Xiao Bao

Xiao Bao (according to Google is pronounced show bow) translates to “little treasure” in Cantonese and that is exactly what this restaurant is. It’s a small dining room and bar with pretty limited seating tucked in the East Nashville neighborhood.

The menu is relatively small and my waitress helped me pick out my dishes and also explained that the menu is designed to share.

Definitely get the bao buns. The bread itself was really good and the pork belly was easily the most tender and flavorful pork I’ve ever ate.

I used the excess bao to soak up the flavor at the bottom of my hand pulled noodle bowl. The noodles were also really good. I wasn’t expecting the texture but found it enjoyable. The dish had an underlying spice (heat) to it that built up a little bit throughout the dish but never became overwhelming. The ginger beer was a nice pairing. A full bar is available as well as non alcoholic mocktail options.

We met a friend here on our way back from the midwest. This was our halfway point. The kitchen closed before we arrived, but the staff let my friend order before it closed so we could have a meal ready for us upon arrival. The staff was super friendly and made meal suggestions. The food was delicious!!! As were the drinks. The staff was so nice and accommodated all our needs. We tried appetizers, main dishes, and dessert as well. I wanted my belly to expand just so I could eat more. Loved the decor and atmosphere. Will come here again when passing through Nashville!!!

There’s so much love and attention put into every aspect of this restaurant. The atmosphere is top notch: Soviet era East Asian decor, phenomenal tunes, and the prettiest menus. I quite literally cried while eating my food. The menu changes often, so I recommend watching their Instagram to see the daily specials! That’s how I tried the butter chicken momo, which was transcendent. The staff were extremely sweet and attentive and willing to chat about the menu and the restaurant itself. This is, hands-down, one of my favorite restaurants of all time.

What I loved most about Xiao Bao was the vintage 60s-style decor of the place. Nicely done. You can get a tour of Asian cuisines here, so we tried quite a few different dishes to share. Everything was good, but my favorite was the Pad Kra Pow. They also have an interesting bathroom (video included).

Service is phenomenal and the atmosphere is so unique! I like the moody lighting at night and their cute decorations around the restaurant.
Their hand pulled noodles gave the perfect amount of chew to them and are seasoned perfectly. Their dumplings... AMAZING!! Their cocktails are also very interesting and I enjoyed the ones I tasted. The lasagna sounds odd at first, but it tastes delicious, definitely a must get! And don't forget about those yummy fat fries 🤤