TKF Tumanyan Khinkali Factory

I loved the food!!! Very fresh and unique style…
It was my first time there and the server Andy was great he explain to us everything and gave us great recommendations! Great prices wroth the money definitely coming back!!!

This was my first time trying Armenian/​Middle Eastern khinkali! My friend brought me here for a birthday dinner and it was a very nice treat. I had been wanted to try these for awhile and I’m glad my friend wanted to, as well. I love the appetizers they bring when you first sit down; toasted bread cubes and lightly seasoned chickpeas in salt and oil, I think. It was light and refreshing and went well with all the dishes. We decided on two steamed beef khinkali; it was nice and soupy inside much like a Chinese XLB. The beefy soup almost tasted like phở broth. Plus, our server suggested we put sour cream and pepper on everything; very good suggestion. Then, we ordered the pelmeni with pork or beef and two each of the Georgian cheese, beef, and mushrooms; all fried! Slathered sour cream and pepper on everything! It was more than enough food and very tasty. We ended our meal with the honey cake; I wasn’t too crazy for that dessert. I felt it was a little dry and lacking, even with all that caramel drizzle. But, all the savory dishes were delightful. This was a good experience and the service was hospitable and welcoming. Nom nom noms!

Salty food. Very Slow service. Very understaffed. I’m better off making the food at home. These people need to learn how to run a restaurant before opening one up.

Best Khinkali in USA.
To get most authentic Georgian Khinkali get the steamed ones.
The restaurant ambiance is great and they have good drinks.

I loved this placed and I loved our server Andy was great…
He explained the whole menu and explained how to eat every thing…
He made our experience great…
We will come back for sure…

What a fantastic place and a unique culinary treat! If you are a foodie who is looking for a very different food experience, TKF has to be in LA’s top 10. Don’t let the «factory» part of the name fool you either — this place has beautiful décor and works equally well for an intimate date or a family gathering.
The service was absolutely wonderful and extremely attentive — the waiters were patient and diligent in explaining each food item we were unfamiliar with. At one point they even noticed us gazing at some of the furniture and accent pieces in the space, and came over and chatted with us about where they got them, etc.
The food itself was nothing short of delicious — we had the picked veggies (huge portion), dolmas, fried and boiled dumplings and the chocolate layer cake to finish. Full cocktail bar with house crafted specialty cocktails as well. Everything was outstanding! I have to say the pricing was also extremely reasonable, you will not break the bank. For all the food mentioned above (6 dumplings total), our total was around $ 50 for 2 people.
You have to come and try this amazing place!

This place is amazing !!! Love the food, service and management! Will definitely come back! THIS PLACE IS A MUST GO!
Thank you VAHE!!!

Khinkali that literally burst with flavor, sometimes dribbling juice down your chin.
I first heard about TKF thanks to Jonathan Gold’s review in the LA Times several months back. I’m a huge sucker for Shanhainese-​style soup dumpings like xiaolongbao and shengjianbao, so I was definitely intrigued when I heard that a place specializing in Caucasus-​style soup dumplings had opened up near me. For starters, khinkali are much larger than your average XLB/​SJB. That makes them more of a challenge to eat, but they’re so worth it. The flavor profile reminds me a lot of Xinjiang cuisine. They’re stylistically very similar to their Shanghainese counterparts but with more punches of Middle Eastern seasonings. The doughy knob you’re left with at the end is meant to be thrown away at the end.
As far as dumplings go, these are truly top notch. Thoroughly cooked with thin skins that somehow manage to hold every drop of brothy goodness inside of them until you take that first nibble. You can order them steamed or fried and stuffed with either beef, mushrooms, or cheese. I’m most partial to the steamed beef version, but if you want to sample them fried, I’d recommend getting the cheese.
All of the salads here have been surprisingly good as well, particularly the quinoa apple salad. It’s nice to counteract all that doughy heaviness with something bright and acidic. Service is much better than I’m accustomed to getting in Glendale. Warm, friendly, and helpful, the waitstaff is great about steering first timers in the right direction.
All in all, highly recommended.

Ate here this past Saturday night and loved it — what unique dumplings! Very flavorful. The hot yogurt-​like soup is highly recommended as well. Honey bread desert was good too. Restaurant is also beautiful on the inside. Within walking distance of Glendale Galleria, though down an odd alleyway. Still — well worth the walk!

