Skip to main contentThe city’s first serious soup dumpling house is closing its doors. XLB on North Williams Avenue, which specializes in xiao long bao—doughy purses of broth and meat—will close permanently April 20.
“It’s been really slow, so we decided to call it,” XLB manager Dustin Houston says.
XLB co-owner Linh Tran made the announcement March 20 on Instagram. She owned the restaurant with Jasper Shen, formerly of Aviary, where they met.
“Serving this community delicious Chinese comfort food has been an honor, and we cannot thank you enough for being part of our journey,” Tran wrote. “Whether you stopped in for a quick bite, became a beloved regular, or celebrated milestones and holidays, we appreciate every moment.”
Tran made the decision to close with a “heavy heart,” she wrote. XLB’s short-lived second location on Northwest 21st Avenue closed in 2020, Houston says.
In 2017, WW reviewer Matthew Korfhage praised the soup dumplings as “dialed in—bursting with lovely, savory, herbal, warming broth, accented with an on-point vinegar-shallot dipping sauce.”
EAT: XLB, 4090 N Williams Ave., 503-841-5373, xlbpdx.com. 11 am–3 pm and 5–10 pm daily, through April 20.