Bao in Victoria

I had an incredibly disappointing experience at Bao Victoria. Despite placing a reasonable order, as we usually do, and specifically requesting no spice on my pork belly ramen, my food was overloaded with it. When I called the restaurant to address the issue, the owner confirmed that the correct order was sent to the kitchen, yet it was completely disregarded. This level of negligence is unacceptable, and it left me questioning whether their push for tips influenced this poor service. Regardless of the reason, such disregard for customer requests is unprofessional. I strongly advise others to stay away from this place!

The food is worth the wait. Wow it was good

The large selection and quality of the bao is awesome and everything I ate was superb. The quarters are tight so if you dont want to be comfortable with your neighbors maybe get it to go, but get it because you wont regret it.

I got the vegitarian tan tan men and it was incredible. Very flavourful, had the perfect ratio of tofu, noodles and broth, and really hit the spot on a cold rainy day.

I highly recommend this place, delicious!!

The Tan Tan Ramen has the most delicious Vegan Mushroom broth and can be done with Gluten free noodles!!!

Have only tried the vegan ramen and the vegan Bao buns and they are super good.

Place small but lively, service great, bao was amazing. The only thing that was very disappointed was the fried chicken. It was crazy to me how the bao was the most delicious bao Ive ever had, but the chicken was the worst I ever had ever. So dry and flavorless surprisingly. Get the bao and to go or eating in, you will get great service. Would go again.

We were recommended this spot for our visit to Victoria. The location is so cute, right by the entrance to Chinatown, tiny inside but very cozy. I had a Vietnamese iced coffee and Korean fried chicken bibimbap, and it was incredible! Fresh seaweed salad, crunchy pickled cucumbers, spicy kimchi delicious and of course the fried chicken was amazing. The iced coffee was a dream as well. Very friendly staff, will definitely be back if we travel to Victoria again!

Cozy place, great service but mediocre fare for the cost. The bao was good but overpriced. Ramen was good but the soup was overly salty and almost no vegetables. Pork belly and egg were great.

it is delicious

The women who welcomed us was very friendly , the baos were very good , we will definitely come back!

My partner and I went on a date here, and we had a fantastic experience. Amazing food, genuinely such an incredible experience. All the dishes we had were delicate, and thoughtful, and delicious. Our favorite was the tonkatsu bao, such a brilliant little bite. Go here.

The tan tan men is too salty and doesn t taste like real tan tan men; their chashu ramen is the western style abomination that s only slightly better than those of sushi restaurants. Portions are below average. The Fujianese gua baos are abomination versions and overrated. Everything is too expensive for what it is. Ive given this place a few chances and its always the same. This is the white person s idea of what good Asian food tastes like, from someone who thinks they ve mastered Asian peoples foods just because they got the ingredients and the presentation right, with none of the respect paid to the skills and craft behind it. Poor, arrogant imitation. I have no problem with white people cooking Asian food, but I can guarantee not a single cook here grew up in an Asian household (duh), has done a proper apprenticeship under an Asian chef or went to cooking school in Asia. If someone like that opened up a French or Italian restaurant, how good do you think the food is going to be?

Best gluten free ramen Ive ever had, celiac safe Dietary restrictions: Gluten free ramen Food : 5/5 |

Incredible food would gladly come back

Love the Katsu Curry and bao buns! They have the best staff who are always so lovely. Our favourite restaurant in Victoria by far!

This is one of my favourite food spots in Victoria! The tan tan men is so phenomenal, I often find myself craving it randomly. The staff and atmosphere are so welcoming and everything is delicious. The bao are all AMAZING! Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a delicious meal. Vegetarian options: Nearly every item has a vegetarian substitute available.

Wow! We are from Louisiana. This was a very unique experience for us and the food was just incredible.

Super awesome and affordable place to eat! I love the atmosphere and the people who work there are really great! Vegetarian options: Plenty of delicious vegetarian options!

We loved the food here! All of the Bao options were delicious. The service is really fast and they bring out the Baos quite quickly, so we ordered 2 more servings. It s a great place for shared bites so you can try quite a few different items on the menu

Good bao. Very fair price too.