Love this place! I have been here many times and enjoy it every time. Their cheese plate is great, it has a perfect combo of cheese, tomatoes, greens and slices of jalapenos cut and places inside the tomato. It’s perfect for those that eat and don’t eat spicy food. Their pilmeni is great too. Fried is a good way to get it. The beef Khinkali is flavorful with herbs and the dough is thin. That is preferably best to get steamed. The cheese and mushroom is better fried. I prefer the cheese over the mushroom most times, but it is just as good. As for sides, a salad to share or the olives is perfect. Their staff is kind and 8 out of 10 times, attentive.
As for the soup, I’m one that likes to eat the pilmeni with the broth and some yogurt. That isn’t what I got. Granted, the soup isn’t bad, it’s just not what I expected.

Tumanyan Khinkali Factory is such an amazing restaurant with its cuisine originally from Georgia «Khinkali»…
I have to say Andy’s service was amazing… I highly recommend the salads are good as well…

Came here for dinner after the review by Jonathan Gold in the Top 101 restaurants in Southern California (#84). Arrived at 7pm on Saturday dinner and it was only 70% full. The restaurant has a full bar with about 8 beers on tap. Ordered the following:
— pickled vegetables
— bread basket
— blinchik
— 3 Khinkalis with beef per person
— 1 deep fried Khinkali per person with mushroom.
— Allagash white for myself and a Georgian red wine for my wife.
Service was very good and attentive. The Khinkalis are pretty awesome. I would have to say they are better than most Chinese soup dumplings. The beef filling is very nicely seasoned, the soup in the Khinkalis are very similar to the Chinese soup dumplings, the skin of the Khinkalis are very delicate. The deep fried mushroom Khinkalis were very good as well. Will definitely come back again.

Hello my dear readers, friend and strangers.
I’ll start from the beginning of me coming here and the fact that I hate menus.
So for people like me please …
Don’t be afraid to ask what they would recommend, I have been recommended ich salad (loved it) not the first time I’ve tried.
Always must is Khinkali 3 – 4 if you’re not very hungry.
I must say that Gio recommended me also «blinchik» or it may be crepes in the menu. I just ordered without menu :)
Everything is awesome. The atmosphere is warm like you’re eating home (for those who knows what I am talking about)
Overall rating 5 stars. lovely. Yes and the tip! go for a patio seating I like it better there vs. inside.
Thank you!

Ah-​mazing customer service!!! And I mean AH-​MAzing!
Here’s my version of pronouncing these puppies …
Hun-​ka-​lees (were tasty) small amounts of meat inside, entire pc is a bit more doughie (obvi, you don’t eat the top parts) …BUT the juice inside is very tasty.
Cheese plate was nice (minus the herb cheese)
Did I mention the gentlemen working there were super amazingly sweet!
Let’s see what else did I have .oh yah the appetizers they bring out is an interesting touch.
Yah, I’ll return! As long as the weather stays cold!

I’ve wanted to try this mysterious restaurant for about five months. I’m new to the area and went exploring one day and stumbled upon TKF. I had no clue how to pronounce the name and I had no idea what everyone on the patio was eating.
Well, the restaurant specializes in selling Georgian dumplings and they are big and delicious. The dumplings dough is thick and filled with flavorful mixes of either seasoned ground beef, seasoned chopped mushrooms or cheese.
To my surprise they also serve a variety of healthy salads and appetizers. I tried the Quinoa and Apple salad. It was so refreshing, light and flavorful. The salad was clearly freshly prepared and it was mostly room temperature which I love. I find most restaurant salads difficult to enjoy when they are freezing from being pre made. The salad was made from red quinoa, green apples, parsley, cranberries, celery, oil and a light vinegarette. It was a great way to start the meal! Especially after I had munched on the salty garbanzos that they placed before me.
I also tried the yogurt soup with Pinellini inside. If I hadn’t ordered so much to eat I probably could have finished it, but all of the starchy foods really started to take their toll on me quick. I felt hot, full and sleepy shortly after the dumplings arrived. The soup was salty and sour, but in a good way. The phyllo dough topping was perfectly cooked, but I did request a longer cook time.
The service from everyone was exceptional and the patio was perfect, actually romantic and relaxing. The view made me feel like I wasn’t in California for a little bit.
I will definitely go back and probably try a light appetizer, another salad and have the soup as my only starchy feature. It came with tiny dumplings so it covers two bases.

