisters iced tea tasted like brisk iced tea with some artificial mango syrup added in. We should have sent them back , but felt bad for the waiter... Plus we hopped food would be better which it wasent. First issue were 2 items we wanted they couldn't do. No explaination as to why but we were told they couldn't do the California rolls or the chicken satays. On a limited happy hour menu I don't expect anything to be unavailable, but they were. Next the 4 items we did get BBQ pork was the blandest I have ever eaten anywhere... It tasted like cardboard. Fried chicken was good but the dips were awful. The waiter put 2 dishes down right before the chicken came and didn't tell us what they were. 1 was spicy mustard that had a weird after taste 2: was either plum sauce or sweet chili, tasted kinda like plums and grapefruit... Not good The shrimp balls were tasty, and the lemon sauce with them was AMAZING, but it was the last dish to arrive and by that point we were disappointed and eager to leave so... We also had the orange chicken which was ok but nothing special... Tastes like the stuff we get from any mall food court. Another big issue was the wait time. It took 20 min to get the food and 2 tables that came after us got their orders first... The waiter claimed it was due to our food being made fresh, but that was after our food showed. I know I should have said something to them but I don't like making a fuss... So we just paid and left . All in all it was the worse dining experience I have ever had in portland.

We went to the Dragonwell with some reservation based on the mixed reviews. We hadn't had good Chinese food in a while and were looking forward to it. The Dragonwell did not disappoint. We had a simply wonderful meal here! Our server was attentive and personable. The food was delicious, served promptly, and piping hot. The room was very attractive and pleasant. This was overall a delightful experience and we'd recommend it.

We ate here before a concert at the Rose Garden. They have a really good food selection and the prices are really good. We I had the Salt and Pepper Pawns and they were wonderful! My daughter had the Sesame Chicken and thought it was good too. We each ordered a drink. Be careful, the drinks were really strong! We will be going back soon!

Everything tasted very good. We got our own little corner of the restaurant, which worked out well for us. The service was good. I wasn't excited about the location, but the children enjoyed watching the train go by.

We visited here as it was close to our hotel. Almost immediately we regretted our choice. The service was perfunctory and the atmosphere non existent. We were more or less the only people in. The food was just good enough that you could not complain, but we would not return.

I was expecting a better experience after reading recommended reviews. Dragonwell is a typical Chinese food restaurant in a lovely setting. The portions are ample so there is plenty for take away. I do like the fact that you get a healthy portion of broccoli with a vegetarian dish. Usually, I have to ask for double broccoli or vegetables with most Chinese food orders. A lot of the food leans toward too much added cornstarch. The highlight is definitely the scallion cakes. If those are served at happy hour, I would come back to enjoy them but not go out of my way.

We were initially enticed by the picture of steamed dumplings outside the restaurant window so we returned after walking along the waterfront. There was only one party when we were seated on a Friday evening, but that didn't deter us. The ambience and service was very good. However, the food overall was underwhelming. The dumplings were good, not great. The champagne orange chicken was too tough, like it had been re-cooked. The ma po tofu was average. Finding a great Chinese restaurant is hard, in my experience. This place didn't make the cut, but I'd give it another go and try other dishes for another chance to impress.

This used to be a great place to eat. Great food nice clean atmosphere with good service Apparently the new ownership that I’ve been told is from CA with background in food tracks , does t care too much about their customers. I ordered fried rice with shrimp that used to be great. This time was dry and only 3 shrimp. At $10 that’s a rip off I’ll never go back there and a suggest all customers think twice before opening that door again. There are so many great options around same area.

On our summer vacations we've always looked for good Chinese in Portland and this is the very best! Great food, service, atmosphere and host. One block from the river for a nice walk afterwards. Highly recommended. Mongolian Beef and Orange Chicken...very tasty!

This was a special treat, to find a Chinese restaurant that featured fresh flavors and non-salty, non-MSG, non- corn starchy dishes. I went to Dragonwell with two friends - we each ordered different dishes and all three were fabulous. I will be back, this is an excellent downtown Portland eatery and the prices were very reasonable.