One of my go to places on a cold or rainy day. The Bao are delicious little pockets of flavour, 3 is great for a light lunch as they are on the small side. I recommend the Chinese BBQ, Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Tonkatsu Chicken. The Chicken Karaage Ramen is *chefs kiss* SO GOOD (only available Friday and Saturday - worth the wait all week). Portion size is perfect. The Super Spicy Cold Noodles are my favourite - very spicy, but flavours are well balanced. If you like spicy sesame peanut anything, you HAVE to try this one!

Holy cow. Best bao ever!

2nd favourite ramen in town ;)

Literally my favourite place in Vic. Get the Tan Tan Men if you can handle spice. They re also GREAT at handling gluten free allergies. I was told one of the chef s has Celiac so anytime I go I feel great eating there as someone who also has Celiac.

Very nice food! My only observation is that we visited the place on a very warm week and the place didn t have any ventilation.

They don t close at 8:30 they close a few minutes before 8 seems to depend on when the person at the front counter wants to go home.

Delicious

The food is spectacular. Service could be much much better. The flavor and quality of the food out eat the deficiencies in the customer department.

Delicious food and friendly service!

Seldom give negative comments but they just annoyed me! Tried several months ago & would not choose again! Their services were unforgettable. that gave me unpleasant experience. I asked if I could take my seat for waiting friends then they replied no as we all needed to order first b4 sitting in. Thats fine. As its around 7-8c outside I waited in the restaurant. As of the limited space I kept myself next to the blackboard for avoiding interruptions. But then the cashier instantly approached me, while shes handling payments, & requested me to stay a bit further as my hair removing the blackboards writing! Oh come on! How rude she was! When we were leaving a server was cleaning up our table but she looked annoyed over us. I really couldnt get it why they served Asian like this! Kinds of disrespectful! They served fusion Asian food but not authentic. Didn t take fotos at that moment as totally loss appetite!

Probably my fav lunch spot in Victoria. Delicious bao buns and ramen! My favourites are the Truffle Pork Belly Ramen, Chinese BBQ Bao, and the Katsu Chicken Bao. Counter service is the norm here (where you order at the front upon arrival, pay, and then food is delivered to your table). I prefer this as you can leave as soon as your done your meal. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Always look forward to coming in. Vegetarian options: Most dishes can be made vegetarian or vegan upon request! Dietary restrictions: GF and egg free options.

Major failure for a place called bao to feature Vietnamese style so they can serve a huge variety with a quarter the work and none of the prep, talent and love in the pastries. Serves exclusively the most popular dishes and capitalizes on popularity, not quality, uninviting atmosphere, feels like a fight to get seated with signs asking for whole group to be there, staff is unapologetic for their fast turn over attitude and poor quality food. I do not recommend for anyone who prioritizes quality in the food they pay for.

Yet another Asian-themed restaurant in Chinatown run by white folks! The gua bao was bite sized portions for snacking. Definitely not a meal unless you order 6 of them. But the Taiwanese classic gua bao was a valiant effort, definitely not as good as my Taiwanese ex used to make but a nice trip down memory lane for me, without needing to go to Taipei. A very young crowd gathers here, I m the only senior in sight lol felt somewhat out of place.

Best ramen in Victoria

I ordered a katsu curry that tasted like everything but curry, the place is nice but it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of flavor. I didnt take a photo of my companions dish but they agreed with the lack of seasoning.

The worst experience...... The waitress was so mean to us and the please.... Dont order Ramen, its like supermarket Ramen

The food was very good and the service was quick.

The classic bao is out of this world! We also tried the bahn mi, mushroom, fried chicken and sweet bao. The bahn mi and fried chicken were decent, I would skip the mushroom. The sweet one was EXCELLENT. But seriously just order like 100 of the classic bao. You ll thank me later.

Awesome food. Not enough room for a larger group though. We were left waiting in the street for 40 minutes, no reservations possible. Ill go back, but just as a couple.

Love this place. Celiac friendly as one of the chefs is a celiac himself. The food is super delicious. Small menu but everything is very well done. You arent waited on and the tables are first come first serve so expect that beforehand, its hard to get in when its busy but well worth it. Havent tried anything I have liked here. Dietary restrictions: Celiac friendly

Portion size is a bit small but the food is really tasty

Amazing options and flavors! Well be back!

Standard bao buns. Below average service, the front desk was unhelpful. Great vibes. Food : 3/5

Best baos I ve had in BC

SO DELICIOUS

Quaint and quick. I absolutely love their bao buns and their Vietnamese coffee is an unexpected treat - delight! The music is fun and uplifting (but not too loud) and the service is quick and they knows whats up. Wouldnt change a thing - itd a staple!