Honey, we blew up the Xiao long bao!!!
My cousin, my foodie partner in crime first introduced me to xiao long bao through Din Tai Fung. It blew my mind. My world was then a soup stuffed dumpling that I didn’t know exist. So a few months later he tells me about Georgian dumplings. At first I was very confused. Then I had it, Khinkali.
Everything I knew about dumplings, my Asian background, my dim sum adventures, it was just the tip of the iceberg.
Picture a soup stuffed dumpling the size of a baby’s first. I know, now close your mouth, you’re drooling. We had the cheese, beef, and mushroom both steamed and fried. Every one of them delicious.
The staff was friendly and very informative. No idea how to eat it or where to start. Also the desserts were a great palate cleanser.
All in all try TFK out if you are new. I am on my way to find more khinkali places.
Enjoy your dumpling!

I know TKF is known for their dumplings, but I can’t stop thinking about their Mediterranean salad! We almost didn’t order it, so focused were we on the giant Georgian dumplings. It was a last minute addition after perusing Unilocal (thanks, fellow Unilocalers!).
Don’t get me wrong, the khinkali are definitely worth ordering — our fave are the steamed beef, with a generous dollop of sour cream ($ 1.50 extra) — but I’m in love with the juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and red onion, and fresh blend of herbs (Thai basil, parsley, and cilantro?) of the Mediterranean salad. It might be extra delicious because tomatoes are in season.
I say skip the other smaller dumplings and order several khinkali + the salad. That will be our standard order going forward!

Over rated Chinese soup dumpling joint, Din Tai Fung, has a superior competitor for the most flavourful soup dumplings in all of SoCal if not the entire world. What’s better is that there is no insane & inane wait as well as hyper personable service by our wonderfully friendly & helpful waitress, Natalia, unlike at DTF where the service is at best perfunctory & lacking in hospitality.
Tumanyan Khinkali Factory creates 3 wonderful types of soup dumplings from Trans-​Caucasus Georgia which was formerly part of the now defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but there are other items from other parts of the USSR. However, I’m getting ahead of myself since those luscious dumplings were eaten toward the last part of the meal.
1) Complementary salty boiled Garbanzo/​Chickpeas & light, airy, crunchy toasted Puri bread. I saved the chickpeas to mash into the soup left over from the soup dumplings or adding them to the Ich. They are a nutrient dense source of protein.
2) Charcuterie Plate: Basturma is cured, dusty rose colored, air dried beef that is still moist w/​a meaty texture that is interlarded w/​flavourful sweet fat. There is a mélange of spices that adds a Salame Toscano like flavour. Sujukh/​Soujouk is a coarse ground beef dried sausage that is spiced w/​garlic & what may be Za’atar which includes thyme & oregano & capsicum of some kind.
2a) To go w/​the charcuterie, we ordered Lavash & Puri bread which can also be used to sop up the soup from the dumplings.
3) Mediterranean Salad reminded me of Fatoush without the Verdolaga greens. It’s made of thickly sliced crispy Persian cucumber, chunks of vine ripened sweet tomatoes, slices of onion in a simple yet deep tasting salad dressing of light vinegar, herbed oil that might have a hint of grated fresh garlic that adds an almost undetectable savoury, funky element. We made «sandwiches» of the charcuterie, salad, & flat bread which were a wonderful meal in itself.
4) Ich (eech) may be related to Tabouleh since the main ingredient is Bulgar wheat, but instead of having green parsley, tomato, onion, sometimes cucumbers, olive oil, lemon juice, Ich is tossed in seasoned tomato sauce w/​what seems to be buttery olive oil which leaves a satisfying sweet fullness. Whole romaine lettuce leaves can be used as a base for loading on the Ich for a great contrast w/​the crispy, watery, refreshing romaine. I also topped it w/​the chickpeas for more textural complexity.
5) Khinkali:
a) Ground beef dumpling was boiled to make the outer skin look like a smooth, silken, satiny purse. The texture is soft yet pliable. Hold the Khinkali by hand & bite into it to make a hole where you can sip the juice flavoured w/​herbs & onion. Then work your way in to eat the crumbly, soft meat & the rest of the wheat based skin. The pleated top of the dumpling is a bit tough so your choice as to eat it or not. The meat juice flavour is rich & delicately herbed for an effect far superior to the over rated soup dumplings of DTF.
b) Mushrooms are chopped up along w/​a predominantly dill/​onion aroma which also has a bit of a meaty juice. The dumpling is pan fried so part of it is leathery crispy, golden brown while other parts are drier, softer, & white. This had the most delicate of flavours although the dill did give it a nice fresh yet green herbal taste.
c) Cheese inside is stringy like Mozarella, & the addition of butter herbed juice squirting out w/​bright green Italian parsley made for a dairy intensive, satisfying flavour profile. Again it was pan fried for added complex texture that complemented the cheesy richness.
5a) Since this is an Armenian run restaurant, we decided to order a great lager style beer, Kilikia, from Yerevan. It’s a lighter, golden beer w/​subdued head made more complex by the addition of bitter, clean hops & trace accents of citrus, «meaty» yeast, slight acidity. Kilikia went well w/​all the dishes we encountered.
6) Armenian coffee is very similar to Turkish in that the coffee grounds are boiled together w/​water so that there is sediment at the bottom of the cup. Taste is similar to Espresso, but may be a bit sweeter & less acidic.
I’d like to thank Mega Unilocaler Isobel L. (Herzlichen Geburtstag!!!) for scouting out & going to the trouble of previewing TKF before inviting us to the most flavourful Caucasus/​near Middle Eastern food I have ever had. Every dish we had was exemplary & the prices are so reasonable compared to many of the overhyped «hipster» restaurants that have sprouted up in the last few years & serve ghastly food at atrocious prices. Khinkali is the Real Deal. 5– Unilocal stars, & thank you Natalia for your perky, kind, gregarious service which really added to the experience.
PS TKF is hidden. There is an alley-​like pedestrian entrance facing Maryland Street on the south side of the street between Wilson & Broadway. Walk on until you hit another alley & turn right. Front entrance is right there.