My husband and I make sure we go here every time we are in the portland area. My kids make sure we get fried rice and lo mein, chicken and beef are both good. Our family favorite is sesame beef and chicken, on the expensive side but worth it. We get it not spicy so its on the sweet side. I even bring a tote bag that keeps food warm so I can take some food back to Tacoma. When your in Portland you should go. The hours are a little weird though,so call first.

Had the tofu and dumplings which both were delicious. My husband had the Mongolian beef and really enjoyed it. The staff were very friendly. Nice atmosphere.

We came here two years ago on a vacation, and it was packed. Phenomenal bao buns, oriental decor, and a great variety of dishes. Fast forward to this vacation, the place looks like a birthday, almost no one there, and favorite thing on the menu - bao buns - are gone. Ownership just changed a week ago, so they are in transition, but don’t let that stop you. Still a comfortable place to enjoy a meal, good food that is making an obvious effort to be healthier (less sugar and sauces), and considerate staff. Just give them a few weeks to get drinks back and add bao buns back to the menu!

Great food, great service, great location. Vibe was decent since it was only 40% full at best on a Friday night but all in all, we had a large party and they took great care of us.

An enjoyable meal, where we ordered too much and took the rest away in cardboard boxes to eat for breakfast :-) Similar but pleasantly different from UK Chinese fayre.

Was lookiing for a place to have a nice lunch while downtown and we stumbled onto this place. Walked in and it was quiet, clean and smelled wonderful. Sat down, reviewed the menu and found something affordable and appetizing. Lunch was great and we did not feel rushed or over run with noise. I would definitely recommend this place for any meal.

Exceptional...Taste from Heaven! The entire meal was fresh and sensational! I must admit that that the Xia Long Bao was by far the best tasting dumpling soup I have had in all my years on this earth! I'm looking forward to enjoying my next meal within the Dragonwell Bistro before leaving Portland. The server was extremely helpful, knowledgeable about the menu and pleasant to converse with concerning a variety of topics....His recommendations were right on the mark! Thanks!

Visited Dragonwell Bistro and had the best experience. They had a "happy hour" menu - small plates which was amazing. The dumplings were good, lettuce wraps, general tso - not to sweet but oh so flavorful - the salt & pepper squid (calamari) was the best I have ever eaten - cooked perfectly. Our server was very helpful helping us choose our food and took time to chat with us. The only thing missing were customers. With food and service this good - where is everybody?

we came here b/c our intended destination, Red Robe Teahouse, was closed for a family vacation when we showed up and we had seen Dragonwell while walking by on the way to the waterfront earlier. We were lured in by the promise of Xiao Long Bao, those steamed dumplings with broth inside them. They are delicious and hard to find in Portland. Apparently a 100 year old chef from Hang Zhou taught the folks at Dragonwell to make them. Because our very nice server Steven thought we had not ever eaten them before, he made quite a ceremony out of serving them and showing us the proper way to eat them, which was charming and quite helpful. Also very good were the lettuce cups, which Steven kindly divided into 3 servings, w/o being asked, when there are normally 2,to better accommodate the 4 of us. It worked out b/c one of us doesn't eat lettuce cups anyway. The shrimp w/ walnuts had an unusual presentation-- the shrimp was draped over a lettuce-filled glass, almost like a large shrimp cocktail, with the sauce in a side dish and the candied walnuts scattered on the plate. They were good, but not great, and also at $19 the most expensive dish we ordered. But the rest of the food was only so-so, especially given the price. In addition to the XLB, we had potstickers, sesame beef, sautéed string beans, ma po tofu and prawns and walnuts. The two adults tried the mango mojito and the Shanghai lemondrop. The mojito was good, but the lemondrop, although it advertised ginger liquer, was far too sweet and tasted mostly of 7up. It was a saccharine disappointment, especially at $9. Also too sweet was the sesame beef, which was almost candy like. We asked for it to be less spicy, as the main person eating it prefers, but it had virtually no heat to balance the sugar. The ma po tofu was almost comical in its lack of spice. It is supposed to have tongue-numbing heat, but this did not. The menu was very elegant with interesting history notes about some of the dishes, including the tofu, and the décor was lovely, perhaps to justify the high prices--nearly $100 for 2 drinks, 3 apps, and 3 entrees. Also, the TV over the bar tuned to the apparently all bad news station detracted a bit, although thankfully the sound was turned down. All in all, I might go back for appetizers and maybe a beer, but that's it. From the lack of diners on a busy Rose Festival evening, perhaps other diners have come to a similar conclusion.