Server was friendly and nice. Good service. But the pork belly ramen was way too salty, it tasted like someone spilled 2 grams of salt into the soup. I couldnt finish the noodles because of how salty it was.

I was looking forward to the tan tan men, but it was underwhelming. I have never had a tan tan men-style ramen with a clear broth before. The broth of these noodles overwhelmingly tastes of Lao Gan Ma (not a bad thing, but not something I d expect to pay money for in a restaurant). I think it s pretty standard for tan tan men to have a sesame or peanut-based broth. The baos were okay and the service was good otherwise.

It was delicious!! There are always long queues to enter, but its worth it.

I would say that the food was delicious however very, very small. Not sure if it s just because I m from the US and our portions are huge or if others would agree. We got 4 baos and ramen, easily could ve eaten 2x what we ordered. The Bao was delicious, however smaller than my hand. Ramen was also delicious but 5 bites and it s gone. I would come back just with the expectation of spending a lot more money to get full

This rating is based on service. I used to come here quite a bit, but havent been back since I last went a couple months ago. I had come to meet my partner, and arrived early. I went in and asked if I could sit down. There were two tables available, both with two person seating. The young woman at the front of house would not let me sit. Saying that I had to wait until my full party had arrived. The problem is, it wouldnt make a difference if there was one or two people in mhnparty, there was only two people tables available. She then told me I was not allowed to order an appetizer or drink until my girlfriend arrived. I felt very insulted, the way she spoke to me was rude. And its a real shame. Because it ruined what was a regular eatery for me. As I stated, I havent been back since.

We enjoyed the place and atmosphere. The host was very friendly. I think the food was okay, a bit overrated. The taste was tangy and bitter. My guess is the excessive use of sesame oil. The flavors were mismatched between the level of saltiness, sweetness and sourness. The ramen tasted too much salt-sour vs the taste of a real broth. The meat was sliced too thin and overcooked. Overall, the idea of fusion didn t work well for me. Too much flavors in my taste bud. I would suggest to simplify the flavors.

Really like this place, sometimes might be waiting for a seat but its worth the wait. Good choice of baos and ramen is really good, would recommend.

Fantastic Asian fusion food and plenty of veg and vegan options! Accommodated kid friendly food and service was pretty quick. It s a small little restaurant so you don t have many tables to sit at. Check if you can make a reservation (that would probably be best) The mushroom bao was my highlight.

Went there for a quick snack after work and damn were these baos good! Only took 3 and I really regret not getting more

Nice ramen, spicy and tasty.

Full of flavors. The bathrooms are very good. The bibimbap

Great food and beautiful outdoor seating. We had the bao, which was very delicious, but if you are looking for a meal on a budget they are a bit on the expensive side for the amount of food.

One of my favourite places to eat in Victoria! They are consistent and great at what they do!

Great food, great service, whats not to like! Portions are a little on the small side considering the price point (for me, at least, Im a tall fellow with a hollow leg to fill), but honestly its still largely affordable and their dishes are very tasty.

The classic Bao bun is unreal, we ended up ordering one more each. Everything else was a mixed bag but would definitely come back!

Delicious bao, savoury and sweet, great katsu too. Cosy atmosphere.

bao has good and convenient food, however, i called on saturday evening (Family Day long weekend) to inquire if they had space for 5, and the response was so rude it was a huge turn off. uhhh no we have a huge line up i say oh that s great for you guys!! no worries he said yeah. i mean its saturday ..of the long weekend . with the thickly implied-eye rolling tone. like yeah. that s why i hecking called, instead of showing up just to not be able to get a table. jusssst checking. all he had to say was sorry! or goodluck have a good night hopefully some other time . I m a server, when a restaurant is full, i m happy for them and will happily find somewhere else to dine, and look forward to trying again another time. left a bad taste in my mouth and won t be coming in for awhile. Reply Edit: Definitely disappointed in the reply. Maybe you misunderstood my story. I didn t ask for a wait, or push to know why there was no room. The conversation was over, and i had expressed genuine happiness for your success. I was given a blatant sarcastic reprimand for having been so idiotic to even ask the question in the first place. The smile literally died on my face and my stomach dropped to have the conversation flip so rudely like that. Obviously your staff member was in the weeds and not handling it well (been there), but he took it out on a customer that he conveniently didn t have to hope for a tip from that night, and wasn t speaking to face-to-face. In restaurants I ve worked in, the next FOH meeting would include hey guys, i know sometimes we get super busy and it s stressful when people call or show up for a table we don t have, but we should treat all potential and future customers kindly and with respect, we want them to come in in the future when we have space! so we can build our customer base. Just admit that. Edit Edit: Thank you for adding the last sentence of your reply after my edit.

