Dumpling Empire didn’t ask for permission when it rolled into South 72nd back in 2022. They just fired up the steamer baskets and let the food do the talking. And it worked. Now, they’re back—and this time, they’ve claimed new territory in West Omaha at 15825 West Maple Road, breathing life and flavor into the former Dickey’s BBQ spot.
It’s not flashy. It’s not reinventing Chinese food. What it is, though, is honest—a throwback to what food was before Instagram filters and QR codes. Fresh scallion. Hand-folded dumplings. Brick walls and simple stools. A patio with just enough shade and string lights to make it feel like home.
Inside the open kitchen, steam rises like stage smoke. But the drama is all on the plate.
A Second Location with First-Class Flavor
The menu hasn’t lost a step. If anything, the new location seems even more comfortable in its own skin. The Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings still come blistered and golden, juicy enough to burn the roof of your mouth if you’re impatient. The Tri-Delicacies Dumplings—pork, shrimp, egg, chive—are a tightrope walk of texture and balance. And the Steamed Beef Buns still manage to carry flavor with the kind of confidence usually reserved for restaurants charging twice the price.
Want noodles? The Stir-Fry Lo Mein is a wrecking ball of wok-seared beef, shrimp, and vegetables, tangled up with sauce that clings to each strand like it has nowhere better to be.
You’ll find the full spread on their wall-sized menu boards: pork belly buns, garlic cucumber salad, Szechuan chicken, egg drop soup. Every dish is unapologetically familiar and uniquely theirs.
Where Maple Meets Memory
The second Dumpling Empire outpost doesn't aim to impress with architecture—it’s not that kind of place. It trades sleek for sincerity. Inside, the wooden walls give way to a wide, family-style layout with humble décor and paper lanterns. The dining room smells like sesame oil and simmering broth. And when you see the “Please wait to be seated” sign, you already know—you’re in the right place.
Outside, the patio stretches wide, shaded and set back from Maple’s chaos. It’s the kind of space you could lose an hour in—slurping soup dumplings and letting your tea get cold while you figure out which bun to try next.
More Than Dumplings
Yes, dumplings are the hook—but they’re not the whole story. There’s a quiet pride behind every plate here. A family operation that skipped the flashy rollout, kept its head down, and built something that matters—twice.
The West Maple location is open Sunday–Thursday from 11 AM to 9 PM, Friday–Saturday until 9:30 PM, and closed Tuesdays. It’s easy to miss from the road, but it might just be the most satisfying $13 you’ll spend this month.
Visit Dumpling Empire at:
? 15825 W Maple Rd, Omaha, NE 68116
? 5413 S 72nd St, Omaha, NE 68127
? (531) 867-3929
? Find them on Facebook