Who ever thought that DTF would be replaced by TKF as my go-​to dumpling fix? WTF?
Let me explain. Size matters.
The Khinkali (Georgian dumplings, as in Georgia in the Caucasus mountains, not down south in the good old US of A) at TKF are like DTF (Din Tai Fung, for the uninitiated) dumplings on steroids. They are gigantic. And they pack tons of flavor, feature delicious fillings and wonderful broth. Two dumplings and you’re full. At $ 2.50 each, that’s saying something.
And then there’s the ich factor. Ich? Yep: ich is a wonderful bulgar salad that is light and flavorful and filling. It makes a great accompaniment to a couple of dumplings.
And, furthermore, there’s a wonderful charcuterie plate featuring sliced basturma (seasoned dried beef) and sujukh (sausage). Bread basket (puri and lavash) is $ 3 additional.
Complimentary appetizers include croutons and garbanzo beans. Don’t ask me why; no clue. I also ordered a tan (yougurt drink) that was refreshing and perfect with dinner.
Previous visitors have mentioned poor service. This was not evident tonight. Service was attentive, dishes arrived promptly and I was given sour cream unbidden, which added a nice touch. Leftovers were boxed up for me right away.
A word about getting lost and Georgian men. It can be challenging to find the entrance to TKF, given the fact that it’s in the alley and there is no sign. So, I got lost. And so I asked this nice-​looking gentleman if he knew where the dumpling place was. Dumplings? he said. No idea. Never heard of dumplings around here.
Khinkali, I said. Aha! Oh, yes, they are from Georgia! I am from Georgia, he said. (May I add that he was good-​looking, polite and had an delightful accent.) Let me show you where it is. And he walked me towards the alley and pointed me in the right direction.
Now, I am past marriageable age but if I were on the market, a Georgian man might be just the ticket.
Metered parking on the street.

I enjoyed the outdoor seating, there was nice breeze today. The waitress was very nice and informative; being that it was our first time eating khinkali, she told us all about it.
The Mediterranean salad was refreshing and flavorful. It went well with the croutons and chickpeas at the table.
I loved the khinkali. The boiled mushroom khinkali was great and the fried cheese dumpling was delicious! I’ve never had anything like it before, so it was fun to try.
I wanted to like the Pileni soup with mini dumplings inside. The presentation was nice, but I didn’t care for the sour, cream base. It tasted like tzatziki sauce soup. The phylo dough wasn’t cooked all the way on inside, but I still enjoyed the pastry dough.
Very nice place, I would eat here again.