Too salty and too little portion

Small venue , make sure your entire group is present, or you wont be seated. Usually, busy. Food prepared as orders come in by chefs working the kitchen. You can see whipping up dishes. Working their Woks. Lol We came for the Bao. Tried Vietnamese coffee , liked it , be aware condensed milk is very sweet.

Very busy but the food was outstanding! Well worth the trip

Curry was good but ramen was unnecessarily so salty :( My sister and I were excited to try their ramen since Google reviews are saying theyre good, but we couldnt even finish our dish. You dont need that much salt in a bowl of ramen lol

Easily one of the best local restaurants in Victoria. My family and I have been eating here for years and it never disappoints. Whenever we have family visiting from out of town we make sure to take them here. 10/10!

Dietary restrictions: Great celiac options. Food

Great food. The 2 egg bibimbap was great. Perfectly cooked eggs and delicious pork.

The ambiance is cozy and the vibe is perfect. Food is good, just needed my noodles a little less soggy and would have been a 5 stars but the flavours were great

for an asian fusion restaurant run primarily by white people, they popped tf off on the bao. I got the taiwanese classic which in my opinion was very good; perfect balance of sweet, salty and crispy. tried the buttermilk chicken bao and didn t quite like it. The buttermilk fried chicken wasn t crispy enough and it lacked balance in its flavour profile as it had sour and salty but not enough sweetness. asian food typically tends to be on the sweeter side so it was really missing that element. as for the pork belly ramen, i was really excited because i saw so many reviews saying that it was really flavourful and salty. safe to say, i was absolutely disappointed. super duper bland. lacked that umami saltiness that ramen neeeeeds. i was desperate for more flavour. it was just a strange combination of flavours as the mushrooms by far packed the biggest punch because they were very sour. all in all, overrated. not bad but overrated.

My friends kept raving about this place, and it lived up to the hype! I got three different bao, all were delicious! I was originally going to get the ramen, but the the Korean Fried Chicken Bibimbap just sounded too tasty. Ill definitely go back for some pork belly Ramen. Just as a heads up though, you place your order up front before they seat you, so I suggest having a glance at the menu online prior to going so you dont have to do the awkward what should I get? dance at the front counter while holding other people up.

Terrible experience

Really underwhelming meal. Surprised by the high rating. While acknowledging this is Asian-fusion, I find the tastes were really unbalanced, with overpowering spices and conflicting flavours. Tried the tantanmen, which was too soupy rather than creamy, more like spicy danzai men. The noodle was also over cooked. The Taiwanese Classic bao would benefit from replacing the Cantonese hoisin sauce with chilli bean sauce.

This place is extremely good. There was a line out the door when I came which is always a good sign. I had 4 of the Bao. They are definitely the best Bao I have ever had. I will definitely be back.

Food was okay, found it strange that the restaurant has customers pay upfront at a sit down restaurant.

Met all expectations

This rating is based on service alone. As a customer I would not like to be guilt tripped when I make a payment. Merchant discount rate is charged across all services and does not have to be put across to the customer. Payment is a service provided as well along with great food. This coming from a person working in the payment industry

I went there for the first time this Friday afternoon and I had a good time there. I took 1 Classic bao ($5) the bread was very soft but the boa had little filling. I then had a tan-tan ramen ($15) which was quite generous and very good but be careful; very spicy! Good restaurant overall

Do not come here if you have a gluten allergy. When we called to ask about the gluten-free options on the menu, (whether they are prepared in separate areas as gluten-containing foods) we were greeted with a very rude employee. He spoke in a very aggressive tone I don t understand what you are asking! Everything has gluten! Theres gluten all over the place! They clearly do not educate their employees on allergens and i would not trust them to safely manage gluten free options on their menu. Dietary restrictions: Will not safely prepare your food.