We were here for a few days to attend a med convention. I was riding the red train from downtown to the Oregon Convention Center when I looked up and saw the logo of the dragon. Dragonwell named after a famous tea from Hangzhou, China. I decided to give it a try. I contacted them to make a quick arrangement for our group: 7+2; 7 adults with two children. The menu for our group was tastefully arranged; starting with two large bowls of the"hot/sour soup", followed by the soup dumplings, "xiao long bao" in the bamboo steamers, the appetizers of 4 combo of egg rolls, coconut shrimps, delicious beef/pork slices; whole bunches of hot plates, among them fresh pawns, fish slices cooked with greens, crispy duck, two kinds of noodles/crispy two sides with bean curd and vegetables, egg fried rice and more....IT ended with rice dumplings in a sweet ginger syrup. The server requested to "lit the fire (got things cooking)" the minute we arrived. In a very short time, the dishes continued to be served, one by one, in almost an orchestrated fashion. I always try to host a Chinese banquet during the meeting. I am happy to say that Dragonwell Bistro was a welcome place to have an enjoyable night this year.

We had mapo tofu w/ no pork (which is difficult to get in a non vegetarian restaurant), tofu with broccoli, vegetarian fried rice and soup for appetizers. My hot and sour soup was just right and the kids liked the egg drop soup. The location isn't great esp for dinner b/c of all the homeless around there but the waitress was very friendly and gave good advice. They only had one chef on duty that night but the wait wasn't too long. I would definitely go back.

Despite being almost empty, service was neglectful at best. Where did they go?? Sorry to do them the favor of eating there. Food wasn't,t that great and what else did they have to do.

We purchased a Groupon for dinner at this restaurant. It seems to be possible to get a variety of discounts to eat there. We ordered a soup with spinach and tofu, which was acceptable. I am not a great fan of Chinese soup and I would have preferred more spinach, less tofu and more flovor. The appetizer we got was shrimp balls. Quite decent, with a nice sauce but not exceptional. The main dishes, however, were really quite good. We ordered the salt and pepper squid. One of the best fried squids we have eaten. The batter was light and crunchy. The squid was on a bed of onions and the whole was very flavorful, though of course, salty. We also had the spicy scallops and vegetables. The scallops were breaded and deep fried on a bed of vegetables with a spicy brown sauce. Very tasty.

We stumbled on this place and ran it through trip advisor and found it was highly rated. We were not at all disappointed. The food was fresh and served hot. Great complexities of flavor. We were very pleased.

I had lunch with a potential client here and will definitely consider it for that purpose in the future. The menu was excellent. The food and service was great. And, the price was right. Conveniently located on 1st Avenue, it is accessible by MAX. Use the Yamhill Street entrance.

Post intro to XLB in Shanghai a few years ago, we have enjoyed searching across the US for similar delicacies. The Dragonwell has recently added XLB and they were flavorful and served nicely, but, as typical of prepared-ahead bao, the filling had shrunken and the wrapper was too thick. With the jia jia tang bao in Shanghai as ten, and Shanghai dumpling shop in Milbrae, CA near SFO as six, Dragonwell is four and most of the shops around DC three or less. So, a four rating is fine to satisfy your XLB craving, and the serving staff at Dragonwell were pleasant and helpful. Enjoy!