If you ever ask me where to get authentic, delicious, and homemade dumplings, Mai Xiang Yuan will always be my go-to answer. I grew up in a household that frequently made dumplings from scratch, and I can safely say that I've never been disappointed here.
I've been frequenting this place since my first year at university, and one thing that I really love is their frozen dumpling takeout option - it was probably this that won my loyalty. Every once in a while I'll go and buy two or three bags of dumplings (usually #5, if I remember correctly) and throw them in the freezer for later. They're super convenient when you're too lazy to cook, and they're a lot cheaper than takeout.
At the restaurant, you can get your dumplings either steamed or fried. Their dumplings are hand wrapped by cooks behind the counter, which guarantees their freshness. There's a huge variety to choose from, but not all of them can be bought frozen. The only drawback is that everything is cash only.