Service is impeccable everyone feels like family and the space is a perfect compliment to the most amazing cuisine Victoria has to offer. I will die on this hill bao has my heart <3

This is my goto for Tantanmen. The broth is deep and rich with so many different layers of flavours. It smells spicy when it hits the table, but its a comfortable medium. The bao are absolutely delicious! We were lucky, the last time we were in and they had gyoza on special. Order them if you love gyoza. Best I have ever had!

For me, they just have better Asian food than many Asian restaurants.

great place to eat in victoria! i am a non meat eater and love how there are multiple vegetarian options to choose from! this is my boyfriends favourite restaurant in victoria! i only took off one star since they are often closed and the hours for vacation closures or other reasons for closures are often not communicated online so i have showed up twice to find it closed.

Excellent food; worst customer service in the city.

Tasty baos with a wide variety of flavors to choose from. We enjoyed the bibimbap as well, but would have enjoyed a little more gochujang in the dish. We were expecting more from the tan tan men, as it was not a flavor we were expecting. The service was great and very quick, even on a busy night.

One of the best spots in Victoria, cant wait to be back.

Overrated. Cramped setting. Mediocre food. Gotta pre order and pre tip. Get over yourselves.

Got take out from this spot. The service was fast and excellent. The food was even better. Would recommend to any Asian cuisine enthusiast.

Not one cook or manager from Vietnam, and it shows. Mediocre at best. Comes highly reccomended by ignorant people. Id skip it and go to green-leaf or saigon char-broil. Both locations are operated by Vietnamese people who actually visit Vietnam still [At least Saigon does].

Bao is an incredible place. Their texture and flavor is so unique, with that amazing soft Bao which pairs perfectly with the fillings options available. Other food options are great, but you just cant leave there without having at least one Bao, you gonna fall in love with it. Service is very friendly and cheerful. It is not a large space so prepare for a bit of waiting at certain times as seating is limited.

Great place! We tried the chicken wings, 4 different baos and ramen. Our favourite was the baos although all of the food was good. Worth the bit of a wait!

Delicious as always! I was so hungry I forgot to take a photo, but I guess that says alot about their presentation as well! The bao is so good, so is the ramen. Ive tried all the boa on their menu and cant pick just one favorite! Great location, there isnt a ton of seating so make sure you plan for that... also they do get pretty backed up so try and keep that in mind also. 100% the best place to get boa in the city and Id say my second favorite ramen restaurant in Victoria!

Favorite place. Everything is delicious

Ive come here a few times its excellent

Great food, I really loved it, however the portions are pretty small.

Very hot spot to go for dinner, but its certainly worth the wait. Amazing flavor and fresh ingredients make for a great meal. Will be returning here on our next trip to Victoria. Thank you. Keep up the great food and service! Wheelchair accessibility: Most tables have movable stools, easy to make room for those in wheelchairs. The door is unobstructed, and no ramp is needed as the entrance is flush with the sidewalk.

Impressed!

We got there right before it got busy. Got our food really fast. Food was incredible.

GET ALL OF THEM. literally. Thats all I can say. So good.

It was my first time at this restaurant. I had the buttermilk fried chicken Bao and the banana/Nutella dessert boa. It was very good. Fast service. The place is very small with limited tables so expect to wait (not long though)

Edit: based on google analytics 97% of my reviews are 5 stars. Yours is lucky to be among the lowest due to the poor service. If this is how you respond to customers it s not that much of a shock of how bad our experience was. Terrible food and poor service highly do not recommend. Unsanitary food practices as well.

Delicious food! Probably the best Katsu curry I have had. Be patient though - there is a line at busy hours and they seemed short on staff. Food : 5/5

Cool spot for pan-Asian cuisine in a tiny little place. Had a range of bao buns and loved them all. Friendly, hip service and alt music from the 90s and early 2000s.

Not all the of the baos are equally delicious and well balanced, hence the 4 star, not 5. Would recommend: Korean chicken wings (the sauce was SO flavorful) The Taiwanese Classic Bao (right amount of sauce and each ingredient) Tonkatsu Bao (great texture and balance of sauce) Fine, but not sensational were: Chinese BBQ bao Bahn mi bao

Enjoy the Vice service and everything snout it. Being an Indian, like more flavor punch in bibimpap.. the mushroom bao was delicious.. will certainly come again.. hoping to have kimchi for vegetarians

Excellent, quick, friendly, exactly as advertised. Go now and grab some bao. We tried 4 or 5 kinds of bao and they were all excellent. Well be back to test out the rest of the menu. Food

my guilty pleasure and go to spot in Vic! I will miss kylie, her crew and the food when I move :(

You MUST try Chicken Karage Ramen. It is only available on Fri and Sat but you gotta try it. Its simply the best in BC!! I tried Japanese Curry and Porkbelly Ramen. The chef knows how to use ginger and pickled mushroom. Dishes can be little greasy as they use deep fried food and porkbelly, but the pickled mushroom and the amount of ginger they use, it cleanses your tongue. I can tell that people working here are proud of what they are serving and enjoy their work. Just try it.

I can not live without this amazing g Ramen omg!! Ive been coming here for about 6 months now and I always love love to Ramen I get the tan tan men!!! The staff are always so happy and kind, I tell everyone about this place because Ive traveled from east to west of Canada I was fortunate enough to stumble apon this place!!!! The food is always fresh and so deliciously consistent!!!! I also really like that I see the owner working hard along side of her staff almost every time I come here!!! Not just that but they also close the business every work day for I think 1 or 2 hrs just for the staff to have a break, like I have never seen that before! I think more businesses should do the same ! Also there is a small line but please wait it goes by quick, its sooooo worth it I promise you wont regret it! Also Im allergic to dairy so I find it hard to get a place that offers excellent choices for my allergy and this place is hands down the best ! I never have to worry when I order most Ramen! Thanks Bao for being awesome!!!! Ps- I absolutely love that I can watch the chefs preparing my food right in front of me when I sit at their side bar kitchen lookover area ! So cool!!!!!!

Good flavour! But the Korean chicken in my bibimbap wasnt crispy enough.

Holy hell this place was fantastic. We tried everything and we loved it all. They catered to allergies well too. High recommend!

Tasty food! Unfortunately the cashier was rude/entitled feeling. We regretted not going to an authentic Asian spot instead because of that. The cashier seemed like she didn t want us to be there :( Felt like we had to rush to get her undivided attention while she fixed this and that rather than asking us what we re interested in or to offer suggestions etc. Felt like we weren t fast enough for her and our questions were trivial...

ordered a vegan gf tan tan men. unfortunately it was not very flavourful n a bit disappointing. wish they had gf bao too! i m celiac n vegan so there was only 2options either ramen or tan tan men. better to go there early otherwise you gotta make a que outside. there are not many seats.

This place is fantastic! We had Korean style fried chicken (superb!!!!!), 4 different bao, an iced Vietnamese coffee, some diet coke and a quite fantastic local elderflower rose kombucha brew by Cultured Kombucha. The music, décor, and ambiance are all worthy of mention. All excellent. Very funky music (watch clip of Vietnamese coffee dripping for a taster). The wait staff were friendly and not bothered by breastfeeding or feeding refried beans to the baby at our table.

The Bao is great. Bao it all down.

Im gluten free and vegetarian. I cant remember the last time I was able to have Ramen! It was more of a pho with rice noodles however it was so delicious. Spicy and lots of different textures. Very generous portion sizes and a very fair price. Food came very quickly. I had the tan tan Ramen and iced Vietnamese coffee. Absolutely loved it! Went with my brother and we both agreed it was fabulous!

Great atmosphere. Customer service top of the line and my wifes new favorite restaurant for Ramen . Go out of your way to visit near China Town Victoria. Tell them Pogi Steve recommended.

Ingredients were high quality, fusion menu was good. Overall food was fire .

The Bao are terrific, soup is so-so. This was my 3rd time here and Im underwhelmed by the noodle dishes each time. Stick to the signature Bao. They are great.

Best Ramen I have had. In 2018 we found this restaurant and have come back ever since. My daughter loved the Ramen Tofu back then and this started her journey exploring different types of food. For Muslims: don t let the pig on the door turn you off: the vegan vegetarian dishes are incredible. Our whole family loves the vegan/ Vegetarian Tan Tan Men. The tofu is crunchy and delicious. I wholeheartedly recommend Bao. I look forward to it all year and it is a big reason why we all love coming to Victoria so much.

Just amazing in every way!

Best bao Ive ever had, and Ive had lots of bao.

Seriously awesome ramen, and the bao is the best I have ever tried

Lovely place to try Korean dishes. We had the chicken bimbimbap and 2 baos (chicken and meatballs). We recommend all of them! Nice and quiet terrace to sit and enjoy the Chinatown neighborhood

Good vegetarian options. Buns were better than the multi-meat noodle dish.

It s a small spot with delicious Asian cuisine. Especially bao

I thought the food was okay but the service was disappointing. While waiting for our order, the server looked at my husband 3 times before even asking him if he was picking up an order or anything. Then, they asked if he wanted to wait at the bar or outside so he chose the bar but felt unwelcomed.

Very impressive taste and portions with vegan options. A great place in downtown, I will be back!!

Let me preface this by saying that my partner had found Bao and wanted to try it because of all the rave reviews. We came in with an open mind as we knew this was a fusion restaurant and wouldnt be your typical experience. We werent too hungry, so we unfortunately missed out on the bao, which is what theyre known for. We missed out and will likely try the bao next time. You order at the counter then get seated :) I looked at the menu and IMMEDIATELY started craving katsu curry, so thats what I ordered. I was happy with the portion size, but not so much the actual dish. Ive had a lot of katsu curry - in Japan, Korea, and growing up with it - but this was a unique take. I really enjoyed the chicken katsu, but there was a large amount of green onion and cabbage in the dish, which seemed a bit odd. The curry was labeled as spicy, but I didnt feel the kick that I expect from Japanese curry, nbd, but I wanted a small burn. The oddest bit was the ginger mixed with umeboshi. One thing with Japanese curry I love is the tsukemono that comes with it, not necessarily this interesting addition. We really hope to come back to try the bao so I can revise this review :)

Really good food! The coffee was incredible and the chicken bowl too.

The place was very busy at 5:30pm a good sign since the clientele was in the 25-35 range who typically do not eat so early. The BAOs are amazing as well as the noodle soup (TanTan Men Ramen). A must try in Victoria

We knew we had to try this place when it was almost full at 5:15! Small place so hard for large groups. So many Baos to try and my favourite were the 2 pork ones. The tan tan noodles also fantastic! Sit at the bar to see how fast the chefs make your food!

Best ramen (highly recommend the tan tan men). Best Bao buns. Lovely owners and staff. Love this place and highly recommend for all your Asian fusion needs!

Vegetarians, you will fall in love with their miso tofu mushroom ramen. It was the best ramen I have tried in BC!

Delicious food. Staff were really nice and professional despite the busy-ness. I was impressed that the one girl taking all the orders was so on top of everything despite how tired she must have been (remembering to ask us if we wanted extra plates, managing the line and orders well, etc ). There was a line when we got there but it turned around pretty fast. Taiwanese classic Bao was extremely delicious. 10/10

The place is fairly small

Tried the spicy pork belly ramen and it was very delicious. Bao has a nest atmosphere

Great place for Bao s! Got all the meat ones and every single one was delicious in its own way!

The pork belly bao was phenomenal. I wish they were a bit bigger, I could eat 6 of these no problem lol I would come back to try some of the soups, the kitchen smells great upon entry. Thanks Bao

Pork Belly Bao is the best thing Ive ever eaten.

One of the best ramen and Bao places in Victoria, I ve never tried Ramen before and Bao was the first place I had ramen from and I fell in love. Really cute vibe!! Excellent service, great food and affordable!! Must try

An awesome place for bao and ramen! A must visit in Victoria

Bao is literally the best ramen spot in town! Nothing defeats it in my personal opinion.. it s literally a burst of flavours in your mouth.. SO DELICIOUS! Their buttermilk fried chicken bao is to die for, I could literally eat 10 of it in one go.. and my favourite ramen is the Tan Tan men ramen!! Highly recommend!!

Vegetarian options: Sehr nette Beratung und sehr gutes Essen Food

This is the best Ramen Ive had, such a unique set of flavours. I got the pork and the smokiness that comes through is enough for me to come back 100 times. And dont even get me started on how great the baos are.

I tried the Bao and the ramen on two occasions and enjoyed both! The staff were kind and quick. The food was fresh and hot. Would absolutely go again if I get the opportunity.

Cozy place with a great variety of bao and ramen

Really enjoyed the Bao here. A great stop on Friday night. Will visit again.

Really tasty! Was looking for a quick late dinner and Bao was on my list to try... glad we did! The Pork Belly Ramen was super flavourful. The Bao buns I tried were very good, but the real highlight for me was the chicken wings! I tried the Korean and Mala flavors... both amazing, but quite different from each other. Strong recommendation here... add it to your list! Back for round 2... enjoyed the wings again and tried a couple bao as well... the original and Korean fried chicken. All were as good as last time! My wife tried the noodle.stir fry and enjoyed it! Still a good spot for a quick meal!

They were simply the best, not too much not too less . Perfectly curated baos . Wallah

It s in the name, it s what you should come for. The bao was fantastic, we shared most of the bao menu and it was all top tier. The ramen was solid, left a little to be desired in flavour, but it was still tasty and fresh. The server/host seemed annoyed by the presence of customers which we found kind of amusing and endearing to be honest. Ambience was nice, the place felt cozy. Would return

Incredible place! The atmosphere was perfect for a ramen shop and the service was fast and excellent. I would highly recommend if your looking for delicious food! I was most impressed at the kitchen staff. Getting to sit at the bar and watch them work was impressive and very enjoyable!

Delightful meal. The atmosphere is wonderful here and very cozy. I really enjoyed the quick and friendly service. I was a huge fan of the Bao and recommended the Mala 5 Mushroom. I also had the Truffle Pulled Pork ramen and I enjoyed the flavour, the pork, and eggs but I wasnt the biggest fan of the texture of the noodles; however, it is not a deal breaker. Still recommended checking this place out. Fantastic!

great food, veggie options, very small space so it gets packed when busy

I was quite excited to visit due to the high reviews but I would say I was more disappointed. The servers were OK, like not a bad service but not a good one either. And the FOOD. I was quite disappointed as the flavour was blend. Like it did tasted ok, but I guess I expected Spicy Pork Ramen to be spicy, or even slightly (the broth was just red) and the bao was ok too. Nothing really stood out like all the reviews claim how great the food is. If you are looking for flavour in your food, I would skip this.

Best Ramen I have ever had. Phenomenal!

Amazing!!!

Love the Bao. Service was friendly. Order and pay and food is delivered to the table. Maybe I ordered wrong, but my impression was that all the ramen included a level of spice. I would not typically like any spice in my ramen. Just a rich broth and maybe garlic or sesame, please.

Great experience. My friends favorite restaurant in Victoria. My first visit proved that the food was uniquely delicious and the service friendly and spot on.

the baos were very good. the classic pork belly was quite big and hit the spot. the set up of a wrapper + meat + aromatic veg reminds me peking duck, similar structure! the mala mushroom was cool too, very distinctive in their individual textures and a good kick of mala. the korean friend chicken was innovative but a bit less impressive. i think sushi rice was a nice experiment but the flavor profile was definitely not the typical bibimbap because it lacked the gojujang sauce and other korean sauces and because the taste of fried chicken was also not typical. i did not enjoy the hot sauce would not recommend. the last pro is that it was not heavy on stomach bc it didn t use all the sauces. but overall recommend the baos but not the fried chicken bibimbap.

This is my favourite asian fusion restaurant in town. Their Tantanmen is incomparable to anywhere else, and the marinade they make for their ramen eggs is delicious. Bao buns are great, chicken karagee is great, chicken katsu - also great. I love everything Ive tried on their menu. The quality of their food has stayed consistent over the years.

Good god these things are good. Wings next time

The vegan options for tofu bao, tan tan men, and ramen are all delicious! It has become a regular favourite spot. Love grabbing dinner here to take home because the food travels really well. The location is small, so dining in can be a bit crowded. Vegetarian options: plenty of delicious vegan options

Their buns are Gods gift to humanity.

Went during Happy Hour and everything was small but delicious !

Suuuupperr cute and lowkey place! The food was really good and came out super quick too!

Always enjoy our visits to Bao.

Delicious food! Very loud and busy, but great energy! Remember to tell the staff if you want spicy or regular as they might be too busy to check!

Consistently great! Food is great for a reasonable price. Super cozy place with a casual vibe. Great on a rainy day!

One of my favorite places in Victoria. Best ramen of the city! Ask for the Tan Tan men And the baos are delicious.